WSJ features Buldak chicken stir-fried ramyun noodles

Kim Jeong-soo, vice chairman of Samyang Round Square, has gained international recognition as a pivotal figure in the success of the 'Buldak Korean Hot Spicy Chicken Stir-Fried Ramyun Noodles,' leading to a global phenomenon.

On Saturday (local time), the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) spotlighted Vice Chairman Kim as 'the woman who shaking up the $50 billion ramyun market.' WSJ reported, "The global ramyun market witnessed a 52% growth compared to five years ago, reaching approximately $50 billion last year," and further noted, "Buldak Korean Hot Spicy Chicken Stir-Fried Ramyun Noodles is recognized as the best-selling product among Walmart's premium ramyun offerings."

According to WSJ, Vice Chairman Kim is at the forefront of the success of Buldak Korean Hot Spicy Chicken Stir-Fried Ramyun Noodles. During a stroll through downtown Seoul with her daughter in the spring of 2010, she became intrigued by the 'extremely spicy' ramyun after visiting a fried rice restaurant renowned for its spicy flavors. Vice Chairman Kim promptly headed to the supermarket, purchased three of each hot sauce and seasoning, sent them to the research lab and marketing team, and embarked on personal research at home. After several months of dedicated effort, involving 1,200 chickens and 2 tons of sauce, she discovered the optimal taste for the product.

Vice Chairman Kim is the daughter-in-law of the late former Honorary Chairman Jeon Jung-yoon, the founder of Samyang Foods. In 1998, when Samyang Foods faced bankruptcy amid the foreign exchange crisis, she joined the company and started assisting her husband, former Chairman Jeon In-jang. Kim Gyeong-jun, chief of CEO Score, a corporate management analysis company, remarked to the WSJ, "Most Korean companies, such as Samsung, LG, and Hyundai, are led by male heirs, but Vice Chairman Kim is exceptional in revitalizing the company as a daughter-in-law."


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