Kim Jung-soo

Kim Jung-soo (; born March 26, 1964) is a South Korean businesswoman and vice-chair of Samyang Foods since 2021. Described as the "mother of Buldak", Kim has been credited as the creator of Buldak Ramen, a South Korean brand of spicy instant noodles launched by Samyang Foods in 2012.

Career and invention of Buldak Ramen A graduate of Ewha Womans University and then a homemaker, Kim joined Samyang Foods in 1998. A picture of Buldak Ramen, the product which Kim is credited with launching. In 2012, Kim launched Buldak Ramen's hot chicken flavor, inspired by her experience eating lunch at a Buldak restaurant in Myeong-dong, Seoul with her daughter in 2010.

In February 2026, Kim became the first female executive to receive the Korea Business Leader Award, given by the Korean Academic Society of Business Administration. Together with her husband, Chun In-jang, she has been named on Forbes' 2026 list of Korea's 50 Richest with a net worth of US$1.3 billion after record sales in 2024. She was named as chair in May 2026 with the aim of expanding the company's sales overseas, according to a spokesperson for the company.