Exports of Korean instant noodles, called ramyeon, neared one billion dollars last year to hit a record high.

According to the Korea Customs Service and the food industry on Sunday, outbound shipments of ramyeon posted 952 million dollars in 2023, up 24 percent from a year earlier.

Exports of ramyeon reached 785 million dollars during the first ten months of last year, already surpassing the previous annual record of 765 million dollars logged in 2022.

Annual ramyeon exports posted growth for the ninth consecutive year since 2015, from the range of 200 million dollars that year to 400 million in 2018, 600 million in 2020 and the 700 million-dollar range in 2022.

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