South Korea to Establish ‘K-Food’ Brand as ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ Boosts Global Interest in Instant Noodles

By Kazusa Yoda / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

2:00 JST, February 15, 2026

SEOUL — Exports of South Korean instant noodles are on the rise, a trend believed to be linked to the growing popularity of South Korean films and other cultural products overseas.

Instant noodle exports from South Korea in 2025 were valued at a record $1.5 billion (about ¥230 billion). There was a notable growth in exports to both Japan and China. The South Korean government plans to further boost these exports by branding instant noodles and other South Korean food products as “K-Food.”

“The government will support the growth of the K-Food industry as a strategic export industry,” South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said at a State Council meeting in December. Having announced its global K-Food expansion strategy, the government plans to support exports and the overseas expansion of South Korean companies.

By country, exports to China were the largest at $385.4 million, followed by the United States at $254.7 million and Japan at $77.3 million, according to the Korea Customs Service. Exports to China surged 47.9% year-on-year, driving overall growth. Exports to Japan increased by 23.6%, and those to the United States by 18.1%.

A factor in the rise in popularity of South Korean food is South Korean films. A South Korean media report says interest in the country’s food culture grew partly due to scenes in the globally popular Netflix film “KPop Demon Hunters” showing the protagonists and other characters eating South Korean instant noodles and seaweed rice rolls.

Major South Korean food company Nongshim Co., which sells the popular Shin Ramyun instant noodles in Japan and elsewhere, is intensifying its overseas marketing efforts. These include featuring a popular idol group in promotions both domestically and internationally, as well as placing an outdoor advertisement in New York’s Times Square.