Express Your Korea Vibe with Unexpected Buldak: How to Join and What You Can Win
Three Korean vibes, one unexpected bowl, flights to Korea on the line
By the Samyang Foods Global Brand Team · October 2026
Quick Summary
· Buldak and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) run "Express Your Korea Vibe with Unexpected Buldak" on TikTok from October 13 to November 2, 2026.
· Pick one of three vibes — Romantic Korea, Cozy & Rustic Korea, Fun Korea — and film an unexpected Buldak recipe that fits it.
· Post on TikTok tagging @buldak_global with five hashtags, then submit your video link on the campaign page.
· The most-viewed video in each vibe wins two round-trip tickets to Korea. 20 more winners get VISA gift cards.
"Express Your Korea Vibe with Unexpected Buldak" is a TikTok campaign run by Samyang Foods, the Korean company behind Buldak Ramen, and the Korea Tourism Organization, Korea's national tourism agency. Fans pick a Korean vibe, cook an unexpected Buldak recipe that matches it, and post the video between October 13 and November 2, 2026.
Plenty of people tasted Korea long before they ever set foot in it. A pack picked up at a store near home, a first bite, a glass of milk within reach. For a lot of fans, Buldak was the first Korean thing they loved.
This time we want to know what Korea feels like to you. Show us in a bowl, and three of you could end up seeing it for real.
What Are the Three Korean Vibes?
The three Korean vibes in the Buldak × KTO campaign are Romantic Korea, Cozy & Rustic Korea, and Fun Korea. Each comes with location and ingredient examples. They are starting points, not rules.
| Vibe | Location examples | Ingredient examples |
|---|---|---|
| Romantic Korea | Hangang River | Cheese, honey, chocolate |
| Cozy & Rustic Korea | Namcheon Old House, countryside retreats | Tofu, kimchi, onions |
| Fun Korea | Hipjiro (Euljiro), night streets | Cola, ice cream |
Romantic Korea
Picture the Hangang River in the evening, when the breeze cools off and the lights across the water start coming on one by one. You are sitting next to someone you like, watching the sky change color without needing to say much. That mix of flutter and warmth is Romantic Korea. A bowl that is spicy but a little sweet is all it takes to carry the mood.
Cozy & Rustic Korea
Think of a morning with no alarm, sitting on the wooden floor of a hanok and looking out over the courtyard. It is the feeling of stepping away from city speed and spending a day at a quiet countryside stay. Cozy & Rustic Korea is simple and warm, so skip the showy plating and make it feel like a meal at your grandmother’s table.
Fun Korea
Some streets get busier after dark. Neon signs light up between old print shops, and laughter from people on plastic stools carries on late into the night in places like Hipjiro. Fun Korea is that loud, spontaneous Korean night. If your combo makes your friends burst out laughing and say "wait, that works?", you are in the right vibe.
Whatever vibe you pick, keep it unexpected. Skip the recipe on the back of the pack and put two things together that nobody would pair with Buldak.
How Do You Join the Campaign?
Joining "Express Your Korea Vibe with Unexpected Buldak" takes three steps, all by November 2, 2026.
Create your video. Pick your vibe and make your unexpected Buldak recipe. Videos can run up to 90 seconds.
Post on TikTok. Tag @buldak_global and add all five hashtags: #Buldak #BuldakUnexpected #VISITKOREA #BeginToHearKorea #ImagineYourKorea. The page has a copy button for all of them.
Submit your link. Tap Drop Your Buldak Moment, choose your vibe, paste your TikTok video link and enter your email.
Use the link to the video itself. Tap Share on the post and copy from there, then check that the vibe you select matches the one in your video.
What Can You Win?
The top prize in the Buldak × KTO campaign is two round-trip tickets to Korea, given to one winner in each of the three vibes.
| Prize | Winners | How winners are picked |
|---|---|---|
| Round-trip tickets to Korea (2 per winner) | 3 (1 per vibe) | Most TikTok views in each vibe |
| VISA gift card (USD 100) | 10 | Random draw |
| VISA gift card (USD 50) — bonus mission | 10 | Random draw |
Winners are announced on Monday, November 9, 2026, and notified individually by email, so check your spam folder that week.
