Perfect Korean Ramyun 101
Olivia Yi (ISB 10)
I am Olivia Yi. I am holding onto the last string of ramyun to stay alive for the remaining 11 days of 2020. (And yes, I am half asleep and walking when that photo was taken.) Having a history of fifteen years as a Korean, I hope to spread the awareness on one of the greatest invention of all time.
Important: Do not read this after dinner. This will leave you dreaming about the rich taste of soup and the chewiness of noodles. If you need a recommendation on what to eat, I highly recommend this. ;D
“Lastly, do not bring Korean Cup Noodles to the trip!”
A nice closing sentence to end the explanation of the upcoming graduation trip.
Everyone (at least Koreans) has, at least once, heard this warning. Both because of safety concerns (as it uses hot water) and to ensure that students are eating a full meal. However, there is not a single trip in five years that I have not brought instant ramyun. My friends would bring various cup ramens and would sit around a small table that we dragged to the edge of the bed. The three-minute wait for the noodles to cook felt like seconds when gossiping with friends, and felt like an eternity when eating alone.
Ramen is also popular among celebrities: iconic Kylie-Jenner ramyun with butter, garlic powder, onion powder, and an egg; Hwasa’s Truffle Zapaghetti; David Chang’s butter noodles, and so on. Everyone has their own variation of recipes and ingredients to cook even one packet of ramen. One could eat the noodles chewy/al dente, or completely overcooked. Is the egg raw? Whisked? Do you eat it with kimchi or not? What toppings? Is there milk in it?
I enjoy the classic Shin-ramyun: red soup with a yellow raw yolk coating the chewy noodles. On days when I need a change, I add milk instead of water along with garlic and soybean paste. Then I put the sauce packet in (only put a half-packet: the soybean paste also adds to the flavor. Adding the whole packet will make the noodle too salty!) As always, I add an egg and only cook the egg white and let the raw runny yolk cover the noodles.
Everyone knows how to cook “regular” ramen, so here are some special recipes:
The famous PC Bang Ramyun*: In Korea, PC Bang is a type of gaming center where one can play computer games for an hourly fee. Nowadays, its food menus are almost like a restaurant. According to rumors, PC Bang Ramyun tastes better than the one at home!
Put 550ml of water into a hot pot and bring to boil.
Put the sauce bag and the noodles in.
After two minutes, get the noodles out and put them in the serving bowl.
Then put an egg in and boil it.
*As you can see, normally the noodle is in the soup until the very last moment but it is taken out earlier. This makes the noodle chewier and deepens the taste of the soup!
The Soft Tofu Yeol Ramyun
Put around 1/2~2/3 than the original amount of water (Around 275~366ml).
Put the ramyun package and the soft tofu in.
Add a bit of chopped Cheongyang pepper to the pot.
When the water reboils, put the noodle and put a sprinkle of pepper.
Add an egg and green onions.
Enjoy!
And one of my personal favorites: Pork Belly Green Onion Ramyun
For this recipe, the pig oil creates green onion oil which deepens the flavor.
Put slice of pork belly and sliced green onion then fry.
When the pork is half cooked, and put a teaspoon of chili powder.
Quickly poor 550ml of water and bring it to a boil.
When the water boils, put the noodle in and wait for it to cook to one’s liking!
Enjoy!
Korean noodles are popular as they are very cheap, easily accessible, and flavorful. There are about 41.4 thousand conveniences in Korea, and every one of them sells hundreds of types of ramen. It only costs around 2.98~4.47RMB for one packet.
A cup of noodles only takes around three minutes to cook which makes it the perfect meal for a modern-workaholic Korean. As there is such a variety, at least one ramen fits everyone’s appetite. Spicy, non-spicy, sour, sweet, savory, even low in calories for dieters who are craving noodles for their cheat days. Even if you just search basic Shin-Rayun, there is the original red one, Shin-Black, and the non-frying noodle.
“Nongshim’s insane launch of the Korean fire ramen in June 2012 was a huge success. It went viral over social media for its excessive spiciness with the trend of #firenoodlechallenge...”
It is also a meal that can almost be matched with almost every food. Kimbap? Rice? Dumplings? Seafood? Meat? Anything! Ramyun is very flexible in terms of combination and toppings. The taste of the ocean can coat the noodles and the shrimp come to life as you sink your teeth into the abalone. The creamy taste of the crab coming out and the rich taste of the meat is too good. Take a piece, and wrap it with noodles. *Try pork belly with Bibim noodles (Try the Plado one)!!! One of the best combinations! The flavor in the meat blends perfectly with the spicy sauce of the noodles.
As the demand for ramyun is so high, its market holds such an important place in Korea’s economy. There are two major industries: Nongshim and Ottogi. As these companies are highly competitive, they look for trends and opportunities to dominate the ramyun market.
For example, Nongshim’s insane launch of the Korean fire ramen in June 2012 was a huge success. It went viral over social media for its excessive spiciness with the trend of #firenoodlechallenge (7,120,000 results on Google).
After this boom in popularity, at least ten other flavors have been introduced in this series: the cheese one, the carbonara one, the black bean one, and there are also variations for just the sauces of these noodles. After eight years after the launch, it is still loved among Koreans but also popular globally and makes a regular appearance in the Youtube algorithm.
“...for some, they consume ramyun because it is their only choice. These people are not able to afford any kind of other food aside from ramyun.”
Media also plays a huge role in the popularity of ramyun. In the Oscar-winning movie Parasite, there is a scene where Jjapaguri makes its appearance. It is a a combination of Zapaghetti (black bean noodles) and Neoguri (spicy) with strip-loin on the side. After becoming viral, an actual cup noodle company released Jjapaguri cup noodles. It is often used in movies as ramyun creates a familiar and a more welcoming atmosphere.
For some, it is their soul food. However for others, they consume ramyun because it is their only choice. It is cheap and quick as they would not have a proper break due to the busy work they do to afford life’s expenses. Especially due to the pandemic, a lot of people are losing their jobs and struggling to have income. However, in Korea, there are lots of organizations that are distributing ramen for low-income classes who need help financially. Despite these efforts, ramyun has its own limitations. It is a fast-food without significant nutritional value. For low-income children, it can severely damaging their health. Next time you see a ramyun at the store, think about its duality. Is it a food that brings taste and enjoyment? It is a luxury to have customized ramyun with truffles and toppings of wagyu beef. Or is it a reminder of the individual’s constant struggle for survival?
Citations:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CABgdEIB_J3/
https://www.fmkorea.com/1841983328
https://m.blog.naver.com/kkalgid1/221755711879
http://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200420000719
OliviaY