Each Citizen Ate 180 Packs... 40-Year-Old Nongshim's 'Jjapagetti' [National Brand]

40th Anniversary This Month... 9 Billion Units Sold Cumulatively
Leading the 'Modisumer' Trend with Recipe Reinvention
2nd in Total Ramen Market Sales Following Shin Ramyun

Nongshim's 'Jjapagetti,' launched in March 1984, is a product that enjoys unparalleled popularity in the domestic jajang ramen market. The brand name is a combination of jajangmyeon and spaghetti. It was an attempt to differentiate itself from existing products, most of which had names like 'ㅇㅇ Jjajang,' and to attract the attention of children, the largest consumer group of jajangmyeon.

Nongshim Chapagetti [Photo by Nongshim]

Before Jjapagetti was introduced, Nongshim developed the first instant jajangmyeon in Korea in 1970. In 1978, they also launched 'Samseon Jjajangmyeon.' Entering the 1980s, they planned a new product that would overcome the shortcomings of existing jajang ramen and improve quality. The three main focuses during the development stage were: 'developing a soup that mixes well with the noodles,' 'allowing consumers to enjoy generous toppings,' and 'achieving a richer flavor.'

Among these, the soup that mixes well with the noodles came from the idea of a researcher. While drinking coffee, the researcher thought, 'It would be great to make a soup with granules that all have the same flavor like coffee beans.' This idea accelerated the research, leading to the domestic first introduction of the 'granule method' in soup manufacturing. This technology produces granulated soup in a fine powder form like sand. Soup made using this method ensures that each granule has the same flavor and mixes well with the noodles, resulting in a uniform taste. It is also characterized by reproducing the taste of ganjjajang stir-fried in a wok in a Chinese restaurant kitchen by stir-frying chunjang (fermented black bean paste) and onions, accompanied by seasoned oil that enhances the flavor.

Jjapagetti is a product that led the 'modisumer' trend, which has become a trend in the food industry. 'Modisumer' is a combination of the English words 'modify' and 'consumer.' It refers to consumers who enjoy products by recreating them in their own way rather than following the manufacturer's recommended cooking methods.

The movie 'Parasite' featured a scene where 'Jjapaguri'?a mix of Jjapagetti and Nongshim's representative ramen 'Neoguri'?was made, attracting attention. When the film won the Academy Awards in February 2020, the recipe gained worldwide fame. As the Jjapaguri craze spread online, some retailers even ran out of Jjapagetti. Since then, various cooking methods have emerged, and Instagram features over 200,000 photos of dishes made with Jjapagetti.

The marketing efforts attempted by Jjapagetti also left a strong impression on consumers. The lyrics starting with "Jjarajjara jja jja~pagetti" and the advertising copy "On Sundays, I am the Jjapagetti chef" symbolize the brand. Additionally, the warm and cheerful concept highlighting a father wearing an apron and cooking Jjapagetti on weekends, or a son cooking Jjapagetti for his family, increased attention. From the late 2010s, the advertising copy was changed to "Today, I am the Jjapagetti chef," emphasizing that it is a ramen that can be easily enjoyed alone, reflecting the changing times.

Marking its 40th anniversary this month, Jjapagetti surpassed cumulative sales of 9 billion units last year. This means that on average, each Korean has eaten about 180 units. Its market share in the jajang ramen market is around 80%. Annual retail sales amount to 213.1 billion KRW, second only to Nongshim's Shin Ramyun, the top product in the domestic ramen market, which has 383.6 billion KRW in sales. Currently, the Jjapagetti product line includes six items: bagged noodles, large bowl Jjapagetti, Jjapagetti Beombuk, bagged Sichuan Jjapagetti, large bowl Sichuan Jjapagetti, and Angry Jjapaguri large bowl.