Saeukkang

Saeukkang is a South Korean savory snack brand produced by Nongshim. Its name combines the Korean word for shrimp, “saeu,” with “kkang,” a playful expression associated with a crunchy snack. The product is commonly known in English as Shrimp Cracker and is made with grain-based ingredients and shrimp flavoring. The standard retail package is approximately 90 grams, while Nongshim has also offered smaller and larger formats and several flavor variations. The product was introduced in 1971 during Nongshim’s effort to establish a stronger position in South Korea’s packaged-snack market. Its development was influenced by the popularity of Japan’s Kappa Ebisen, but Nongshim had to spend more than a year working on its own formulation and cooking process. One of the main technical challenges was determining an appropriate cooking temperature. Development consumed substantial quantities of flour and shrimp, reportedly including about 360 tons of flour during the experimentation period. The brand name is associated with a story involving Nongshim president Shin Choon-ho. While considering a name for the shrimp snack, he reportedly drew inspiration from his daughter’s childlike pronunciation of “Arirang,” a well-known Korean song and cultural reference. The resulting name helped give the product a distinctly Korean identity while communicating its principal flavor. Saeukkang became an important early success for Nongshim. The company promoted it with the recurring Korean slogan “손이 가요~ 손이 가~새우깡에 손이 가요,” which conveys the idea that consumers’ hands keep reaching for the snack. The slogan became closely identified with the brand and continued to appear in advertising over subsequent decades. Early demand was strong enough that trucks reportedly traveled to Nongshim’s Daebang-dong factory to purchase stock. Reference material states that Nongshim’s sales increased by 350 percent within three months of the product’s launch, although the precise accounting basis for that figure is not specified. The success of Saeukkang provided Nongshim with resources and confidence to broaden its snack portfolio. The company subsequently introduced products such as Banana Kick, Honey Twist Snack, and Potato Chip. Saeukkang itself developed into a family of products, including Mini Saeukkang, a larger Deluxe format, Spicy Saeukkang, Rice Saeukkang, and Sweet & Sour Chicken Saeukkang. Product availability and exact formulations may vary by market and period. Saeukkang is principally associated with South Korea but has also been distributed internationally. Reference material says that by 2013 the brand had surpassed 7.5 billion packages in cumulative sales and was available in 76 countries, including through retailers and e-commerce channels in the United States and China. The brand has also generated a substantial Korean online fan community, with numerous fan clubs reported on Naver. Its long-running slogan, familiar flavor profile, and association with Nongshim’s corporate history have made it one of the company’s enduring snack brands. The brand has faced several product-safety and originality controversies. Its appearance and packaging were criticized in 2005 for resembling Kappa Ebisen. In 2008, a consumer report alleged that a mouse head had been found in a package; Korean food-safety authorities investigated Nongshim facilities but reported that they could not identify a manufacturing-process problem. In 2010, rice worms were reported in Saeukkang, and authorities attributed the issue to distribution and retail-storage processes rather than factory production. In 2019, Nongshim’s plan to discontinue the use of shrimp from Gunsan because of concerns about quality and marine pollution prompted objections from local fishermen and lawmakers. The company subsequently retained Gunsan shrimp, using what it described as the highest-quality portion of the local supply.

