On March 31, Indomi launched three Korean ramyun series. The packaging says “Korean ramyun” in Korean, and the English notation also uses the Korean pronunciation “Ramyeon” rather than the Japanese one.
NewJeans, who became an ambassador for this brand, attracted the attention of local consumers by introducing the Korean comment, “It’s so delicious, Indomie” in the advertisement.
Singaporean broadcaster CNA analyzed that India’s strategy is aimed at expanding the global market, not just the Indonesian market. Currently, India is exporting its flagship MiGoreng products to 100 countries around the world.
However, some say that India and the U.S. may have infringed on Korea’s trademark rights at a time when K-food’s status has increased along with K-pop.
The Korean Intellectual Property Office said, “There is room for local consumers to misunderstand and confuse ‘Korean ramen’ sold locally for Korean products,” but added, “However, more professional review is needed to determine whether the issue is subject to sanctions.”
“The possibility of sanctions needs to be reviewed more professionally, and even if sanctions are possible, they should be based on local laws in Indonesia,” he added. “We will discuss and find a solution during future meetings with the Indonesian government.”
SALLY LEE
US ASIA JOURNAL
