South Korea Instant Noodles Market Report and Forecast 2025-2034

The South Korea instant noodles market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.10% between 2025 and 2034. Honjok lifestyle, ppalli-ppalli culture and increasing demand for processed foods are anticipated to drive the market growth during the given forecast period.

News and Developments in South Korea Instant Noodles Market

The rising prices of raw materials such as wheat and palm oil, among others, are driving up the cost of food products in South Korea, including instant noodles. As per the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), the prices and domestic supply of vegetables were severely affected. Moreover, the value of the USD continues to rise steeply against the Korean won, and the recent typhoon in the country further contributed to putting a burden on the agricultural sector. Many instant noodle manufacturers, like Nongshim and Paldo, increased the cost of some varieties of noodles by 11.3% and 9.8%, respectively.

According to Nongshim, a net profit of 28 billion won on a consolidated basis for the three months ended June 2023, up from 18.2 billion Korean won in 2021. The increase in net profit was attributed to the company's strong foreign performance, where sales increased 20.3 percent year over year. The firm changed from an operational profit of 7.3 billion won in the second quarter of last year to an operating loss of 3 billion won in the South Korean market alone.

Key Trends in South Korea Instant Noodles Market

Korea has adopted Korean Ramen as a national dish. It is one of the most consumed staple foods in the country. It is practically every age group's go-to snack! The reasons why ramen is a well-liked comfort meal include the fact that it is affordable, easily available, and, above all, tasty. Korean ramen is typically available at retail shops and online stores, and certain varieties may be purchased. Noodles in Asian countries are typically made from buckwheat, bean starch, arrowroot, and rice flour as the main ingredients.

Mukbang or Food Haul Trend in South Korea

South Korea introduced the world to mukbang culture, where mukbang artists post their videos of eating food or eating while live streaming. These professional mukbangers often get sponsorships and get paid well by brands to eat and promote their food items. Ramen mukbang videos are one of the most consumed types of content among mukbang viewers. A lot of people watch mukbang videos for ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response), which gives them joy, helps them release stress, and urges viewers to eat the same food as mukbangers. This trend is one of the remarkable factors driving the instant noodles market in South Korea.

Hectic lifestyle and Growing Preference for Honjok Lifestyle

In today’s busy lifestyle, people get less time to prepare healthy home-cooked food. Working long hours at work increases fatigue and exhaustion, and there is little time left for relaxing, meal planning, and cooking, which disrupts people's healthy dietary intake. Moreover, the transition of household dynamics impacts the dietary behaviour of people. The trend of single-person households is soaring in South Korea. Approximately 31.7% of the population has started following a honjok (by myself) lifestyle which further propels the market growth.

Globalization in South Korea and the PPalli PPalli Culture

Koreans are known to be very strictly conscious of time and are very punctual. This fast-paced work life and time pressure compel people to be quick in everything. Hence, lifestyle and dietary choices are also affected by it, augmenting the sales of convenient and instant food. Globalisation is one of the significant factors influencing the rush culture. The rapid developmental and social transition worked as a catalyst in promoting the palli ppalli culture, thereby boosting instant noodle consumption as both support convenience and in the country.

Opportunities in the Market

High smartphone/television ownership and collaborations with Celebrities

Broadband penetration in South Korea is 96% and people actively use social media platforms, which keep them updated with new flavours and product launches. Moreover, K-pop and K-dramas have a substantial influence on people. Companies collaborate with celebrities for promotions via advertisements and sponsorships. Siwon, a member of the South Korean K-pop group, became the brand ambassador of the Mie Sedaap ramen brand for their Korean flavour range of instant noodles. The ramen became immensely popular, and people even started referring to it as Siwon ramen.

Outbreak of Corona Virus and Work from Home Culture in South Korea

Since 2020, when the government of South Korea imposed social distancing and lockdown in the country consumers resorted to instant and home cooked meals. Hence pandemic aided in the strengthening of instant noodles market in the country. Work from home culture further boosted the demand, working hours are quite long in South Korea and during pandemic people worked for even longer hours which increased the preference for convenience foods.

Development in Instant Noodle Packaging

The demand for cup noodles has expanded gradually due to their ease of preparation and consumption. The dominant factor behind the wide acceptance of cup noodles is the ppalli ppalli culture in the country, as both support the fast-paced lives of the people in modern times. Furthermore, the material of cups in cup-based noodle packaging is made of polyester, which is waterproof in nature and protects the content of the cup. These cups are also microwave-safe.

Ramen packaging is also experiencing a dynamic change as many companies provide cup or tub-based noodles, which further eliminates the need to cook in a pan and clean dishes. These cup-based or tub-based instant noodles only require hot water to cook and are very easy on the pocket. These instant noodles provide a very hassle-free eating experience and are widely accepted among college students who live a busy lifestyle and want pocket-friendly meals.

