The extremely spicy South Korean instant noodle brand known for its Buldak flavor is made by Samyang Foods. The company launched Buldak Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen in April 2012, presenting a stir-fried noodle rather than a conventional soup ramen. After boiling, the noodles are drained and coated with a concentrated spicy sauce.
Buldak means “fire chicken” in Korean and refers to a spicy chicken dish that inspired the product. Samyang’s version became internationally famous through the “Fire Noodle Challenge,” in which people filmed themselves trying to finish the noodles without drinking water. The brand later expanded into varieties such as cheese, carbonara, 2X Spicy, curry, and other flavors.
The company name is sometimes confused with the product name: Buldak is the noodle line, while Samyang Foods is its producer. The original packet has been reported at about 4,404 Scoville units, while stronger versions are substantially hotter. Unlike tonkotsu or other soup ramen, classic Buldak is usually served relatively dry with sauce clinging to the noodles.