Thinking of 'Shin Ramyun' but buying 'Jin Ramyun'

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has strengthened the tendency to have meals at home such as home-cooked meals and eating alone, what kind of ramen did consumers choose? The Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation (KOBACO) provided clues to this question through the results of a consumer behavior survey (MCR) on domestic bagged ramen on the 25th.

KOBACO conducted a survey from the 13th to the 16th of last month, when COVID-19 was rampant, targeting 1,000 men and women aged 20 to 59 nationwide, asking which brand of bagged ramen first comes to mind. As a result, 46% of respondents chose Nongshim Shin Ramyun. Following that, Ottogi Jin Ramen received 22% of the selections. This figure reflects the popularity of Shin Ramyun.

However, when asked about the ramen they actually purchased, 26.4% chose Jin Ramen, while Shin Ramyun accounted for 23.5%. In the survey on future purchase intentions, Jin Ramen (24%) also scored higher than Shin Ramyun (20%). This means that although Shin Ramyun is the ramen that comes to mind, actual purchases vary according to individual preferences.

The detailed figures indicating actual purchase intentions do not show a large gap between the two ramen brands. However, when examined by age group, it reveals that Shin Ramyun should not remain complacent with its current popularity. This is because Jin Ramen’s purchase tendency is expected to strengthen further in the future.

Men in their 20s and 30s and women in their 50s significantly prefer Shin Ramyun over Jin Ramen. However, in other age groups, the preference for Jin Ramen is very high. Especially among women in their 20s to 40s, who hold the real power in household decisions, the preference for Jin Ramen is very strong. If children are considered future ramen consumers, it is difficult to conclude that Shin Ramyun’s current popularity will continue.

Shin Ramyun

Meanwhile, KOBACO selects industries with monthly marketing issues and conducts surveys. KOBACO stated, "In this survey, about half of the buyers said they are greatly influenced by advertisements when choosing ramen, and among these, terrestrial TV advertisements have a significant impact."