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KIPO warns Indonesian “Korean Ramyeon” commercial with NewJeans might deceive customers
03 January 2025
Credit by Indomie Youtube Official Account
The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) voiced worries that the name of Indonesian instant noodle business Indomie’s latest product, Korean Ramyeon, might mislead local consumers into thinking the noodles were created in Korea. The product, marketed by the renowned K-pop group NewJeans, has attracted enormous attention, accumulating over 6 million views on Instagram.
“Just as Korean companies can register trademarks in English, it is not necessarily problematic for foreign companies to register trademarks in Korean,” said a KIPO representative. Nonetheless, there is a significant chance that Indonesian buyers may confuse Korean Ramyeon for a Korean product.
Screenshot of Korean Ramyeon ads
This reaction followed a recent public petition in which a Korean netizen complained that the goods violated Korea’s intellectual property rights.
Indomie, Indonesia’s leading noodle manufacturer, unveiled Korean Ramyeon in three different flavour options, designating NewJeans as brand ambassadors. The name Korean Ramyeon is prominently displayed on the package in Korean letters. In the commercial, NewJeans members enthusiastically exclaim in Korean, “It’s so delicious!” – a phrase that could give the impression that the product is authentically Korean.
“Korean Ramyeon’s trademark registration status with the Indonesian Intellectual Property Office is currently unclear,” KIPO stated, adding that a more thorough investigation would be necessary to ascertain if this constitutes an intellectual property infringement.
In an effort to find a solution, the Korean government intends to address this matter with Indonesian officials in upcoming bilateral talks.
- Excel V. Dyquiangco
