K-ramen that captivated the world,
Global craze spreads from New York to Vienna
Popularity of Han River Ramen / Source: Online community
On the 8th, a truly unique scene unfolded in the middle of Manhattan, New York, USA.
The large LED screen on the first floor of the building brought to mind the Han River in Seoul, and people gathered at the table enjoyed the night view of the Han River while tasting ramen. It was to enjoy ‘Hangang Ramen’, ramen eaten on the Han River.
The ‘Hangang Ramen’ event, held for about three days by the Korean Cultural Center of New York in collaboration with Nongshim, attracted not only New Yorkers but also K-culture fans from all over the United States.
One participant from Florida expressed his desire to actually visit Korea, saying, “I was very happy to indirectly experience the feeling of eating ramen by the Han River.”
Popularity of Han River Ramen / Source: Yonhap News
Now that the Hangang Ramen craze is spreading around the world, this unique popularity has also led to domestic small and medium-sized businesses entering the global market.
Beomil Industry, located in Incheon, signed an export contract worth about 8 million dollars (about 11 billion won) for the instant ramen cooker ‘House Cook’ at the ‘Korea Product Fair’ held in Vienna, Austria.
House Cook is gaining popularity both at home and abroad, attracting attention as a versatile product that can easily cook a variety of foods other than ramen.
Shin Young-seok, CEO of Beomil Industrial, said, “As the popularity of K-food continues, we will further expand our performance in the global market.”
K-Ramen breaks record for largest export ever
Popularity of Han River Ramen / Source: Yonhap News
The popularity of K-Ramen is also revealed in its export performance. From January to October this year, Korean ramen exports amounted to about $1.02 billion, a 30% increase compared to the same period last year, breaking the all-time record.
Ramen is loved all over the world, including in China, the US, Japan, and Europe, and its growth was particularly notable in the US and European markets.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs evaluated that promotional activities linked to K-content were a major factor in the expansion of ramen exports.
Minister Song Mi-ryeong predicted that it would have a positive impact on overall food exports in the future, saying, “K-Ramen has become more than just a fad and has become part of the daily lives of people around the world.”
Popularity of Han River Ramen / Source: Yonhap News
The popularity of ramen in the global market is not limited to just one type of ramen. Along with ramen, exports of related foods such as kimchi are also expanding, raising the status of K-food in general.
Major ramen manufacturers such as Nongshim and Samyang Foods plan to continue discount events and develop new products to further solidify their global position.
The fever for Hangang Ramen, which started in New York, is spreading around the world via the Vienna expo.
Experts predicted that K-ramen, which combines Korean taste and culture, is now captivating the taste buds of people around the world and is taking the lead in the spread of K-culture, and that future achievements can be expected.
