[Anchor]
‘Korean ramen fever’ in the Indian market with a population of 1.4 billion.
Due to the popularity of the Korean Wave, curiosity about Korean ramen has increased in India, and the familiar spicy taste of Indian food culture is also playing a big role.
As the popularity of Korean ramen rises, new K-ramen products incorporating the preferences of Indian consumers are attracting attention.
Report by Kim Sungmi from New Delhi.
[Reporter]
I take a mouthful of the ramen, which looks delicious just to look at, using chopsticks.
In India, which last year ranked third in terms of ramen consumption after China and Indonesia, the popularity of K-ramen is steadily increasing. It is analyzed that the well-known K-content like the movie ‘Parasite’ and the preference for spicy food in Indian food culture are contributing to this trend.
[Devolin Baral / New Delhi, India]
“I really like eating spicy food. The spiciness of Korean ramen suits me perfectly.”
[Dipshika / New Delhi, India]
“It’s not too spicy. I like spicy food. I prefer it as it is. I think I can feel the vibe of Korea through ramen. Ramen is my favorite food.”
[Woosumi / Owner of a Korean cafe]
“Even though we provide it with a special sauce that makes it a bit spicier, some people still want it even spicier. It seems that Indian people really love spicy food.”
As the K-ramen craze continues, Korean ramen is highly regarded as a successful product among Korean food exports to India. The total export value of Korean food to India increased by 21.6% compared to the same period last year, exceeding $50 million by the end of August this year.
Among them, the export value of ramen exceeded $10 million, a 53% increase from a year ago.
[Kwon Ohseung / Director of KOTRA]
“In fact, the export of Korean ramen to India has been steadily increasing, and there are over 10 different types of Korean ramen available in the market. In 2019, the export value of Korean ramen to India was only $730,000, but it is expected to increase to $8.4 million in 2022 and $10.7 million in 2023, making Korea the largest importer of noodles in India.”
[Dinesh Kumar / Mart Manager]
“Indian people like Korean ramen because it tastes good. So we have stocked up on it. We sell about a thousand units every month when all varieties are combined.”
As the Indian consumer market attracts attention, Korean companies are actively developing new K-ramen products by analyzing the preferences of local consumers.
[Ramesh Yadav / Head of Korean Ramen Company in India]
“We have spicy veggie, chicken, and kimchi ramen. The sales volume is increasing day by day. We produce more than 100,000 ramen per month and sell them nationwide in India.”
Among India’s population of 1.4 billion, the K-ramen fever is growing.
Experts advise that since there are many vegetarians in India, companies should consider launching vegan products separately or be cautious about not including beef or pork in the ingredients.
This is Kim Sungmi from YTN World in India.
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