Today, we introduce a special product.
A man introduced himself as the owner of a food store in Cairo, Egypt, during an Instagram Live, holding up a familiar ramen. The red letters on the packaging unmistakably read Samyang Foods Spicy Chicken Noodle.
“Everyone, this is the real Spicy Chicken Noodle imported directly from Korea.” He emphasized the word “Korea” on the packaging and tapped the South Korean flag with his finger as he spoke in halting English. The package on the screen clearly showed the character “Hochi” from the Spicy Chicken Noodle.
However, upon closer inspection, subtle differences became apparent. Where the Samyang Foods logo should be, a name reading “Bingoone” was written. Arabic letters awkwardly occupied space below the product name. It was a copycat imitation of the Spicy Chicken Noodle.
He said, “This product is the first genuine Korean ramen to come to Egypt,” adding that “the price is comparable to that in Korea.” As his explanation continued, the number of live viewers increased. A link claiming sales at a “Pyramid Food Store” appeared in the comments section.
Fake products exploiting the fame of K-food are deceiving consumers around the world.
◇ Fake Spicy Chicken Noodles spreading worldwide
According to ChosunBiz reports on the 20th, as Samyang Foods Spicy Chicken Noodle has established itself as a global hit product, countless knockoffs have emerged not only in China and Southeast Asia but also in Russia and North Africa.
Since 2017, Spicy Chicken Noodle has grown to the point where overseas sales surpassed domestic sales, becoming a representative brand of K-ramen. The brand's popularity has recently driven the stock price of Samyang Foods to surpass 900,000 won. In 2017, Samyang Foods actively began exporting Spicy Chicken Noodle after establishing a strategic partnership with JD.com in China. Thereafter, Spicy Chicken Noodle became known as “Huoji Mian” in China and gained popularity. Samyang Foods also recovered from domestic market sluggishness due to robust export performance.
Simultaneously, fake products pretending to be Spicy Chicken Noodles, such as “Mala Huajian Mian,” began to flood the market in China. Recently, a ramen product called “Bulramyeon” has emerged as a hit item in Russia’s largest online mall, Yandex. This ramen, with “Bulramyeon” on the label in Korean, also closely resembles the packaging and character of Samyang Foods' original product. It has gained sufficient popularity in the Russian market to be listed among the bestsellers.
The Bingoone copycat is the most blatant among them. It has included the halal certification mark, HAASP certification mark, and a depiction of the Korean flag as it is. It remains unclear whether it has received actual certifications. This corporation does not provide specific information about its manufacturer and ingredients. On the back of the product, it simply states that it was “made in PRC (People's Republic of China).” This counterfeit Spicy Chicken Noodle produced in China is being sold as far as Egypt in Africa, including nearby Hong Kong and Indonesia in Southeast Asia.
Among consumers who have tasted the fake Spicy Chicken Noodle, many have expressed negative opinions in communities such as Reddit, asking, “Do you really think this product is delicious?” As negative reviews continue, the brand image of Spicy Chicken Noodle could suffer serious consequences.
◇ Even when K-food counterfeits are detected, fines are merely slaps on the wrist
Counterfeit products capitalizing on the popularity of K-food are not limited to Spicy Chicken Noodle. In countries like Vietnam and Thailand, fake soju, cheaper by 30% than the genuine product, is widely distributed after the popularity of Korean soju like Chamisul. CJ CheilJedang’s “Baeksul White Sugar” was sold in China under the name “Korean Imported White Sugar” with identical appearance. There have also been instances of the counterfeit ‘Beef Dashida’ being transformed into ‘Beef Yuyukbun’.
Experts in the food industry have pointed out that counterfeit products, whose manufacturers and origins are unclear, generally have poor quality, potentially causing side effects like headaches or stomachaches for consumers. Food corporations producing blatant counterfeits are likely to have low recognition even in their localities or are unregistered small enterprises. They have more leeway to evade legal penalties and lawsuits compared to large food companies. Legally proving wrongdoings in detail and obtaining compensation is not easy.
In December 2021, major food companies, including CJ CheilJedang, Samyang Foods, Daesang, and OTOKI, formed a joint council to eradicate K-food counterfeits and filed intellectual property infringement lawsuits against Chinese companies, winning some cases.
However, the compensation amounts determined by Chinese courts were markedly low compared to the actual damages. CJ CheilJedang received acknowledgment for a compensation amount of 250,000 yuan (approximately 47 million won), Samyang Foods received 350,000 yuan (approximately 65 million won), and Daesang recognized for 200,000 yuan (approximately 37 million won).
◇ “Negative perceptions of K-food are forming... a countermeasures system must be established”
Experts predict that as K-food gains global popularity, the issue of counterfeits will further escalate. According to a report by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, last year K-food exports amounted to $7.02 billion, doubling from 2015. Ramen accounted for the largest share at 20% of export goods.
Kim So-hyung, a consultant at Davis and Company, noted, “While the United States and the European Union (EU) have strong national-level responses and international cooperation systems in place to address counterfeits, our country still lacks a national-level response system to protect intellectual property rights.” He added, “The damage to brand image caused by counterfeits can instill negative perceptions across the entire K-food category beyond mere economic losses, and the government must prepare countermeasures.”