Buldak Targets the No. 2 Spot in Korea's Instant Noodle Market
Buldak Bokkeum Myun is shaking up the familiar rankings of the Korean instant noodle market. After overtaking Jin Ramen to become No. 3, it has now closed the gap with No. 2, Chapagetti, to just 2 billion won. Even more surprising is that, despite such high domestic sales, the majority of Samyang Foods' revenue actually comes from overseas.
Buldak Bokkeum Myun Overtakes Jin Ramen
DATA
Buldak Bokkeum Myun Overtakes Jin Ramen... Now Chasing Chapagetti at No. 2
Korean instant noodle retail market brand sales share conversion (Retail POS tracking, Source: aT Korean Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation·MarketLink Trend)
2025.2Q
Jin Ramen at No. 3
2025.3Q
Buldak Turns the Tables
2025.4Q
Maintains Ranking
2026.1Q
Gap Narrows
Annual Sales (2025)
1Q 2026
Growth Rate (2021→2025)
Shin Ramyun
0
Chapagetti
0
Jin Ramen
0
Buldak Bokkeum Myun
0
Based on annual data, Jin Ramen (1.899 billion won) was only slightly ahead of Buldak Bokkeum Myun (1.819 billion won). However, the company expects sales in the second half of 2025 to be somewhat weaker, so on a full-year basis in 2026, the rankings may remain unchanged.
Shin Ramyun
0
Chapagetti
0
Buldak Bokkeum Myun
0
Jin Ramen
0
In the first quarter of 2026, Buldak Bokkeum Myun has overtaken Jin Ramen and is now in third place in the instant noodle retail market. The gap with No. 2 Chapagetti is down to just 2 billion won (whereas the difference was 14 billion won in the first quarter of the previous year).
Buldak Bokkeum Myun
0
Instant Noodle Market Average
0
Jin Ramen
0
Cumulative growth from 2021 to 2025. The growth rate of Buldak Bokkeum Myun is nearly three times that of the instant noodle market average, and nine times that of Jin Ramen.
Source: Company public disclosure data processing
The rankings of Korea’s instant noodle market are changing.
In the first quarter of this year, Buldak Bokkeum Myun achieved sales of 50.3 billion won, surpassing Jin Ramen, which recorded 46 billion won.
Buldak Bokkeum Myun has taken the No. 3 spot formerly held by Jin Ramen for a long time.
This reversal is not just a one-off event.
After first overtaking Jin Ramen in the third quarter last year, Buldak Bokkeum Myun has maintained its lead for three consecutive quarters through the fourth quarter of last year and the first quarter of this year.
The familiar rankings of the domestic instant noodle market are starting to shift.
Now Even Chapagetti Can't Rest Easy
DATA
Buldak Bokkeum Myun Narrows Gap with Chapagetti to Just 2 Billion Won
Main 2nd and 3rd place instant noodle brand sales gap (Retail POS tracking, Source: aT Korean Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation·MarketLink Trend)
Quarterly Data
Cumulative Gap
Q1 2025
Chapagetti
Reference
Buldak Bokkeum Myun
Reference
Gap: 14 billion won
Q1 2026
Chapagetti
52.3 billion won
Buldak Bokkeum Myun
50.3 billion won
Gap: 2 billion won
While the gap between Chapagetti and Buldak Bokkeum Myun was 14 billion won in the first quarter of 2025, it shrank to just 2 billion won in the first quarter of 2026. The annual sales gap between the two brands also narrowed sharply from 69.2 billion won in 2023 to 36.9 billion won last year, indicating a rapid catch-up by Buldak Bokkeum Myun.
2023Gap: 69.2 billion won
2025Gap: 36.9 billion won
Over time, major instant noodle brand sales gaps have fallen from 69.2 billion won in 2023 to 36.9 billion won in 2025. Chapagetti's annual sales (21.88 billion won) surpassed Buldak Bokkeum Myun (18.19 billion won) by a margin of 3.69 billion won last year.
Source: Company public disclosure data processing
The next goal for Buldak Bokkeum Myun appears to be overtaking Chapagetti, which currently holds the No. 2 spot.
In the first quarter of this year, Chapagetti's sales were 52.3 billion won, and the difference with Buldak Bokkeum Myun was only 2 billion won.
Given that the gap between these two brands was about 14 billion won during the same period last year,
This means the difference has significantly closed within just one year.
Annually, the sales gap between the two brands has narrowed from 69.2 billion won in 2023 to 36.9 billion won last year.
A position that once seemed out of reach is now well within Buldak Bokkeum Myun's sights.
Buldak's Popularity Is Changing How Koreans Eat Instant Noodles
DATA
Cup Noodles Overtake Bag Noodles... Changing Consumption Patterns
Share of bag vs. cup noodles in the Korean retail instant noodle market (Retail POS tracking, Source: aT Korean Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation·MarketLink Trend)
Since 2024, cup noodles have overtaken bag noodles in the local retail market, drawing considerable attention.
Bag vs. Cup Sales Share
Cup Bibim vs. Cup Soup (2025)
5-Year Growth Trends
2020
2025
Apr 2026 (prelim.)
Cup Noodles (bag)Bag Noodles
The retail share of cup noodles in the Korean instant noodle market rose from 35.4% in 2020 to 44.1% in 2025, and a preliminary 44.8% in April 2026.