Saeukkang was developed by Nongshim and launched in South Korea in 1971. Nongshim was seeking a product that could compete in the growing packaged-snack category, and the development team looked to the Japanese Kappa Ebisen snack for general inspiration. Rather than simply reproducing that product, Nongshim spent more than a year experimenting with ingredients and processing conditions. The most difficult technical problem was reportedly identifying a cooking temperature that produced the desired crisp texture without compromising the snack. The experiments used large quantities of flour and shrimp, including approximately 360 tons of flour according to reference material. The name was created as a Korean wordplay. “Saeu” means shrimp in Korean, while the “kkang” element was reportedly inspired by a childlike pronunciation of “Arirang” by a daughter of Nongshim president Shin Choon-ho. This naming story gave the snack a memorable Korean identity and made its main flavor immediately understandable to consumers. Saeukkang quickly became a major commercial success. Demand reportedly led trucks from different parts of South Korea to travel to Nongshim’s Daebang-dong factory to obtain supplies. Reference material states that Nongshim’s sales rose by 350 percent within three months of launch. The success helped transform Nongshim from a company with a relatively small snack-market share into one of South Korea’s major food and beverage businesses. Profits and production capabilities supported later launches including Banana Kick in 1978, Honey Twist Snack in 1979, and Potato Chip in 1980. Advertising played a significant role in creating the product’s identity. The repeated Korean refrain “손이 가요~ 손이 가~새우깡에 손이 가요” presents Saeukkang as a snack that consumers instinctively keep reaching for. The line remained associated with the product long after its introduction and was reused across successive advertising campaigns. At different times, Nongshim also used celebrity endorsers, including Korean actor and model Lee Jong-suk. The brand developed a large online following, with reference material reporting approximately 100 Saeukkang-related fan clubs on Naver across younger and older consumer groups. Over time, Nongshim expanded the line beyond the standard approximately 90-gram package. Reported formats include Mini Saeukkang at about 30 grams and Deluxe Saeukkang at about 400 grams. The company also introduced flavor extensions such as Spicy Saeukkang, Rice Saeukkang, and Sweet & Sour Chicken Saeukkang. The availability of these variants is not necessarily uniform across countries or years. International distribution became an important part of the brand’s reach. Reference material says that cumulative sales exceeded 7.5 billion packages by 2013 and that the snack was available in 76 countries, including through Walmart in the United States and Taobao in China. These figures are historical claims reported in the cited reference and are not presented as current sales data. Saeukkang has also experienced criticism and quality-related controversies. In 2005, observers criticized similarities between the snack’s shape and packaging and those of Kappa Ebisen. In 2008, a consumer alleged that a mouse head had been found in a package. The incident became controversial not only because of the allegation but also because Nongshim was reported to have delayed disclosure for approximately one month and did not conduct a product recall. The Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety investigated the matter and inspected Nongshim facilities in Busan and Qingdao, but reported by April of that year that it had found no manufacturing-process defect. In 2010, rice worms were reported in Saeukkang. Food-safety authorities concluded that the insects were associated with distribution or retail processes rather than production at the factory. In 2019, Nongshim said it initially intended to stop using shrimp from Gunsan, South Korea, citing concerns about marine pollution and a decline in local shrimp quality compared with earlier decades. The decision led to protests and complaints from Gunsan fishermen and attracted attention from members of Congress. Nongshim subsequently changed course and said it would continue using the top 10 percent of Gunsan shrimp by quality. This episode connected Saeukkang to questions about local sourcing, regional livelihoods, ingredient quality, and supply-chain communication. Saeukkang remains an active Nongshim snack brand. Its continuing importance derives from the combination of a recognizable shrimp flavor, a long-established slogan, broad domestic familiarity, multiple package sizes and variants, and a history that parallels Nongshim’s rise in South Korea’s food industry.

• 2019

  Gunsan shrimp sourcing policy is revised

  [1]Saeukkangen.wikipedia.org

  After local opposition, Nongshim retains high-quality shrimp from Gunsan rather than ending the local sourcing relationship.

• 2013

  International scale is reported

  [1]Saeukkangen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material reports cumulative sales above 7.5 billion packages and availability in 76 countries.

• 2010

  Rice-worm reports arise

  [1]Saeukkangen.wikipedia.org

  Reports of rice worms in Saeukkang lead authorities to attribute the issue to distribution or retail handling rather than factory production.

• 2008

  Foreign-object allegation investigated

  [1]Saeukkangen.wikipedia.org

  A consumer report alleging a mouse head in a package leads to an investigation by South Korean food-safety authorities.

• 2005

  Similarity criticism emerges

  [1]Saeukkangen.wikipedia.org

  Critics question similarities between Saeukkang and the Japanese Kappa Ebisen snack in shape and packaging.

• 1980

  Nongshim adds Potato Chip

  [1]Saeukkangen.wikipedia.org

  Potato Chip becomes another major snack product introduced during Nongshim's post-Saeukkang expansion.

