A Mountainous Problem With Instant Noodles

Pictured above is Mount Halla, also known as Hallasan, the highest peak in South Korea. It’s located on Jeju Island off the coast of the nation (here’s a map) and its incredible views make it a destination for the outdoorsy tourist looking to tackle a large challenge.

But Mount Halla is facing a challenge of its own — an ecological one. Not the one caused by climate change, though. The cause is much simpler — and much tastier. Here’s a picture of the culprit.

Yes, that’s a cup of instant ramen noodles.

If you’re not familiar with the product, instant ramen is a noodle soup — all of the noodles and flavoring come in a cup, and you just add hot water, wait a few minutes, and you’ve got a stew going (minus the meat). It’s is popular throughout the world, and particularly in China and Southeast Asia. According to the World Instant Noodles Association (yes, that’s a real thing!), globally, more than 100 billion servings are eaten annually. By country, Korea is number 8 on the top 15 list. Ramen is cheap, typically costing under $2 per serving. And it’s also quick, easy, and importantly if you’re climbing a mountain — a portable meal option.

So it shouldn’t be a surprise that ramen is a staple for those hiking Mount Halla. In fact, there are apparently a few places on the trials themselves where you can buy some instant ramen if you didn’t bring your own — one reddit commenter from a couple of years ago (replying to someone who posted a picture of their ramen at the peak of a nearby mountain) noted that on Hallasan, “there is a little hut at the top of one of the routes and they have lots of cup ramen at a good price.”

But unfortunately, many of the ramen-eaters are a lot more interested in the noodles than they are in the broth. Once the moddles are gone, the broth has to go somewhere. And as Smithsonian Magazine explains, it typically gets poured out wherever the hiker is: “When they’re finished eating, they discard the leftover broth on the ground.” Smithsonian, citing a local news report, explains that “visitors are dumping between 26 and 31 gallons (100 to 120 liters) of broth per day,” or about half a bathtub’s worth.

That poses a problem for the mountain’s ecosystem. According to South Korea’s National Park Office, per CNN, “Ramen broth contains a lot of salt, so discarding it along the valley’s water stream makes it impossible for aquatic insects to live in contaminated water.” And that has a cascading effect over the rest of the region. As the Korea Times explained, “Moreover, the seepage of ramen broth into the soil can endanger specialized plant species exclusive to Mount Halla, potentially leading to their extinction. The scent of discarded food like ramen may attract animals like crows, badgers and weasels to areas such as Witse Oreum. It will cause disruptions within the ecosystem as these animals consume contaminated food.” Dumping nearly a thousand gallons of the stuff over a month was putting the entire experience at risk.

Solving the issue is difficult at best, though. Awareness and messaging were the first phase; per the Korea Times, “To address these concerns, the park management office has launched a campaign urging visitors not to leave behind any ramen broth. Banners showing messages have been placed throughout national parks, and the campaign is being promoted via social media.” The South China Morning Post reported in March 2024 that authorities installed “five 60-litre containers for leftover ramen broth within the park” as well, hoping hungry visitors would use these trash bins. But that hasn’t been enough — the soup dumping continued. So in June 2024 — just a few weeks ago — the local police began issuing fines on-site for illegally eating and dumping ramen; per CNN, penalties can reach up to two million won, or about $1,450. And those cited need to pay up immediately.

It’s still too early to tell if this more aggressive approach will pay dividends, but a $2 cup of noodles doesn’t taste quite as well when it comes with a 70,000% surcharge to dump a lot of it out.

Bonus fact: In 2016, Japan piloted a program to use ramen to help make its roads safer. As the Miami Herald reported, Aichi Prefecture wanted to get older drivers off the roads, but of course, many didn’t want to give up their driver’s licenses. So the government offered them a deal, per the Herald: “older people can turn in their license in Aiichi in exchange for a discount card that will get them 10 percent off at ramen noodle shop Sugakiya. The chain has 176 locations in the prefecture and the discount will apply to noodles, rice and salads.” It’s unclear how effective the program was.

From the Archives: Eggplant, Rice, Bananas, and Dog Food: Why would a video of a man leaving his apartment and eating some ramen become a popular TV ad? Because of one of Japan’s strangest game shows.