Shin Choon-ho, founder of South Korea's leading noodle brand Nongshim, died Saturday, March 27, 2021. The company said Shin's passing was due to a chronic illness. He was 91.
The late chairman was born in 1930 in Ulsan, South Korea. He had 8 siblings with his oldest brother being Shin Kyuk-ho, founder of retail conglomerate Lotte. In 1965, Shin Choon-ho founded Nongshim then under the name Lotte Food Industrial Company. The name was changed in 1978 to Nongshim, which means "farmer's heart."
Nongshim remains to be the largest instant noodles and snack company in South Korea, leading the development of its culinary culture along the way. Today, the company houses several product categories including Chapaguri, Shin Light Air Dried Noodles, Soo Air Dried Noodles, Just Noodles, Shin Black Bowl, Air-dried Noodles, Vegan, Meal Noodle, Bowl Noodle, and of course, the Shin Brand.
Shin Choon-ho's eldest son, Shin Dong-won, is now Nongshim Group chairman.