Samyang Food’s spicy noodle brand “Buldak” has crossed a major milestone in Japan, selling over 100 million units since the company established its local subsidiary, Samyang Japan, in early 2019. The achievement underscores the brand’s growing influence in the global spicy food market.
According to Samyang Japan, cumulative sales of the Buldak series in Japan surpassed 100 million units between January 2020 and June 2025.
Originally launched in South Korea in 2012, the Buldak brand quickly became known for its fiery stir-fried noodles and has since expanded to more than 100 countries worldwide, offering a range of products including noodles, sauces, and snacks.
Samyang Japan reported sales of roughly 3 billion yen (about $21.5 million) in 2024, marking a 15.3% increase over the previous year. First-quarter sales for 2025 rose 19.3% year-over-year to about 800 million yen (around $5.7 million).
The company shifted from using local distributors to direct operations in Japan after launching Samyang Japan in 2019. In February, it introduced a new spicy soup noodle brand called “MEP,” aiming to replicate Buldak’s success.
The brand’s popularity is partly fueled by the Korean Wave, including K-pop and K-dramas, and viral social media challenges like the “Buldak Challenge” on YouTube and TikTok. Its unique stir-fried noodle format and strong localized marketing also contributed to its success.
To celebrate the milestone, Samyang Japan is running a customer appreciation event through the end of July, including giveaways and promotions via its official social media channels and online stores such as Qoo10.