Rising Demand for Clean-Label Products

With aggravating health issues in modern times, people are getting more conscious regarding what and how much they eat. Hence, the demand for identifiable and comprehendible ramen is increasing as consumers now check the amount of fat, sodium, and other ingredients they are consuming along with information such as if the product is non-GMO and preservative free, among others. This factor is compelling brands to launch healthy instant noodles into the market and thereby boost their growth. Furthermore, the shelf life of instant noodles is approximately 6 months due to the fact that people stocked them in large quantities at home during lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Challenges in The Market

Health Deterioration due to Frequent Consumption

Being a processed food, instant noodles contain an excess amount of sodium and saturated fats, which can lead to numerous health issues such as improved blood sugar levels, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, among others. Moreover, women are more likely to develop metabolic syndromes if they consume instant noodles on a regular basis. This could pose a hindrance to the growth of the South Korea instant noodle market.

Market Segmentation

South Korea Instant Noodles Market Report and Forecast 2025-2034 offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments:

Market Breakup by Flavour

• Meat Based
• Vegetarian
• Jjajangmyun
• Kimchi
• Others

Market Breakup by Distribution Channel

• Hypermarkets and Supermarkets
• Specialist Stores
• Convenience Stores
• Online
• Others

Market Breakup by Provinces

• North Chungcheong
• South Chungcheong
• Gangwon
• Gyeonggi
• North Gyeongsang
• South Gyeongsang
• North Jeolla
• South Jeolla
• Jeju Special Self-Governing Province

Market Share by Flavour

In terms of appearance, a variety of instant noodles are offered by the manufacturers, such as thin, medium-thick, and thick noodles. Depending upon the spiciness, various colours and flavours are available on the market, ranging from yellow and hot red to brown, along with toppings of meat or vegetables. With the increasing incidences of diseases and nutritional imbalances, more people are preferring non-fried instant noodles. Hence, brands now include vegetables, seafood, and various types of meat to alleviate the taste and nutritional content of the noodles. Vegetarian instant noodles are also well-liked, especially by people who want to cut down on their meat intake. Jjangmyun, or black bean noodles, also hold a fair share in the South Korea instant noodles market. The consumption of food products, including chicken, has increased steadily worldwide, as per the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The South Korean population mainly follows a non-vegetarian diet. Thus, numerous variants of meat-based instant noodles have been launched by manufacturers.

Market Share by Provinces

Healthy and easily digestible noodles are gaining more traction in South Korea's instant noodles market, which is boosting the sale of noodles made of rice, barley, wheat, and buckwheat flour. Social media platforms and mukbang are propelling the consumption of instant noodles in the country. Since rice is a staple food in South Korea, it has a significant percentage share of the market. However, with the growing consumer awareness, other segments are predicted to perform well in the market. North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, Gangwon, Gyeonggi, North Gyeongsang, South Gyeongsang, Jeju special self-governing province, North Jeolla, and South Jeolla are the major provinces where major manufacturing plants are installed. Furthermore, the leading poultry company in the nation, Harim, has expanded into a general food company by diversifying its line of business. It has constructed three plants in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, to produce instant noodles.

Market Share by Distribution Channel

South Korea is one of the largest consumers of instant noodles. Numerous flavours are offered by the manufacturers, which are available on both online and offline channels. Retail stores such as supermarkets/hypermarkets and convenience stores have a separate section for instant noodles. The ascending prevalence of e-commerce offers considerable impetus to the growth of this segment. Additionally, high disposable income and an upgraded standard of living support market growth in the country.

Competitive Landscape

The comprehensive report provides an in-depth assessment of the market based on the Porter's five forces model along with giving a SWOT analysis. The report gives a detailed analysis of the following key players in the South Korea Instant Noodles Market, covering their competitive landscape and latest developments like mergers, acquisitions, investments, and expansion plans.

Nongshim Co., Ltd.

Nongshim Co., Ltd.- Nongshim began operations in 1965 in Seoul, Korea, and quickly rose to the position of top noodle and snack producer in the nation. Nongshim America, Inc. was founded in 1994 as a part of the worldwide growth strategy to reach out to consumers in North America after the company's successful development in surrounding nations around Asia. The company has six production plants in Anyang, Anseong, Asan, Gumi, Busan, and Noksan where it manufactures instant noodles, snacks, instant rice, and, bottled water and beverages.

Samyang Foods Co., Ltd

Samyang Foods Co., Ltd- Samyang Items Co., Ltd. manufactures instant noodles in addition to other foods. The firm sells a variety of goods, including Samyang instant noodles, Samyang bowls and cup noodles, and Samyang snacks, including corn snacks and many more. Samyang Foods Co., Ltd. is a division of Samyang Holdings Corporation. The business is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. The Samyang Foods Co., Ltd. company was established in 1961. They have 13 linked businesses that work in the distribution, oil and feed, processing, and distribution of agri-marine goods, among others.

The others players in the industry are Ottogi Corporation., Ltd, Paldo Inc., CJ Cheildang Corp, Nestlé S.A., and Unilever Group, among others.