After BTS member Jungkook shared the unique ramyun recipe that he called “bulgeuri” on his Weverse Live on March 16, the noodle manufacturer Nongshim filed to acquire the copyrights for the terms “bulgeuri” and “bulguri.”
Reports claimed that the noodle company filed the copyright for both terms on the same day Jungkook released his recipe. The terms were a combination of the ramyun flavors used by the idol to create the dish, which includes noodle brands “Neoguri” and “Buldak.”
The company’s move angered some ARMYs. The avid fans of BTS believe that all the copyrights must belong to Jungkook since he was the first one who made the recipe public.
But according to a source from Nongshim, they decided to file the copyright to prevent other businesses from earning profit from the term.
“BTS’s Jungkook personally introduced it and it became a huge issue, so we simply filed for it with the goal of preventing it from being used imprudently for business, protecting Neoguri’s copyright. It is simply a protective business measure,” the source from the company stated.
This is not the first time Nongshim filed for a copyright for a term that became famous after being used in the entertainment industry. In 2020, the company filed the copyright for “jjapaguri” after the combination of the jjajangmyeon-flavored ramyun Chapagetti and Neoguri became popular due to its appearance in the 2019 film “Parasite.” The company also released instant jjapaguri cup noodles later that year.
Meanwhile, other BTS fans believe that Nongshim is only protecting their product since they cannot create a ready-made bulgeuri because Buldak is manufactured by Samyang Foods.
Jungkook remains mum about the copyright issue at the moment.
Source: EToday
