Exports of Korean instant noodles this year are expected to reach a record high USD 600 million. Shown here are aisles of the noodles on April 6 at a grocery store in Seoul. (Yonhap News)

By Lee Jihae

Ramyeon (Korean-style instant noodles) is expected to see exports reach a record high of USD 600 million this year.

COVID-19 has catapulted the dish to the global status of "emergency food." "Chapaguri," a combination of a noodle product styled after Chapaghetti, or instant Chinese-style black bean noodles, and the spicy udong-like noodle dish Neoguri, received a huge boost in popularity around the world after being featured in the Oscar-winning film "Parasite."

The Korea Customs Service on Dec. 21 said instant noodle exports from January to November this year reached USD 549.72 million, up 28.4% from the same period last year and more than the figure for all of last year of USD 467 million. Should such exports continue their pace, they are expected to top USD 600 million this year.

The top market was China, which accounted for 25.5% of export revenue or USD 138.56 million, followed by the U.S. with USD 72.84 million, Japan USD 44.98 million, Thailand USD 24.66 million and the Philippines USD 22.37 million.

Instant noodle exports have grown every year, hitting USD 290 million in 2016, USD 380 million in 2017, USD 410 million in 2018 and USD 470 million last year.

If the products made and sold by instant noodle manufacturers' factories abroad are also included, the export figure is even bigger.

Domestic sales leader Nongshim also runs factories in China and the U.S. and makes and sells related items such as Shin Ramyun, Neoguri, Chapaghetti and Yukejang (beef bowl noodle soup).

A Nongshim source said, "Ramyeon sales in China and the U.S. are similar to Korea's exports," adding, "The export scale is bigger if sales of foreign branch offices are included."

Paldo, another Korean maker of the dish, has overseas operations in Russia and Vietnam. 

jihlee08@korea.kr