Following Denmark’s recent recall of three Buldak Ramen products by South Korea’s Samyang Foods, citing health risks, global interest in the company’s ultra-spicy noodles has surged. Some analysts believe this could be an opportunity to promote Buldak products.
According to Google search trends on June 23, the term “Buldak” saw its highest search volume this month, with activity doubling compared to October last year and quadrupling since March. The spike peaked on June 12, shortly after Denmark announced the recall.
Denmark recalled three products from the Samyang instant ramen line - Buldak 3x Spicy & Hot Chicken, 2x Spicy & Hot Chicken, and Hot Chicken Stew - from local markets. Denmark’s food agency assessed that these products have dangerous capsaicin levels, claiming that they “pose a risk of the consumer developing acute poisoning.”
Standard Buldak Ramen registers 4,400 Scoville heat units (SHU), while the 2x Spicy & Hot Chicken variant has 8,800 SHU, and the 3x Spicy & Hot Chicken variant measures 12,000 SHU. The latter two products are not sold domestically in South Korea but are exported to about 80 countries.
The recall has gained significant international media attention, with outlets like BBC, AP, and AFP reporting on the issue. Journalists from BBC, The Guardian, and Australia’s ABC have posted videos of themselves sampling the Buldak Ramens.
The Washington Post underscored Buldak Ramen’s rising popularity, stating, “Danish ban puts Buldak in the spotlight.” The article noted the recall’s global coverage, highlighting 360 million posts tagged with Buldak-related keywords on TikTok.
Following an analysis conducted by a Korean-accredited laboratory, Samyang Foods submitted a rebuttal to the Danish government on June 19. The company argued that capsaicin levels should be measured based on the weight of the liquid soup alone, not the entire product.
