[Report] "Wow! What Should I Eat?"... Falling for Over 230 Types of 'K-Ramyeon'

CU Opens Ramen Specialty Convenience Store in Hongdae
Foreign Visitors Account for 50%, Spicy Ramen Consumption Increases
K-Ramen Surpasses 1 Trillion Won in Exports... "The Craze Will Continue"

"Wow! What should I eat?"

On the afternoon of the 5th, people visiting CU Hongdae Sangsang Store in Mapo-gu, Seoul, are choosing ramen.
[Photo by Minji Lee]

On the afternoon of the 5th, I visited the CU Hongdae Sangsang Store in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Following a passerby who was quite surprised by the ramen visible through the large window, I entered the store and was immediately greeted by the spicy aroma of ramen soup. Following the scent toward the display, I saw an instant cooking device and hundreds of ramen packages that looked like something you might see by the Han River. The 'bagged ramen view' I noticed from outside was even more overwhelming up close. It was captivating enough to make me take out my phone and snap a photo first.

The types of ramen displayed number around 100, including Japanese ramen, Vietnamese pho, and stir-fried noodles. Including cup noodles, the total varieties approach 230. Because of this, some people were seriously debating with their coworkers in front of the display about which ramen to choose. Park Seon-ah (pseudonym), a university student who visited after hearing on social media that there was a store where you could find all kinds of ramen, said, "I really like ramen so much that I eat it about five times a week," and smiled sheepishly, "I was a bit flustered earlier because I didn't know which ramen to pick."

More than 100 types of ramen are displayed on the ramen shelf. The Buldak Bokkeum Myun series, popular among foreigners, is reportedly selling out quickly as soon as it is displayed.
[Photo by Minji Lee]

CU launched its first 'K-Ramen Specialty Convenience Store' on the 29th of last month, prominently featuring bagged ramen. Although 80% of convenience store ramen sales come from cup noodles, the store emphasizes bagged ramen by incorporating instant cooking devices and a wide variety of ramen types. The store has been open for less than a week, but it is receiving enthusiastic responses on social media and internet blogs as a 'paradise for ramen enthusiasts.' The price is also affordable, as you only need to add 900 won for the cooking device on top of the ramen price to enjoy a meal.

Foreign visitors are as frequent as locals. This is thanks to growing interest in 'K-Ramen,' the Korean soul food, mediated by K-content. A store official said, "Lunch and dinner are peak times, with about half of the customers being foreigners and half Koreans," adding, "There are many fashion brands popular with Chinese customers nearby, and since it is part of a tourist route, there are many Chinese visitors."

Ramen boiling in an instant cooker. Consumers placing ramen and trying to purchase other products were also noticeable.
[Photo by Minji Lee]

The fastest-selling ramen is undoubtedly the spicy variety. For the market leader, 'Shin Ramyun,' the display was expanded to two sections due to high demand. The 'Buldak Bokkeum Myun' series, popular among foreigners as a challenge ramen, sells out quickly, and empty spots could be seen here and there. An industry insider said, "The fact that a convenience store focusing on ramen has appeared is proof of the increased interest in K-Ramen," and added, "Many domestic consumers seeking cost-effective purchases will likely increase interest and sales of ramen."

In fact, as foreign interest in K-Ramen grows, ramen export revenue has exceeded 1 trillion won (785.25 million USD) from January to October this year. Compared to 880 billion won (674.4 million USD) two years ago, this represents a 16% growth. With even more domestic ramen heading overseas in the second half of the year, export volume is expected to break all-time records.