From soju to noodles, South Korean food brands are targeted by copycats
If counterfeit products are left unchecked, South Korean food companies could suffer damage to their reputation, analysts say
The growing popularity of Korean food products around the world has given rise to copycat versions in Asia and beyond, sparking concerns about health risks and potential reputational damage to South Korean brands.
The packaging of the Chinese knock-off version looks similar to the original, including the illustration of Hochi, the mascot of Buldak ramen, with the “Bingoone” logo indicating it is not the real McCoy.
“The Chinese sellers even duplicated the Korea and halal logos, making it hard for overseas consumers to tell apart a genuine product from a fake one,” said Seo Kyoung-duk, a liberal arts professor at Sungshin Women’s University who posted an online photo of a fake version of the Buldak ramen on Tuesday, according to a report by The Korea Herald.
Some of the fake products showed the wrong names of South Korean brands that were targeted or bore the “Made in PRC” mark, referring to the People’s Republic of China, Seo said.
“The Korean government will have to take an active response to protect our intellectual property rights abroad. If such food becomes popular all over the world, it can have a negative impact on the K-food image that is popular these days,” he added.
The popularity of soju, a South Korean alcoholic drink, has also led to copycat products in Asia. In Vietnam and Thailand, imitations of the famous soju brand Chamisul were being sold at prices that were 30 per cent lower than that of the original, The Chosun Daily newspaper reported.