Korean Ramen Guide 🍜

Made for travelers who bring Korean ramen home, and for anyone curious about it. I see which ramen sells every day at a convenience store register, so I write how each one is regarded in Korea and whether it actually sells, in my own words. If I have not tried one, I say so.

Not sponsoredNo sponsorship or ads from makers or retailers. Product info and photos come from each maker’s official website. My notes are only about ramen I have eaten or seen sell at the register, and I say so when I have not tried one. Prices vary by store, so they are not listed.

ℹ️ For now this covers Nongshim, Samyang and Paldo. Nongshim items come from Nongshim’s official online store. Ottogi (Jin Ramen…) is coming soon with my own photos.

✍️ Ramen with my notes (43)

• Neoguri Mild순한너구리Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 Mild enough that kids around elementary school age can eat it. Adults usually seem to go f…

• Sacheon Chapagetti사천짜파게티Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 The spicy version of Chapagetti. I buy it every now and then when I get a craving. The spi…

• Shin Ramyun Light (Non-fried)신라면건면Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 I think this version was made with non-fried noodles to cut the calories. I tried it once,…

• Shin Ramyun Gold신라면골드Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 If you look it up, it says it's made with chicken broth. I tried it once, and I honestly c…

• Shin Ramyun The Red신라면더레드Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 Lately people have been complaining that Shin Ramyun isn't as spicy as it used to be, and…

• Shin Ramyun Rosé신라면로제Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 I tried it once, and to my taste it came across as pretty salty. I had it for the experien…

• Shin Ramyun Toomba신라면툼바Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 Shin Ramyun Toomba is a stir-fried (soupless) ramen. Some customers do come looking for it…

• Angry Neoguri앵그리너구리Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 It looks like an even spicier version of Neoguri. I haven't tried it, and I don't see it a…

• Yukgaejang Ramyeon (Spicy Beef Soup)육개장라면Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 I think the packet version came out because the cup version (Yukgaejang Sabalmyeon) was po…

• Chapagetti The Black짜파게티더블랙Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 I think they made it with non-fried noodles to keep the calories down. I tried it once, an…

• Mupama Tangmyeon무파마탕면Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 I've heard the name "Mupama" means it has mu (radish), pa (green onion) and ma(neul) (garl…

• Sari Gomtang Myeon (Beef Bone Soup Noodles)사리곰탕면Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 A clear broth, like the broth of seolleongtang (Korean ox bone soup). A little salty, and…

• Shin Ramyun신라면Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 Korea's best-selling ramen. The "Shin" in Shin Ramyun is the Chinese character 辛, which me…

• Shin Ramyun Black신라면블랙Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 It's a more premium version of Shin Ramyun. I think it was briefly popular when it first c…

• Ansungtangmyun안성탕면Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 Ansungtangmyun is another bestseller. A lot of people say the soup is doenjang (Korean soy…

• Neoguri얼큰한너구리Nongshim · Packet ramen🧳 For people who like thick noodles

  💬 A bestseller, as you'd expect. I think the maker describes the noodles as udon-style. Ther…

• Ojingeo Jjamppong (Squid Jjamppong)오징어짬뽕Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 Koreans call it "Ojjam" for short. It's a ramen people have loved for a long time. It's no…

• Chapagetti올리브짜파게티Nongshim · Packet ramen🧳 A ramen kids eat happily too

  💬 I'll go out on a limb: this is the undisputed number one of jjajang (black bean sauce) ram…

• Jjawang짜왕Nongshim · Packet ramen

  💬 I think Nongshim put this out as a kind of little brother to Chapagetti. I haven't tried i…

• Saeutang Cup (Shrimp Soup)새우탕컵Nongshim · Cup ramen

  💬 Saeutang is another popular cup ramen. You can taste shrimp in the broth. It's also a cup…

• Yukgaejang Sabalmyeon (Cup)육개장사발면Nongshim · Cup ramen

  💬 A bestseller among cup ramen. I don't know the exact numbers, but from how it feels workin…

• Twigim Udon Cup (Tempura Udon)튀김우동컵Nongshim · Cup ramen

  💬 Popular among cup ramen, and loved for a long time. It has its fans. The noodles are prett…

• Buldak 4 Cheese (Hot Chicken Stir-fried Noodles)4가지치즈불닭볶음면Samyang · Packet ramen

  💬 Going by the cup version, it still sells pretty well. It's not bestseller level, but it se…

• Gan Jjamppong (Dry Spicy Seafood Noodles)간짬뽕Samyang · Packet ramen🧳 A ramen that took off by word of mouth among soldiers