• 1979

  Honey Twist Snack is introduced

  [1]Saeukkangen.wikipedia.org

  Nongshim adds Honey Twist Snack to the product portfolio that Saeukkang helped make possible.

• 1978

  Nongshim follows with Banana Kick

  [1]Saeukkangen.wikipedia.org

  Following Saeukkang's success, Nongshim expands its snack portfolio with Banana Kick.

• 1971

  Saeukkang is launched

  [1]Saeukkangen.wikipedia.org

  Nongshim introduces Saeukkang, a shrimp-flavored snack cracker, in South Korea after more than a year of product development.

An iconic, accessible Korean savory snack built around a distinctive shrimp flavor, light crunch, repeatable packaging formats, and long-running mass-market advertising. Saeukkang is positioned both as an everyday snack and as a heritage Nongshim product with strong cultural recognition in South Korea.

• Shrimp-flavored snack cracker · 1971

  Standard Saeukkang

  The core Saeukkang product is a light, crunchy, shrimp-flavored savory snack sold in a standard package of approximately 90 grams. It is the format most strongly associated with the brand and its long-running Korean advertising slogan. The product is generally presented as an everyday packaged snack rather than a meal accompaniment.

• Small-format savory snack

  Mini Saeukkang

  Mini Saeukkang is a smaller package format, reported at approximately 30 grams. It extends the core product into a more portable and portion-sized offering. Exact availability and packaging may differ by market.

• Large-format savory snack

  Deluxe Saeukkang

  Deluxe Saeukkang is a larger package format reported at approximately 400 grams. It is designed for households, sharing, or higher-volume consumption and retains the core shrimp-snack concept.

• Flavored snack cracker

  Spicy Saeukkang

  Spicy Saeukkang is a flavor extension of the original product that adds a hotter taste profile to the established crunchy shrimp-snack format. Market availability and formulation details are not specified in the available reference material.

• Rice-based snack

  Rice Saeukkang

  Rice Saeukkang is a variant associated with rice-based ingredients or positioning rather than the standard formulation. It broadens the product family while maintaining the recognizable Saeukkang brand identity.

• Flavored snack cracker

  Sweet & Sour Chicken Saeukkang

  Sweet & Sour Chicken Saeukkang is a flavored line extension combining the Saeukkang snack format with a sweet-and-sour chicken taste concept. The available reference does not specify its launch date or current market availability.

• 2010

  Rice worms reported in Saeukkang

  Rice worms were reportedly found in Saeukkang. Food-safety authorities concluded that the issue arose during distribution to retail outlets rather than during manufacturing.

  Source

• 2008

  Alleged mouse head in product package

  A consumer alleged that a mouse head was found in a Saeukkang package. Reports also criticized Nongshim for allegedly delaying disclosure and not recalling the product. The Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety investigated facilities in Busan and Qingdao but reported no manufacturing-process problem.

  Source

• 2005

  Similarity to Kappa Ebisen criticized

  Saeukkang attracted criticism over perceived similarities in product shape and packaging to the Japanese snack Kappa Ebisen.

  Source

Read more

• 1971Grab Saeukkang Anywhere

  South Korea

  Saeukkang's recurring Korean slogan describes consumers repeatedly reaching for the snack and became a central verbal identity for the brand.

  Outcome. The slogan remained in use across later Saeukkang advertising and became strongly associated with the product.

  Source
• Lee Jong-suk television advertising

  South Korea

  Korean actor and model Lee Jong-suk was identified in reference material as a Saeukkang television commercial endorser.

  Source

• 2019

  Nongshim revises its Gunsan shrimp sourcing planStrategy

  Background

  Nongshim initially planned to stop using shrimp from Gunsan, South Korea, citing marine-pollution concerns and a perceived decline in local shrimp quality over the preceding decades.

  Action taken

  After protests and complaints from Gunsan fishermen and lawmakers, Nongshim decided to continue using the highest-quality portion of the local shrimp supply, described in reference material as the top 10 percent.

  Aftermath

  The decision preserved a link between Saeukkang and Gunsan's fishing industry while making ingredient quality the basis for continued local sourcing.

  Source

1. 1Saeukkangen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Saeukkang official websitesaewooggang.com