Nationwide Ramen Popularity Map... Unshakable No.1 Shin Ramyun, Steady No.2 Chapagetti

Regional Specialty Ramen, Gyeongsangdo Anseong Tangmyeon & Jeollado Samyang Ramen
3rd Quarter Cumulative Ramen Market Size 1.65 Trillion KRW, Record High

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] This year, due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the Chapaguri featured in the movie Parasite, Nongshim's Shin Ramyun and Chapagetti gained nationwide popularity. According to Nielsen Korea's regional ramen sales data up to the third quarter of this year, Shin Ramyun ranked first in nationwide market share, followed by Chapagetti and Ansungtangmyun. These products are considered "crisis-resistant products" as they are representative brands frequently chosen by consumers. In particular, the Chapaguri craze swept across the country, firmly securing Chapagetti's position as the second most popular nationwide.

Unrivaled Shin Ramyun and Chapagetti

Nongshim announced the "2020 Nationwide Ramen Popularity Map" on the 19th, reflecting these trends. The domestic ramen market was estimated at approximately 1.65 trillion KRW up to the third quarter of this year, marking the highest cumulative quarterly figure.

Amid COVID-19, consumers chose traditional popular brands. According to Nielsen Korea's nationwide ramen sales data, five products?Shin Ramyun, Chapagetti, Ansungtangmyun, Jin Ramen Spicy, and Paldo Bibimmyun?formed the top five in nationwide sales. These products are the number one brands representing their respective companies.

The best-selling ramen in South Korea this year was undoubtedly Shin Ramyun. Shin Ramyun ranked first nationwide with a 9.9% market share. As the leading brand representing the ramen market, Shin Ramyun has held the top spot for 30 years since 1991, following its launch in 1986, thanks to its distinctive spicy broth and chewy noodles. The region with the most Shin Ramyun fans was Chungcheongbuk-do, recording a 12.9% market share, the highest nationwide. This suggests that Shin Ramyun's widespread popularity and its unchanging taste over the years appealed strongly to the residents of Chungcheong Province.

The nationwide second place went to Chapagetti, the star of the Chapaguri syndrome. Chapagetti showed a rising trend with a market share of 7.1%, up 0.6 percentage points from last year.

Thanks to the Chapaguri craze, Chapagetti became the hottest item in the ramen market, ranking second in most regions nationwide.

Regionally Distinctive Ramen: Ansungtangmyun and Samyang Ramen

The only regions where Shin Ramyun did not rank first were Busan and Gyeongnam. Ansungtangmyun took first place in Busan and Gyeongnam and second place in Gyeongbuk, showing particularly strong performance in the Gyeongsang Province. This is attributed to Gyeongsang consumers' preference for soybean paste flavors, favoring the savory Ugeoji Jangguk taste of Ansungtangmyun. Ansungtangmyun is a product that captures the savory yet spicy flavor of Ugeoji Jangguk, made with beef broth blended with soybean paste and red pepper powder.

In the Jeolla region, Samyang Ramen traditionally stood out. Samyang Ramen ranked within the top three in Jeonbuk and Jeonnam (4.5% in Jeollabuk-do, 5.6% in Jeollanam-do). This is believed to be because Samyang Ramen, which has a relatively milder spiciness, pairs well with the diverse cuisine of the Jeolla region. Additionally, the familiarity with Samyang Foods, which operates a manufacturing plant in Honam, likely contributed to its popularity.

Gangwon Province, with many military bases and numerous leisure and recreational facilities, saw Yukgaejang Sabalmyeon, a convenient cup noodle for snacks or light meals, rank third, drawing attention.

Ottogi showed strength in the metropolitan area. Jin Ramen Spicy ranked third with a market share in the 4% range in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Chungbuk regions.

Record High Ramen Market in Q3

This year, the domestic ramen market reached about 1.65 trillion KRW by the third quarter, boosted by the special demand created by COVID-19. This represents a 5.1% growth compared to the same period last year, marking an all-time high. Considering the ramen peak season in November and December when the weather gets colder, the market is expected to surpass the previous maximum scale of 2.093 trillion KRW set in 2018 by the end of the year.

Nongshim recorded a market share of about 55.4% up to the third quarter this year (an increase of 1.4 percentage points from the previous year). The strong performance of steady sellers such as Shin Ramyun, Chapagetti, Ansungtangmyun, and Neoguri was key. Ottogi, Samyang Foods, and Paldo showed slight declines or similar levels compared to last year.

A Nongshim official evaluated, "The ramen market, which had been stagnant due to COVID-19, experienced special demand, and sales were concentrated on popular Nongshim products such as Shin Ramyun, Chapagetti, Ansungtangmyun, and Neoguri."