Out of all instant ramen, I always say Korean ramen is the best. But people often ask me which ones are actually good. So, I’ll quickly introduce some Korean ramen. I won’t talk about Shin Ramen and Buldak Ramen because they’re already super famous.
1. Koko Ramen
This one is based on chicken broth. It’s pretty rare among Korean ramen because it’s not the usual red ramen — it’s white. Still, it’s spicy, but not the red chili kind of spicy. If you like chicken-based ramen and also enjoy some heat, this is a great choice.
2. Jjajang Ramen
This ramen isn’t spicy at all. You can make it spicy by adding some pepper powder. It’s originally inspired by Jjajangmyeon, one of the most popular Korean-Chinese dishes. The original Jjajangmyeon is basically black bean noodles (no soup), but the ramen version is pretty different. Popular brands are Jjapagetti, Jjajjaroni, and Paldo Jjajangmyeon. If you want a Chinese-style Korean ramen, this is a solid pick.
3. Bibim Ramen
If you like spicy and cold noodles, this is for you. It comes from Bibim Guksu, which is basically thin wheat noodles with a spicy sauce. People love this in summer or late at night. There are a few brands, but Paldo Bibimmyun is what everyone thinks of when you say “Bibim Ramen.”
4. Jjampong Ramen
In Korean-Chinese food, the two biggest names are Jjajangmyeon and Jjampong. This ramen is based on Jjampong — a spicy seafood noodle soup. If you like Chinese-style spicy flavors, this is perfect. There’s no single “#1” Jjampong ramen brand — most of them are good.
5. Ham or Sausage-Based Ramen
Some ramen soups are based on ham or sausage flavors. Samyang Ramen used to be famous for this, but people say it’s not as good as before. Budae Jjigae Ramen is another version, inspired by army stew — a soup with ham, sausage, and bacon. These are usually easier to get used to compared to other spicier ramen.
6. Udong Ramen
This one uses udon-style thick noodles (Japanese style). You can even find it at Costco. Nongshim Udong is solid — sometimes even better than a bad Japanese udon restaurant. There’s also a cup version, but the noodles are actually ramen, not real udon. If you like Japanese noodles, this is worth a try.
7. Beef Soup Ramen?
There are also a few beef bone-based ramen. Koreans love beef bone soups because the flavor is deep and rich. These ramen aren’t spicy, and if you’ve had Seolleongtang or Gomtang before, you’ll know what to expect. Sarigomtang is the most famous beef bone ramen. They’re popular because you can use them in a lot of recipes — I’ll share some later.
There are so many types of Korean ramen. Koreans eat a lot of it, so the market is super competitive, which means better quality. If you love noodles, I strongly recommend trying Korean instant ramen — not just Shin Ramen and Buldak, but the other varieties too. And soon, I’ll share some easy ramen recipes!
