Buldak is an experience, not just noodles: Samyang America CEO

Samyang Foods' record revenue of over 2 trillion won ($1.38 billion) last year laid bare just how much the US has come to matter to the Korean food company, with younger consumers turning its spicy Buldak noodles into both a culinary dare and an unlikely pantry staple.

Much of that momentum traces back to early 2023, when Shin Yong-sik took the helm at Samyang America, which was a far smaller operation then than it is today. By 2025, the subsidiary had expanded to $419 million in revenue, with Buldak stocked in about 30,000 stores nationwide.

"When I joined, annual revenue stood at approximately $50 million," Shin said in an interview with The Korea Herald. He explained that the immediate challenge was building the organizational and operational machinery capable of converting Buldak's internet-native popularity into a durable mainstream retail business.

What followed was a strategy built on a clear-eyed realization that, for younger consumers, Buldak was never merely about noodles.

"The primary driver was our recognition that Gen Z and Gen Alpha consume Buldak not merely as a product, but as an 'experience,'" Shin said. "Acts like the 'Buldak Challenge' — pushing one's limits, capturing the moment, and sharing it on social media — reflect how these generations communicate and engage."

More recently, the brand brought that momentum to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, in April, pairing Buldak-infused dishes with social media challenges that encouraged festivalgoers to broadcast their reactions online.

Shin said Samyang approached platforms such as TikTok and YouTube less as advertising channels than as communities.

After a TikTok video of a young girl crying over a Buldak Carbonara birthday gift surpassed 100 million views, the company visited the family in person as part of what Shin described as "brand activation."

The approach gained broader validation in 2024, when US consumer research firm Numerator ranked Samyang as the most favored brand among Generation Alpha, or those born roughly since 2010.

The pace of growth, however, was not without corresponding pressure. "When demand exceeds forecasts by multiples, the entire supply chain faces extreme stress," Shin said.

To manage the strain, Samyang Foods set up a real-time link with the headquarters in Korea to keep production aligned with shifting US demand, while working more closely with retail partners to stabilize inventory.

"As a result, our retail footprint grew from 15,000 locations in 2023 to 30,000 in 2025, including Walmart, Costco, Target and Amazon," Shin noted.

As the business scaled, so did the team, expanding from 18 employees to roughly 100 and adding functions across sales, marketing, finance, supply chain and legal, with further hiring planned to keep pace with the company's expansion.

The next phase for Buldak is about outgrowing its noodle origins and evolving into a broader food platform across North America, with an eye toward global reach. "Revenue of $419 million and 30,000 retail doors are a foundation, not a destination," Shin said.

Yet through all of it, keeping Buldak's flavor intact has remained non-negotiable.

"The core of Buldak lies in its irreplaceable flavor identity — the uniquely addictive heat and savory profile," he said. "The moment we dilute that identity, Buldak becomes just another ramyeon on the shelf."