Virtual models hold Nongshim's Shin Ramyun products at the company's metaverse store on Zepeto. Courtesy of Nongshim

By Kim Jae-heun

Nongshim is introducing its new Shin Ramyun Zepeto Cup Noodle on the local metaverse platform Zepeto to reflect consumers' combined opinions on their favorite recipe, the country's top instant noodle maker said Thursday.

The new product offers abundant bits of meat and vegetables and is three times spicier than the original Shin Ramyun, which is Nongshim's all-time bestseller. It will be sold at large retail stores across the country and online malls starting Jan. 9.

Shin Ramyun Zepeto Cup Noodle has a pungency of 6,000 Scoville heat units. The product also includes 4.9 grams of solid ingredient powder, nearly double Shin Ramyun's 2.5 grams of powder. The company explains the spicy product can be heated in a microwave to make the noodles chewier.

"We have created a Nongshim store in a metaverse world to increase connections with our customers in their teens and 20s, who enjoy cup noodles on a daily basis and value new experiences, and planned a consumer-participating event to develop and launch new products," a Nongshim official said.

Last October, the food firm opened a Shin Ramyun snack bar on Zepeto and held an instant noodle cooking contest. Participants cooked their own styles of Shin Ramyun and compared each other's final products. A total of 40,000 people visiting Nongshim's metaverse store preferred the dish that is three times spicier than the original.