South Korean instant noodle makers are challenging Japanese brands in a global market long dominated by companies such as Nissin and Maruchan. The competition is intensifying in the United States, while a recent consumer discussion in Hong Kong suggests that Korean brands are building loyal followings across Asia.
Nongshim, the South Korean food manufacturer behind Shin Ramyun, is narrowing the gap with Japan’s Maruchan in the American instant noodle market. In 2025, Nongshim held a 24.9% market share, compared with Maruchan’s 26.8%. The Korean company operates two manufacturing plants in California and distributes its products through major U.S. retailers, including Walmart and Costco. Its growing overseas popularity adds another dimension to a rivalry already unfolding on American supermarket shelves.
International demand has become central to Nongshim’s business. Shin Ramyun generated approximately $1.1 billion in sales in 2025, with overseas markets contributing $758 million, or 66% of the total. Foreign sales first surpassed domestic sales in 2021, marking a shift in the brand’s reliance on South Korean consumers.
The latest indication of that international appeal came from Hong Kong, where Shin Ramyun received the most recommendations in a discussion about the best spicy instant noodles on LIHKG, one of the city’s major online communities. Participants favored Nongshim’s products over competing offerings from Japanese, Korean and Indonesian manufacturers.
The discussion was an informal exchange among online users rather than a representative consumer survey. Still, the comments highlighted the loyalty Shin Ramyun has developed among longtime buyers.
Consumers praised its spicy, flavorful broth and noodles that maintain their chewy texture even after prolonged cooking. One participant said Shin Ramyun remained the world’s best spicy instant noodle after 20 years of eating it. Others described Nongshim’s noodles as unmatched in texture and flavor.
The enthusiasm extended beyond the original Shin Ramyun. Consumers recommended Shin Ramyun Black, which features a rich beef bone broth, alongside nonfried, kimchi, shrimp and mixed noodle varieties. Nongshim’s udon products also received recognition for their affordability.
Shin Ramyun’s international expansion has been substantial. The brand is now exported to more than 100 countries, with cumulative sales reaching approximately 42.5 billion packages since its introduction.
Hong Kong is also an important corporate base for Nongshim’s operations in China. Its Hong Kong subsidiary oversees major Chinese manufacturing and sales businesses, including operations in Shanghai, Qingdao and Shenyang.
Nongshim reinforced its regional management structure this year by appointing Shin Sang-yeol, a company vice president and the eldest son of Chairman Shin Dong-won, to a nonexecutive position at its Hong Kong subsidiary.
The company is expanding its product lineup to appeal to different tastes abroad. Its international offerings include the Ramyun Chef series and Saeng Saeng Udon Cream Curry, part of a strategy to attract consumers beyond its traditional spicy noodle customer base.
Competition is growing within South Korea’s noodle industry as well. Samyang Foods, another South Korean instant noodle manufacturer, received the second highest number of recommendations in the Hong Kong discussion through its Buldak brand.
Consumers highlighted Buldak’s original, 3X Spicy and Carbonara varieties, reflecting the popularity of the company’s intensely spicy noodle products.
Japanese manufacturers also featured prominently. Nissin’s Cup Noodles Spicy Seafood and Demae Iccho spicy varieties appeared among the recommendations, along with Indonesia’s Indomie Mi Goreng.
The rivalry extends directly into the United States. In 2025, Samyang held a 9.5% share of the American instant noodle market, ranking behind Maruchan and Nongshim but ahead of Nissin’s individual brands. The figures underscore how South Korean manufacturers have become serious competitors to Japanese companies in one of the world’s largest instant noodle markets.
Nongshim’s strong showing in Hong Kong offers another example of that changing competitive landscape. With two thirds of Shin Ramyun’s annual revenue already coming from overseas, the company has turned a product originally developed for South Korean consumers into an international food brand competing with established Japanese rivals across American and Asian markets.
