Seoul: Samyang Foods Inc. said Wednesday cumulative sales of its popular Buldak spicy ramyeon series have surpassed 8 billion units in the first half of 2025 on rising global demand.

According to Yonhap News Agency, sales of the Buldak brand have surged in recent years, reaching 5 billion units in 2023, 7 billion in 2024, and 8 billion in just the first six months of this year, as reported by the company. Launched in 2012, the spicy instant noodles are now sold in about 100 countries, including the United States, China, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

The product first gained global attention after its extreme spiciness went viral in a food-eating challenge in 2014. Samyang Foods stated that Buldak's strong appeal comes not only from its intense flavor but also from the company's localization efforts tailored to regional tastes.

To meet rising overseas demand, Samyang Foods plans to complete construction of its first overseas production plant in China in 2027. Thanks to the Buldak boom, Samyang Foods' sales jumped 33.6 percent on-year to 1.08 trillion won (US$774.2 million) in the first half of 2025, with net profit totaling 183 billion won.