Kim Jung-soo, vice chair of South Korea’s Samyang Roundsquare and the force behind the wildly popular Buldak Bokkeummyeon (Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen), has become the wealthiest female shareholder in the Korean food industry — with her stock portfolio now valued at approximately $354 million.
According to industry data released on July 13, Kim’s shares in Samyang Foods surged from around $127 million in May 2023 to over $354 million as of July 10, 2025. The jump reflects explosive demand for the company’s spicy ramen in global markets, especially across the United States and Europe.
Kim holds a 4.33% stake in Samyang Foods, making her the company’s second-largest individual shareholder. The majority shareholder is Samyang Roundsquare, a holding company that oversees Samyang Group’s operations and investments, including Samyang Foods — the ramen brand’s manufacturer and one of South Korea’s leading food exporters.
Despite no change in her ownership percentage, Kim’s stock valuation has soared due to booming international sales of Buldak Bokkeummyeon, which has grown from a niche Korean product into a global K-food sensation.
Kim, who is the daughter-in-law of Samyang Foods’ late founder Jeon Jung-yoon, joined the company in 1998 at the height of the Asian financial crisis. At the time, she was a housewife who stepped in to help rescue the family business. She eventually led product planning and marketing efforts, and is now widely credited with developing Buldak Bokkeummyeon, the product that transformed Samyang’s fortunes.
In a feature by Bloomberg Japan, Kim was dubbed a “spicy ramen billionaire,” with the publication highlighting her rise from homemaker to business magnate. According to the report, the idea for Buldak Bokkeummyeon was sparked by Korean youths who enjoyed extremely spicy chicken dishes at local eateries.
The numbers tell the story: in 2013, export sales of Buldak Bokkeummyeon stood at just $67 million. As of Q3 2023, the product’s cumulative sales had topped $905 million. The ramen is now sold at all Walmart locations across the United States and is rapidly expanding its footprint in major European retailers.
Since taking over as CEO of Samyang Roundsquare in 2023, Kim has aggressively pursued global expansion. A newly completed factory in Miryang, South Korea, has significantly increased the company’s production capacity, helping solidify Samyang’s position as a key global player in the K-food movement.
In a recent statement, Kim said she hopes to develop the Buldak brand into a full-fledged K-culture platform. “I want to realize the founding principle of ‘Sikjok Pyeongcheon,’ which means ‘When people are fed, the world is at peace,’” she said.
