Kim Jung-soo (businesswoman)
South Korean businesswoman (born 1964)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kim Jung-soo (Korean: 김정수; born March 26, 1964) is a South Korean businesswoman and vice-chair of Samyang Foods since 2021.[1][2] Described as the "mother of Buldak", Kim has been credited as the creator of Buldak Ramen, a South Korean brand of spicy instant noodles launched by Samyang Foods in 2012.[2][3]
Kim Jung-soo | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 26, 1964 |
| Education | Ewha Womans University |
| Known for | creator of Buldak Ramen |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 김정수 |
| RR | Gim Jeongsu |
| MR | Kim Chŏngsu |
Career and invention of Buldak Ramen
A graduate of Ewha Womans University and then a homemaker, Kim joined Samyang Foods in 1998.[2] Her father-in-law, the founder of the company, encouraged her to join the company's sales department several years after her marriage to his son, Chun In-jang.[4][2] The company had declared bankruptcy that year following the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.[5]
In 2012, Kim launched Buldak Ramen's hot chicken flavor, inspired by her experience eating lunch at a Buldak restaurant in Myeong-dong, Seoul with her daughter in 2010.[2][1] The restaurant served a spicy chicken dish and after seeing customers' reactions to its spice levels, she was inspired to turn it into a product.[4] Though initial sales were slow, the product has since been described as a "global success", after it gained fame through a viral video challenge on YouTube in 2014 and when members of South Korean boy band, BTS, were seen eating the noodles.[6][4][7][8]
In February 2026, Kim became the first female executive to receive the Korea Business Leader Award, given by the Korean Academic Society of Business Administration.[9][10] Together with her husband, Chun In-jang, she has been named on Forbes' 2026 list of Korea's 50 Richest with a net worth of US$1.3 billion after record sales in 2024.[11][8]
Kim will become chair of Samyang Foods in June 2026, after serving as the company's vice-chair since 2021.[12] She was named as chair in May 2026 with the aim of expanding the company's sales overseas, according to a spokesperson for the company.[13]