Korean ramyeon made its debut with “Samyang Ramyeon,” introduced by Samyang Foods Co., Ltd. on September 15, 1963. The company continued to dominate for some time. In the 1970s, however, the competition heated up as Nongshim, another food giant, began to make its mark. Nongshim launched “Beef Ramyeon” in 1970 and “Nongshim Ramyeon” in 1975. In 1981, they expanded their portfolio to include a cup noodle named “Sabalmyeon”. In 1982, Nongshim launched “Neoguri,” “Bowl Noodle Soup,” and “Ansung Noole Soup” in 1983, and the popular “Chapaghetti” in 1984. Nongshim rose to the top of the industry in 1985 and solidified its position with the release of Shin Ramyeon in 1986. By 1988, Nongshim's market share had reached 50.6%, marking the beginning of the “Nongshim Era”. The company's strategy to lead the way in spicy ramyeon eventually led to the worldwide popularity of Nongshim's ramyeon to this day. By eliminating the bland taste of conventional ramyeon and actively reviving the Korean preference for spicy flavors, the company launched Shin Ramyeon, which was named one of New York Magazine's “Best Ramen”along with Chapagetti.
Korean consumers expect ramyeon to be convenient, filling and healthy. Ramyeon is no longer just a quick meal. Combining ingredients to create new recipes has become part of ramyeon culture. In line with this, Nongshim's non-fried Shin Ramyeon dry noodles, home-style Gochujangjjigae (red chili paste stew) noodles and Ottogi's Bugeoguk Ramyeon were launched. Ottogi launched Chaehwang, a vegan ramen made with ten kinds of vegetables. Many consumers believe that ramyeon should be spicy, and there is a consistent demand for even spicier flavors. To meet this demand, products such as Yeul Ramen, Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen, The King of Hades Ramen, and Extreme Experience Teumsae Ramyun have been introduced and have received considerable attention. Ms. A, a cooking expert in her 30s, said, “I just crave it. I think about it all the time, and eating spicy food relieves stress and makes me want more and more intense flavors. It is addictive because the sensation is more about the feeling of pain than the taste.”
In 2001, Nongshim's premium Mupama Tang Myun was launched, and summer products such as Samyang's Young Radish Spicy Noodles, Nongshim's Buckwheat Soybean Noodles, and Hankook Yakult's Spicy Sour Cool Noodles were introduced. In March 2003, Ottogi launched 14 new frozen fresh noodles from Noodle Lover's, a noodle manufacturing company. It was the first case of producing ODM products. The company is the seventh-largest noodle producer as of 2021. It specializes in noodle production with a 2.2% share of the total noodle market with sales of KRW 60 billion. In 2011, Pulmuwon created a wellness craze in the ramen market with "Nature is delicious. Freshly picked raw noodles were dried at a high temperature for a short time and flavored with garlic, radish, onion and shiitake mushrooms without using chemical additives. It could be stored at room temperature for 150 days. In 2015, thick noodles began to dominate the market. Around 2019, various noodles appeared - roasted, potato, barley, and 1mm thin noodles. There is also growing interest in alternative noodles such as konjac and tofu noodles, and noodles made from algae such as kelp and seaweed.
In the maturing Korean ramyeon market, consumers' sophisticated and diverse demands are driving manufacturers to continuously and distinctively innovate their products. Differentiated and exotic ramen has emerged and expanded the market in response to consumer demands. With the advancement of cold chain logistics and advanced freezing methods, ramyeon distribution has expanded from room temperature to refrigerated and frozen channels. The evolution of Korean ramen shows no signs of stopping.