Maggi Korean Noodles, Khushi Kapoor and the launch

Maggi, a stalwart in the instant noodle market, has expanded its portfolio to include Korean Noodles, marking its television commercial debut with a distinctive campaign featuring Bollywood's rising star, Khushi Kapoor.

The campaign kicks off with a scene resembling a press conference, where an announcement echoes, "Maggi Korean Noodles launches Khushi Kapoor." Amidst a touch of confusion, Khushi, the Archies star, interjects, asserting, "It's Khushi Kapoor launching Maggi Korean Noodles." The banter continues until the speaker emphatically reinstates, "No, it is Maggi Korean Noodles launches Khushi Kapoor."

Puzzled, Kapoor questions the concept, remarking, "How can it launch me? It's so new!" To which, the speaker astutely replies, "So are you." 

Kapoor then questions the greatness of the noodles while, sceptically, tasting the noodles. Her initial scepticism turns into delight as she bites into the noodles. Kapoor is then shown devouring the noodles without a care about the press conference. 

With this script and the choice of the brand ambassador, Maggi successfully draws parallels between the two debuts (Khushi Kapoor and Maggi Korean Noodles). Given both, the brand and Khushi Kapoor are new and come from the house of iconic lineages the collaboration looks spot on. 

Prior to the release of the ad film, Kapoor teased her followers on Instagram with snippets of the campaign. “A launch India has been waiting for,” said one of her posts which left netizens puzzled and guessing. Many thought the actor who has made her debut with Netflix’s Archies was announcing her big-screen Bollywood movie debut. 

Maggi's foray into the Korean noodles category follows the recent surge in the consumption of Korean pop culture and cuisine in the country. Maggi’s initial Korean Noodle range boasts two distinct flavours: BBQ Chicken and BBQ Veg, priced at Rs 60 and Rs 55, respectively. 

Unlike the iconic yellow packaging of traditional Maggi noodles, the Korean Maggi comes in black and red packaging. The black and red colours have become synonymous with instant Korean foods. Many other Korean-inspired brands like Nissin, Samyang and Nongshim also bear similar packaging. 

Korean foods like bibimbap, kimchi, and supremely spicy noodles have become mainstream in tier-one cities in India. Indians seem to be loving the bold and spicy flavour profile of Korean cuisine. The rise in the consumption of Korean dramas, where food plays an integral part is also a part of the reason for the rise and acceptance of Korean food in India.

According to The Ministry of Commerce & Industry in India, there has been a dramatic rise in the consumption of Korean noodles since the lockdown. The volume of Korean noodle imports increased by 162% in 2020 and by 178.0% in 2021.

Maggi’s competitor Unilever’s Knorr has also recently entered the Korean Noodles market with its offering, the ‘Knorr Korean Meal Pot’. 

While Indian brands have newly entered this space, it's important to note that international brands like Nongshim, Nissin, and Daebak, among others, have already captivated the hearts and taste buds of Gen Z and enthusiasts of Korean content and culture.