Samyang Foods is pushing to register the domestic trademark for the "Buldak" brand. Samyang Foods said on the 19th that it plans to file this month with the Ministry of Intellectual Property to secure the trademark rights to the brand's English name.
On the previous month, Vice Chairman Kim Jung-soo of Samyang Foods attended the National Briefing on Economic Growth Strategy presided over by President Lee Jae-myung and said, "Samyang Foods is registering trademarks in 88 countries around the world but is in disputes in 27 countries." Kim said, "Protecting K-brands overseas is an important task," and asked for government support to secure "domestic and overseas trademark rights."
Afterward, Samyang Foods recently ran a newspaper ad, saying, "Buldak is a unique brand asset owned and built by Samyang Foods," and emphasized, "The wings of a 'unique brand' guaranteed by our government will clearly distinguish Buldak from imitation and look-alike products and strengthen its market competitiveness."
According to the industry, imitation products overseas have increased since the 2020s as Buldak spicy ramyeon gained popularity. Imitations of Buldak spicy ramyeon have appeared in China and Southeast Asia, the United States, and more recently in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In China, products with names that include the Chinese name for Buldak spicy ramyeon, "Buldak-myeon" (火鷄麵), are being distributed. There were also reports that a product made by copying the "Buldak spicy ramyeon" packaging in North Korea is being distributed in China.
Samyang Foods is responding overseas by sending warning letters, filing for dispute mediation, reporting to intellectual property offices, and submitting seizure applications.
In 2008, the Intellectual Property High Court ruled that the name "Buldak" was already widely used like a common noun, had lost distinctiveness as a trademark, and could be used by anyone as a trademark. In response, Samyang Foods is pursuing trademark applications in Korea for the English name "Buldak."