Flight winners must complete booking by November 30, 2026. The organizer books the tickets, which cannot be refunded or changed once issued, for travel within one year of the announcement.
VISA gift cards may not be usable in every country. Check availability for your nationality and country of residence before entering.
Prizes may be replaced with an item of equal value, and winners may need to submit personal information to receive them.
What Is the Bonus Mission?
The bonus mission is a way to join the Buldak × KTO campaign without making a video. All it takes is one quiz question about a Korean travel spot. If you need a hint, watch "Begin to Hear Korea," a travel film produced by KTO.
Pick one of the two answers on the campaign page and submit it, and you are in the draw for one of ten USD 50 VISA gift cards. It is a good fit if you would rather not be on camera.
Before You Hit Submit
Post inside the window. The campaign closes on November 2, 2026.
Use all five hashtags and tag @buldak_global.
You must be 18 or older and own or control the TikTok account you submit.
The video has to be yours. You need the rights to any music, images or third-party content in it.
Buldak can repost it. Entering gives Buldak permission to embed and repost your video on its official channels.
What we collect. Your email address, TikTok handle or profile URL and the link to your video, kept for three months after the campaign ends. Winners are asked for extra details, such as an ID copy, to receive their prize. Questions go to challenge.support@buldak.com.
What Is the Korea Tourism Organization?
The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is Korea's national tourism agency, a public organization under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism that promotes travel to Korea worldwide. Imagine your Korea is its global brand, and VisitKorea is its official multilingual travel guide.
Buldak's tourism partnership started on July 31, 2026, when Samyang Foods signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, its first in the tourism sector. In August, Buldak joined Love Korea 2026 in Bangkok, a festival organized by the Ministry and KTO. This campaign brings the same idea to TikTok.
How Is This Different from the Buldak Weekly Challenge?
The Buldak Weekly Challenge is Buldak's own TikTok challenge. "Express Your Korea Vibe with Unexpected Buldak" is a separate campaign with the Korea Tourism Organization, with three fixed vibes, its own set of five hashtags, a single deadline and flights to Korea as the top prize.
FAQ: Express Your Korea Vibe with Unexpected Buldak
Q. What is "Express Your Korea Vibe with Unexpected Buldak"?
A. "Express Your Korea Vibe with Unexpected Buldak" is a TikTok campaign by Samyang Foods and the Korea Tourism Organization, running October 13 to November 2, 2026, in which fans film an unexpected Buldak recipe that fits one of three Korean vibes.
Q. When does the campaign end?
A. The Buldak × KTO campaign ends on November 2, 2026.
Q. How long can my video be?
A. Videos submitted to the Buldak × KTO campaign can be up to 90 seconds long.
Q. Which hashtags do I need?
A. The Buldak × KTO campaign requires five hashtags — #Buldak, #BuldakUnexpected, #VISITKOREA, #BeginToHearKorea and #ImagineYourKorea — plus a tag of @buldak_global.
Q. How are the flight winners chosen?
A. The three flight winners are the Buldak × KTO entries with the most TikTok views in each vibe, one winner per vibe.
Q. Do I need to be in Korea to join?
A. No. The three vibes are themes for your recipe, and you can film wherever you are.
Q. Can I join without making a video?
A. Yes. The bonus mission lets you join the Buldak × KTO campaign by answering one quiz question on the campaign page.
Q. When will I know if I won?
A. Buldak × KTO campaign winners are announced on Monday, November 9, 2026, and notified individually by email.
Your Turn
Pick your vibe, make it unexpected, and post it before November 2. Three of you are getting on a plane to Korea.
This guide is written by the Samyang Foods global brand team and reflects the campaign as of its launch on October 13, 2026. If anything changes, the official rules on the campaign page are the authority.
📍 Express Your Korea Vibe with Unexpected Buldak
📅 October 13 – November 2, 2026
🎬 Post on TikTok · tag @buldak_global · 5 hashtags · up to 90 seconds
✈️ Round-trip tickets to Korea × 3 · VISA gift cards × 20
🏆 Winners announced Monday, November 9, 2026
Follow @buldak_global on TikTok
More to Explore
5 Places to Visit in Korea for a Local Buldak Experience
Buldak Weekly Challenge: How to Play and What You Get
