Hi everyone. I live in Seoul, and I’ve been thinking about a question I often see from people who are interested in Korean food: Why do Korean foods—especially ramyun and fried chicken—change so quickly and constantly?

My answer is simple, but not particularly flattering:

it’s because of very picky consumers. By “picky,” I don’t just mean people who demand high quality.

I mean consumers who get bored very quickly and punish stagnation immediately.

Let me explain with the Korean instant noodle (ramyun) market.

The market is dominated by just three major companies—Nongshim, Samyang, and Ottogi. In most countries, an oligopoly like this would lead to stagnation.

But in Korea, it doesn’t. Competition is constant and unforgiving. New flavors and variations appear all the time, because the moment a brand stops changing, consumers lose interest and switch almost instantly.

The same logic applies to fried chicken and even pizza. New menus appear every season. It really is a case of adapt or disappear. You might say, “But aren’t the top-selling ramyun brands always the same?”

That’s true—the rankings don’t change often. However, even legendary bestsellers like Shin Ramyun or Jin Ramyun quietly adjust their recipes every few years. The Shin Ramyun sold today tastes noticeably different from the one sold 10 or 20 years ago.

That’s how intense the competition is. Even icons must evolve to survive.

This pressure doesn’t stop with food. I think the same consumer environment shapes other Korean industries as well, including entertainment. The relentless demand for novelty and improvement pushes creators to refine, polish, and reinvent themselves constantly.

Of course, this is a generalization. And this environment is undeniably stressful for creators.

Still, I believe this everyday pressure to evolve—learned through food, services, and daily consumption—is one reason Korean cultural products feel so intensely refined. What do you think?

Does this match your experience with Korean food or other Korean industries?

P.S. My English isn’t perfect, so I use AI tools to help translate my drafts. The ideas and structure are mine, but the language is assisted. I might not be able to reply fluently to every comment, but I read them all carefully and truly appreciate the discussion.