Nongshim is benefiting from the free promotional effect of the globally popular film 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' (hereafter referred to as 'Kedehun'). This is due to scenes that remind viewers of its representative products, Shin Ramyun and shrimp chips. Nongshim has gained global word-of-mouth without spending a single penny on advertising. This was the second stroke of luck following BLACKPINK member Jennie's mention of her favorite snack, Banana Kick.
However, Nongshim's response has been close to non-existent. They have not engaged in any activities such as collaborative products or pop-up stores that could pique global consumer interest in line with the Kedehun syndrome.
According to related industries on the 23rd, Kedehun recorded a total of 25.8 million views in its fifth week since its release (counting from the 7th to the 20th) and has ranked first in the Netflix global institutional sector. The cumulative view count has reached 101.6 million. The Kedehun OST 'Golden' continues to be popular, ranking second on both the U.S. Billboard Global (excluding the U.S.) and Global 200 charts.
Set against the backdrop of Korea, Kedehun is an animated film featuring the three-member girl group HuntRix (Lumi, Joy, Mira) as they protect the human world from evil spirits. The film depicts their process of competing with the boy group Lion Boys (Jinwoo, Abbey, Romance, Baby, Mystery) born from the spirit world, as they act as 'demon hunters.'
The film features cup noodles called 'Dongshim Shin(神) Ramyun' and 'spicy potato chips.' The name of the cup noodles evokes Nongshim's 'Shin(辛) Ramyun,' while the shape of the snack from the potato chip bag resembles shrimp chips. As a result, global online communities were flooded with posts asking, 'Where can I buy that ramen?' and 'I must eat this when I go to Korea.'
This is not the first time Nongshim has benefited from unexpected global promotional effects. In March, BLACKPINK member Jennie mentioned Nongshim's Banana Kick as her favorite snack while appearing on the American talk show 'Jennifer Hudson Show.' Following this, the accumulated export amount of Banana Kick increased by 46% compared to the same period last year from January to May. At that time, Nongshim's stock price rose for four consecutive days, increasing its market capitalization by 246 billion won.
Nongshim, like when Jennie spoke about Banana Kick, has taken the position that there will be no related marketing activities despite Kedehun's popularity. In both opportunities, they chose to 'sit back and enjoy the effects' rather than actively develop the situation. A Nongshim official noted, 'There have been no collaboration requests such as PPL contracts from Netflix or the Kedehun production company,' adding, 'While there may be room for future collaborations, there are currently no concrete plans.'
In contrast, Samsung Electronics produced promotional videos utilizing the characters of the magpie and tiger from Kedehun, named Seossi and Duffy. They employed a meme stating that the triple camera lens on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 resembles the three eyes of a magpie, conveying the message that 'the magpie is dressed up for the Galaxy Unpacked.' The video received positive comments such as 'From now on, I am a Samsung fan,' and 'I love Samsung phones.'
The National Museum of Korea also joined the Kedehun craze by using goods inspired by the characters Duffy and Seossi, as well as traditional folk paintings depicting a magpie and tiger. When the goods sold out due to the Kedehun syndrome, they produced an additional 20,900 goods on the 11th, which have all been sold out through the fifth delivery. Both Samsung Electronics and the National Museum of Korea quickly connected the impact of Kedehun to brand promotion.
People in the food industry speculate that Nongshim faced practical difficulties in actively leveraging the Kedehun syndrome. An industry source said, 'As it has become globally famous, the burden of additional advertising and marketing expenses resulting from the utilization of IP (intellectual property rights) must have been considerable,' adding, 'They also lacked time to prepare immediately.'
Another industry source stated, 'The fanbase excited about Kedehun may not perfectly align with Nongshim's target consumer base.' They continued, 'Nongshim is a brand that encompasses a wide age range, not just younger generations. There may have been no certainty that collaboration would lead to better results.'
Nongshim is the number one company in the domestic ramen industry. It has over six mega brands that have sales exceeding 100 billion won for single items, including Shin Ramyun, Chapaghetti, and shrimp chips. However, its recent achievements in the global market are relatively lacking compared to its competitor, Samyang Foods, which promotes the 'Spicy Chicken Fried Noodle' brand.
Lee Jong-woo, a professor at Ajou University, stated, 'Nongshim entered overseas markets ahead of Samyang Foods, but its recent results have been relatively poor,' adding, 'The Kedehun syndrome is a golden opportunity to enhance the brand recognition of Nongshim in the global market.' He continued, 'Trying small-scale short-term projects like TikTok challenges or pop-up stores could be one approach.'
Professor Lee Eun-hee from Inha University remarked, 'It is quite rare for global consumers to voluntarily seek out and mention a brand,' stressing, 'It is a challenging era where holding onto the title as the number one in Korea is not enough. If an opportunity arises to increase the corporate value in the global market, Nongshim must seize it.'