Samyang Foods said Tuesday that two video clips released ahead of "Buldak mother" Kim Jung-soo's inauguration as chairwoman have surpassed 1 million cumulative views on YouTube and Instagram within five days.
Kim, who was inaugurated as chairwoman the previous day, appeared in two short-form videos (Shorts) released on Samyang Foods' official YouTube and Instagram channels on the 28th of last month while she was still vice chairwoman. In the videos, Kim shared her longing for the late Honorary Chairman Chun Jung-yun, the founder and her father-in-law, and her reflections on the company's growth.
The videos were structured as a Q&A format in which Kim eats "Samyang 1963" ramen, launched in November last year, while discussing Samyang Foods' past, present and future. In the first video, Kim said, "I would most like to cook beef tallow ramen for my mother and father-in-law," adding, "They were always heartbroken and regretful." She then said with tears welling up in her eyes, "I want to tell them to eat comfortably because it is ramen I cooked, made by our employees."
The "beef tallow scandal" appears to be the backdrop to Kim's tears. Samyang Ramen was caught up in the so-called "beef tallow scandal" in 1989, accused of using industrial-grade beef tallow in its ramen, and its market share plummeted. At the time, the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs announced that beef tallow ramen was harmless to the human body, and the courts also issued a not-guilty ruling, but Samyang Foods' image suffered severe damage.
After the beef tallow scandal, Samyang Foods stopped using beef tallow and used only 100% palm oil in its ramen, before applying a modern reinterpretation of the 1960s ramen frying method to "Samyang 1963." Released late last year, "Samyang 1963" has drawn attention, surpassing cumulative sales of 7 million units within a month of launch.
During her tenure as vice chairwoman, Kim is credited with raising corporate value by establishing a virtuous cycle in which demand based on the "Buldak" brand drives supply, and expanded supply in turn leads to profits. Revenue, which stood at 642 billion won when she took office as vice chairwoman in 2021, grew to 2.3517 trillion won in 2025, while the operating profit margin rose from 10% to 22%.
A Samyang Foods official said, "Vice Chairwoman Kim Jung-soo's promotion is aimed at strengthening responsible management for global market expansion and enhancing corporate value," adding, "From June, under Chairwoman Kim Jung-soo's leadership, we will concentrate our company-wide capabilities on further solidifying global business competitiveness and a sustainable growth foundation."
"What's next after Buldak?! A situation where Costco's U.S. headquarters directly contacts a Korean company and pleads"
