[National Brand] Ramen is Soup? 'Paldo Bibimmyun' Breaks the Stereotype... 40-Year Absolute Champion

Launched in 1984... Pioneering Cold-Mixed Ramen
Consumer Feedback Reflected in Products Like 'Gwaldone Nennttin'
Over 1.8 Billion Units Sold... Leading Market Share Above 50%

Paldo's 'Paldo Bibimmyun,' launched in 1984, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. This product symbolizes a unique noodle dish that broke the stereotype that "ramen is eaten with hot soup." Inspired by bibim noodles, the cooking method was introduced into ramen production, and by limiting sales to summer only, it gained recognition as a cold mixed ramen. The key recipe of bibim ramen is the liquid soup. When developing the product, Paldo studied the manufacturing methods of bibim naengmyeon and bibim noodles from famous restaurants nationwide and perfected the 'golden ratio' of the spicy, sweet, and sour bibim noodle soup.

Paldo Bibimmyun
Photo by Paldo

When Paldo Bibimmyun first came out, consumers found the method of rinsing ramen in cold water and mixing it with sauce unfamiliar. Many also ate the product by boiling it like regular ramen. In response, Paldo highlighted the product's features through a CM song. The lyrics "Mix with your right hand, mix with your left hand, you can mix with both hands" were born this way. As the product's recognition grew, from the late 1990s, Paldo began selling Paldo Bibimmyun year-round.

Considering rapidly changing consumer tastes, Paldo has been improving the flavor of Paldo Bibimmyun annually. Notably, since 2017, they applied Sunchang gochujang to enhance umami and spiciness, and recently, they have used whole sesame oil to add a nutty flavor. They have also been proactive in gathering consumer feedback and expanding the brand. In 2019, to broaden connections with younger generations, they launched a planned product called 'Gwaldo Neneomttin.' This product applied the trend of replacing Korean letters with similar-shaped characters and altering word spellings directly to the packaging design. This method borrowed from the then-popular online trend 'Yaminjeongeum,' and young consumers were thrilled that their language was reflected in the product name.

Gwaldo Neneomttin became a huge hit, selling 10 million units within two months of its limited edition release. It was the fastest 'sold-out' among Paldo's limited edition ramen products. In 2016, Paldo also introduced 'Paldo Bibimmyun 1.2,' which increased the weight of the existing bibim noodles by 20%, responding to consumer feedback that "one pack is insufficient, but two are too many." Additionally, various attempts attracted consumer interest, such as 'Paldo All-Purpose Bibim Sauce,' which pairs well with various dishes; 'Paldo BB Creammyun,' which adds cream powder soup to Paldo Bibimmyun; 'Paldo Bibimmyun 8g+ Limited Edition,' which increases the liquid bibim soup ratio by 25%; and the unique 'Paldo Bibimmyun Lemon.' Since 2018, they have also released a 'Winter Edition' targeting the winter season annually, characterized by an added spicy fish cake broth soup alongside the existing Paldo Bibimmyun.

Through these repeated efforts, Paldo Bibimmyun has established itself as the leader in the domestic bibim noodle market, with cumulative sales reaching approximately 1.8 billion units by last year. Annual sales are around 100 million units. According to market research firms like Nielsen, Paldo Bibimmyun currently holds a market share of over 50%, which is two to three times higher than competing products. Yoon In-kyun, Paldo's marketing manager, said, "Paldo Bibimmyun has been loved for 40 years thanks to our unmatched liquid soup know-how and continuous quality improvements. We will continue to focus on customer communication and quality enhancement, delivering joy to consumers through various attempts while leading the growth of the bibim noodle market."