Cup Soup Noodles
0
Cup Bibim Noodles
0
In the 2025 market, cup soup noodles (8.182 billion won) still outpace cup bibim noodles (2.081 billion won). However, over the past five years, cup bibim noodles are growing much faster (see next tab for growth rates).
Cup Bibim Noodles
0
Cup Soup Noodles
0
Over the past five years (measured by retail sales), the growth rate for cup bibim noodles (83%) far exceeds that of cup soup noodles (31.5%). In fact, from 2024 onward, cup noodles have outsold bag noodles in the bibim noodle segment, reflecting a clear structural change in consumer preferences.
Source: Company public disclosure data processing
Alongside the growth of Buldak Bokkeum Myun, the way consumers choose instant noodles is changing.
The share of cup noodles in the overall retail instant noodle market has risen from 35.4% in 2020 to 44.8% as of April this year.
Now, more than 4 out of 10 instant noodles sold are cup noodles.
Especially notable is the rapid growth of bibim-style (sauce-mixed) cup noodles.
Over the past five years, cup bibim noodle sales grew by 83%, far outpacing the 31.5% growth in cup soup noodles.
Since 2024, cup noodles have overtaken bag noodles in the bibim noodle segment.
As the category where Buldak Bokkeum Myun is strong continues to expand, the consumption trends of the entire instant noodle market are evolving alongside it.
However, the Overall Manufacturer Landscape Remains Different
DATA
Korean Instant Noodle Market: How Do the Leading Manufacturers Stack Up?
Manufacturer-based instant noodle sales (Retail POS tracking, Source: aT Korean Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation·MarketLink Trend)
2025 Year
1Q 2026
Nongshim
135.8 billion won
57.1%
Ottogi
51.7 billion won
21.7%
Samyang Foods
29.6 billion won
12.4%
hy
12.2 billion won
5.1%
Paldo
8.8 billion won
3.7%
In 2025, the instant noodle sales by manufacturer revealed Nongshim as the dominant leader at 135.8 billion won, followed by Ottogi (51.7 billion won), Samyang Foods (29.6 billion won), hy (12.2 billion won), and Paldo (8.8 billion won).
Nongshim
34.4 billion won
61.8%
Ottogi
12.9 billion won
23.2%
Samyang Foods
8.4 billion won
15.0%
hy and Paldo figures for 1Q 2026 were not available.
Nongshim +0.6%
Ottogi +0.9%
Samyang Foods +22.4%
In Q1 2026, Nongshim's sales increased modestly by 0.6% year-over-year to 34.4 billion won, retaining the top spot, while Samyang Foods' sales surged 22.4% to 8.4 billion won, showing the fastest growth among major manufacturers.
Source: Company public disclosure data processing
By brand, Buldak Bokkeum Myun has shown striking growth.
However, in terms of total manufacturer standings, Nongshim still remains the overwhelming No. 1.
Last year, Nongshim led the retail instant noodle market in sales by manufacturer, followed by Ottogi and Samyang Foods.
In the first quarter of this year, Nongshim also led with 34.4 billion won, with Ottogi and Samyang Foods close behind.
However, Samyang Foods achieved impressive 22.4% growth during the same period—the sharpest increase among key competitors.
It showed the fastest uptrend of the leading companies.
In brand competition, Buldak Bokkeum Myun is shaking up the rankings,
while in manufacturer competition, Samyang Foods is quickly expanding its presence.
Buldak's True Battleground Remains Abroad
DATA
Samyang Foods—Despite Top 3 Status Domestically, Most Revenue Comes from Exports
Samyang Foods' domestic/overseas sales ratio & 2026 business forecast (Source: Company disclosures, FN Guide)
Domestic vs. Overseas
2026 Forecast Summary
0%
Domestic Share
Domestic13.5%
Exports (Overseas)86.5%
84%+
Share of Exports in Total Sales (recent quarter and overall)
For Samyang Foods, the domestic share of noodle & snack product sales in 1Q 2026 was just 13.5%. Looked at across all main products, export sales make up more than 84% of the total. These figures may vary depending on segment (noodle sales ratio vs. total sales ratio, etc.).
Q2 2026 Noodle (Overseas/Stand-alone)
0 million won
+36.4% YoY
Q2 2026 Snack (Overseas/Stand-alone)
0 million won
+47.6% YoY
2026 Full-Year Noodle (Consolidated)
0 million won
+31.4% Year-over-Year
2026 Full-Year Snack (Consolidated)
0 million won
+40.0% Year-over-Year
Combined using FN Guide consensus earnings data. Samyang Foods, as the market leader in exports, is now driving a clear shift in domestic sales structures as well—yet export sales remain far higher.
Source: Company public disclosure data processing
An interesting point is that—even as Buldak Bokkeum Myun’s profile has grown so much in Korea—
the share of domestic sales in Samyang Foods’ total revenue remains modest.
As of the first quarter of this year, Samyang Foods' domestic share for noodle and snack products was just 13.5%.
More than 84% of all product sales come from exports.
In Korea, Buldak Bokkeum Myun is overtaking Jin Ramen and challenging Chapagetti,
but the real stage for Buldak Bokkeum Myun’s growth remains overseas.
While this brand is shaking up domestic rankings, it has already established an even larger presence in global markets,
meaning Buldak’s remarkable run is far from over.
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Reporter Jeong Hyunjin jhj48@asiae.co.kr
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Edit Maeng Jiae mjiae@asiae.co.kr
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