Samyang Roundsquare was released on the 19th, and the New York Times featured the American shortage of Samyang Buldak Carbonara Ramen, a signature product of Samyang Food and a favorite of Vice President Kim Jung Soo of Samyang Roundsquare.
According to the New York Times, the product is difficult to purchase despite being sold at major U.S. retailers and chains such as Amazon, Walmart, Cost-Safeway, and Korean grocery stores. One can frequently find posts stating, “This product is sold out everywhere I go.”
The New York Times highlighted three main reasons for this popularity.
First, it broke the mold of instant ramen by incorporating Carbonara’s sophisticated taste, enhancing its accessibility. In an interview with the New York Times, a chef from San Francisco remarked, “Not everyone has gourmet ingredients at home,” and suggested, “By adding some parmesan cheese powder and mayonnaise, you can enjoy Buldak Carbonara Ramen even more deliciously.”
The option to customize the recipe is also a factor in its popularity. For example, in Korea, where numerous recipes use Buldak Carbonara Ramen, foreign consumers often enjoy the product by adding green onions, sesame seeds, and boiled eggs.
Additionally, the product’s photogenic qualities have contributed to its popularity. One TikToker said, “Just watching a video of Buldak Carbonara Ramen on TikTok makes me feel like I can smell and taste it.”
Foreign media’s interest in Samyang Roundsquare and Buldak Carbonara Ramen has not been recently developed. In January, the Wall Street Journal published an interview article, followed by another feature in the Los Angeles Times on the 26th of the same month. In February, coinciding with the launch of the dry noodle brand Tangle in Japan, related articles appeared in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun and Nikkei Asia.
Most Commented