Market’s Fierce Competition for Spiciness
“Phew, ha, phew, haa…. It is spicy, but not enough. Make it spicier, please!”
South Korea is currently obsessed with “spicy dopamine.” People crave more intense and stimulating flavors. Globally, Korean cuisine is recognized for its spicy dishes made with gochujang and gochugaru. The popularity of Samyang Foods’ Buldak Ramen is so high that its three varieties were recalled in Denmark due to high capsaicin levels posing an acute addiction risk. That’s how spicy it is!
However, consumers continue to demand spicier flavors, prompting the market to release products that cater to this desire. For example, a pearl in milk tea mixed with tteokbokki sauce, or products branded with terms like “heat,” “fire,” “hot,” and “spicy.” They don’t mind being labeled as “bizarre.” As long as the products sell well, that’s all that matters. Consumers are turning to spicy food to cope with the summer heat, rising prices, and stress. They choose restaurants and delivery apps for their spicy cravings, ignoring the fact that their stomachs are practically burning.
Spicy Challenges on Social Media
Spicy food challenge videos are all over social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Thumbnails with captions like “Help me,” “Blindness risk,” “The owner said I can’t eat this,” “Hellfire experience,” “The world’s spiciest chili listed in Guinness World Records,” “Fainted while eating,” and “Signing a waiver to eat hot noodles” entice viewers to click.
Famous among spicy food enthusiasts are the top three spicy restaurants in Korea: Sinseoldong Jjamppong, Sindebang Samgeori Dijinda Donkatsu, and Songju Bulnaengmyeon. Influencers, self-proclaimed “spicy masters,” often share stories of drinking liters of milk to counter the heat. Despite this, consumers flock to these restaurants, causing lines out the door. Consequently, other food businesses offering curry, dumplings, pasta, chicken feet, and kimbap are promoting their dishes with varying levels of spiciness, from Level 1 to 10, or even with names like “atomic bomb level” and “death level.”
Spicy Competition Among Franchises
Franchises selling chicken, burgers, snacks, and ramen are also competing to offer more options. The trend for extreme spiciness became a mega-trend in the food industry around 2020, following the success of “Buldak Ramen.” Consumers’ desire for spicier flavors has grown over time. For instance, the Scoville rating of Nongshim Shin Ramyun, released in the 1980s, has increased from 1,300 SHU to 3,400 SHU over 40 years. Recently, the market has seen the debut of even spicier ramen, such as Yeomradaewang Ramen at 21,000 SHU and Extreme Challenge Ttukbaegi Ramen at 15,000 SHU, surpassing the “3x Spicy Buldak Ramen” at 13,000 SHU.
This craze is not limited to Korea. In the US, Coca-Cola has introduced a spicy cola, and Starbucks offers drinks with chili powder.
Spiciness and Economic Trends
There is a saying in the industry, “Spicy food sells better during economic downturns.” Capsaicin, the component responsible for spiciness, is known to help alleviate stress by releasing adrenaline and endorphins. Thus, the popularity of spicy food could indicate a high level of societal stress. However, many analysts believe that the “spicy pride” of the MZ generation (Millennials and Generation Z) is a significant factor.
Health Concerns
While trends are fun, it is essential to take care of your health. The American company Paqui is famous for producing the world’s spiciest chip, with a single chip measuring 2,200,000 SHU. Last year, a teenager in the US died from cardiac arrest after eating this chip. The lesson here is that extreme spiciness can be dangerous. Korean YouTubers have also taken on the One Chip Challenge, and the product was eventually discontinued. Recently, a US teenager was hospitalized with burns from chewing Trouble Bubble Gum, rated at 16,000,000 SHU, and a Chinese woman died from eating mala soup due to throat pain and breathing difficulties. Is risking your life for spicy food really worth it?
Reference: https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/023/0003843112?sid=102