  💬 It got popular through word of mouth among soldiers (Korean men doing military service). I…

• Carbo Buldak (Carbonara Hot Chicken Stir-fried Noodles)까르보불닭볶음면Samyang · Packet ramen🧳 A less spicy Buldak that young people buy a lot

  💬 It's a less spicy version of Buldak. This one is also hugely popular in Korea. Young peopl…

• Nagasaki Jjamppong (White Seafood Noodle Soup)나가사끼짬뽕Samyang · Packet ramen

  💬 A white-broth jjamppong ramen. I haven't tried it myself. The convenience store also has t…

• Rosé Buldak (Rosé Hot Chicken Stir-fried Noodles)로제불닭볶음면Samyang · Packet ramen🧳 A rosé Buldak I've heard is popular overseas

  💬 I heard Rosé Buldak is also popular overseas. It's rosé flavored, and this one should also…

• Masitneun Ramyeon ("Tasty Ramen")맛있는라면Samyang · Packet ramen

  💬 I've had it a few times. It's a safe, inoffensive pick. It's not a bestseller.

• Maeptaeng Garlic Clam Ramen맵탱 마늘조개라면Samyang · Packet ramen

  💬 Honestly, I had never heard of this before. It doesn't seem to be a very famous ramen.

• Buldak Bokkeumtang-myeon (Hot Chicken Noodle Soup)불닭볶음탕면Samyang · Packet ramen

  💬 I haven't tried it. Convenience stores also carry the cup version, but it only sells once…

• Samyang 1963삼양1963Samyang · Packet ramen

  💬 A commemorative ramen named after 1963, the year Samyang released its first ramen. I tried…

• Jjajjaroni (Black Bean Noodles)짜짜로니Samyang · Packet ramen

  💬 I'm not sure it has a hardcore fan base. Nongshim's Chapagetti (black bean noodles) is jus…

• Kkokkomyeon (Chicken Broth Ramen)꼬꼬면Paldo · Packet ramen🧳 A chicken broth ramen that was briefly popular

  💬 This ramen was hot for a short while a few years back. It has a chicken broth base. These…

• Namja Ramyeon남자라면Paldo · Packet ramen

  💬 It's not an especially popular ramen.

• Ilpum Haemul Ramyeon (Seafood Ramen)일품해물라면Paldo · Packet ramen

  💬 To be honest, I've only seen it on the shelf while walking past in a supermarket, and I ha…

• Teumsae Ramyeon Ppalgyetteok틈새라면 빨계떡Paldo · Packet ramen🧳 A ramen named after a famous ramen shop

  💬 This ramen came about because a shop called 'Teumsae Ramyeon' got famous. It does seem to…

• Paldo Rabokki (Ramen Tteokbokki)팔도 라볶이Paldo · Packet ramen🧳 A ramen that really tastes like rabokki

  💬 I tried it once, and it really does taste like rabokki (ramen + tteokbokki). But rabokki-t…

• Paldo Bibimmyeon (Cold Spicy Mixed Noodles)팔도 비빔면Paldo · Packet ramen🧳 Korea's overwhelming No. 1 bibimmyeon

  💬 It's the most popular bibimmyeon (mixed noodles) in Korea. There are lots of competitors,…

• Paldo Jjajangmyeon (Black Bean Noodles)팔도짜장면Paldo · Packet ramen

  💬 I haven't tried it. When it comes to jjajang (black bean) ramen, Nongshim's Chapagetti has…

• Wangttukkeong (Big-lid Cup Ramen)왕뚜껑Paldo · Cup ramen🧳 A cup ramen with a loyal fan base, with Faker as its model

  💬 This ramen definitely has a loyal fan base. I think it got the name Wangttukkeong ("king l…

• Paldo Dosirak (Lunch-box Cup Ramen)팔도 도시락Paldo · Cup ramen🧳 An old cup ramen with an unusual square cup

  💬 Paldo Dosirak is another old cup ramen. I heard it's really popular in Russia. It's on the…

• Buldak (Hot Chicken Stir-fried Noodles)불닭볶음면Samyang · Packet ramen🧳 One of the most famous ramen among foreigners

  💬 It's probably one of the most famous Korean ramen among foreigners. In Korea it has a soli…

• Samyang Ramen삼양라면Samyang · Packet ramen🧳 Known as Korea's first ramen

  💬 I heard this was the first ramen ever released in Korea. The dried vegetable packet has so…

📚 All Korean ramen (170)

Every ramen listed on the makers’ official sites. Ones with notes are clickable.

🍪 Curious about Korean snacks too? → Korean Snacks Guide