At first, the reaction was, "How can anyone eat something this spicy?" but now Japanese consumers have begun seeking out spicy flavors. It's the result of steadily pushing a differentiated taste not found in Japan.
Kim Dae-ha, head of Nongshim Japan (vice president), said at a media briefing held on the 15th at Shin Ramyun Bunsik on Takeshita Street in Harajuku, Tokyo, "Japan is the home of ramen, where nearly 1,000 new products are launched each year, and competition is so intense that convenience stores change products weekly. We established a subsidiary in 2002 to compete in this market."
Shin Ramyun Bunsik, where you can experience Korean-style "Hangang ramen" in the heart of Tokyo, has been drawing a steady stream of young consumers. Nongshim said Shin Ramyun, Shin Toomba, and mild Neoguri have become popular menu items, bringing in more than 10,000 visitors a month on average.
This popularity in Japan has translated into results for Nongshim Japan. Sales at the Japanese unit rose 120% in five years, from 9.5 billion yen (about 88.4 billion won) in 2020 to 20.9 billion yen (about 194.5 billion won) in 2025, surpassing 20 billion yen for the first time. This year, it is targeting 24 billion yen (about 222 billion won) in sales.
Japan's ramen market is worth about 7 trillion won, but traditional broth flavors centered on shoyu and miso dominate. Spicy ramen accounts for about 6%.
Kim said, "Nongshim's Japanese subsidiary entered the market when the spicy segment was close to zero. In the early days, local buyers would even embarrass us, asking whether this was a flavor people could eat," adding, "But it was a product that had achieved clear success in Korea. The late Chairman Shin Chun-ho, Nongshim's founder, gave a firm directive to 'plant the brand in Japan.' Thanks to steady effort, not many people in Japan know the corporation Nongshim yet, but everyone knows Shin Ramyun."
As of 2025, Shin Ramyun posted sales of 16.5 billion yen (about 152 billion won) in Japan and has established itself as a leading product with about 40% of the spicy ramen market. Currently, local corporations such as Nissin and Toyo Suisan are also launching products that foreground spiciness, expanding the market.
Nongshim said the core growth driver is Japanese women in their 20s and 30s. Influenced by K-content, these consumers' strong interest in Korean food is driving Shin Ramyun consumption.
Recently, Shin Toomba has also been adding to growth. It recorded sales of 1 billion yen (about 9.2 billion won) last year, and this year the target is 2 billion yen (about 18.4 billion won). There are frequent sellouts at Shin Ramyun Bunsik as well, according to reports.
Kim said, "Convenience stores in Japan are not just a distribution channel but social infrastructure," adding, "Localized cup noodles—designed for microwave cooking and easy draining—have been well received by buyers."
Nongshim aims to reach 50 billion yen (about 462.7 billion won) in sales in Japan by 2030. If the spicy ramen market expands to 10%, its strategy is to secure about half of that share.
Kim explained, "If local competitors launch spicy products and the spicy segment grows, that doesn't hurt us. We set a target so that when the spicy market grows to 70 billion yen (about 647.8 billion won), 50 billion yen will go to Nongshim," adding, "We also aim to rank among the top five corporations in the ramen industry."
In a subsequent Q&A, when pointed out that there is a difference in the garnish content of Shin Ramyun Cup between Korea and Japan, Kim said, "It is true that the amount of garnish in the Shin Ramyun Cup sold in Japan is greater than in the domestic product. As a latecomer in Japan's ramen market, Nongshim made that choice to compete with local products."
Kim added, "However, this is not domestic market discrimination, and the actual selling price is set higher in Japan than in Korea. Due to the weak yen and discounts at some distribution points, there are cases where the price gap with domestic products temporarily narrows." In fact, based on Korean convenience stores, Shin Ramyun Cup sells for 1,250 won, while at Japanese convenience stores it sells for 236 yen (about 2,200 won).
Kim said, "Chapagetti, being a black food, tends to split local opinion, so we are focusing on Neoguri first," adding, "We plan to gradually grow Chapagetti and Gamja-myeon as well."