The country’s exports of instant noodles hit a record high for the first half of the year with a 16-percent on-year jump.

According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation on Tuesday, exports of the popular product reached 446-point-two million U.S. dollars in the January-to-June period, up 16-point-four percent from a year earlier.

The total for the period surpassed 400 million dollars for the first time as it posted a new record high.

The figure for the first six months of the year has steadily increased from 138-point-three million dollars in 2015 to 216 million dollars in 2018 and 320 million dollars in 2020.

The rise in exports is attributed to the popularity of South Korean movies, dramas and music, as well as high demand for ready-to-eat food products over the COVID-19 pandemic.