24 Best Korean Ramen You Must Try; Recipe & Calories

Top 24 Korean Ramens You Should Try!

Korean Ramen has become a staple food in Korea. It is the go-to ‘meal’ for almost every age! Ramen is popular comfort food, mainly because they are cheap, easy to find, and most importantly, delicious. All convenience stores tend to carry Korean ramen; some of them can go for as low as 1,000 won. Certain convenience stores even allow customers to cook ramen in a cooker topped with eggs!

Koreans take pride in their ramen. Preparation for ramen is considered an art form here in South Korea. They often take creative liberties to make their delicious steaming bowl of instant noodles even better. Whether throwing in a couple of eggs, a dosage of cheese, or some healthy greens, eating ramen – whether instant or homemade from scratch – Korean ramen is an experience in itself.

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Before we walk you through the best Korean ramen details, I’d like to show you the ranking first.

Ranking of Korean Ramen (Ramyeon) 2022

1. Nongshim Shin Ramyun
2. Ottogi Jin Ramen
3. Nongshim Chapaghetti
4. Nongshim Neoguri Ramyun
5. Nongshim AnsungTangmyeon
6. Samyang Korean Fire Noodles (Buldak Ramen)
7. Nongshim Yukgaejang
8. Paldo BibimMyun
9. Samyang Ramen Original
10. Paldo WangTtukeong

Now, here are the popular brands of Korean ramen you can easily find on your next trip to Korea as well as a couple of ramen restaurants that are worth making a trip to!

Samyang Buldak Ramen (Hot & Spicy Chicken Noodle)

Samyang noodles are famed for their next spice level, which prompts the ever-so-famous Samyang fire noodle challenge, where people would attempt to finish a bowl of these fiery noodles without drinking water. Despite their spice, Samyang spicy noodles have an addicting taste, thanks to the nicely sprinkled sesame seeds and seaweed flakes in each package. Once you get over the volcano in your mouth, you’ll find yourself craving more! The stir-fried Korean fire chicken noodle ramen is one of the top 7 instant ramens in Korea. Not to mention it is halal certified.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Put noodles into the boiling water (600ml) and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Throw away the water and remain 8 spoons of water. Put liquid source and stir-fry 30 seconds more.
3. Add flakes and stir well and serve.

• Weight: 140g
• Calories: 530kcal

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Samyang Carbo Buldak Ramen

Samyang ramen now comes in different flavors; for those craving even a bigger challenge, Samyang ramen even offers flavors that have DOUBLE the spiciness than the original. Otherwise, Samyang spicy noodles offer flavors such as carbonara fire noodles, spicy cheese ramen, and Samyang jjajang buldak spicy black bean roasted chicken ramen noodle. They are a little kinder on your tongue without compromising the richness of the noodle’s taste. Alternatively, cooking the noodles in milk and using only half of the sauce packet will also help with the spice!

If you want to move to another flavored Buldak ramens below, click here.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Put noodles into the boiling water (600ml) and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Throw away the water and remain 8 spoons of water. Put liquid source and stir-fry 30 seconds more.
3. Add flakes and stir well and serve.

• Weight: 130g
• Calories: 550kcal

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Seasonal Picks by IVisitKorea!

Ottogi Jin Ramen (Original & Spicy)

Jin Ramen comes in two varieties – hot and mild. The former carries a spicier flavor for those craving for a kick, while the latter cools down the spice without compromising its taste. Regardless of your choice of flavor, both varieties offer a packet of noodles with a similar thick and chewy texture as Nongshim, and a flavorful broth garnished with bits of dried vegetable and mushroom that would make this comfort meal quite healthy on its own. The broth also carries the full-bodied flavor of beef and kimchi, which makes this bowl of ramyeon a nostalgic flavor of home.

It should be noted that while the first variety is considered the spicier out of the two, compared to other instant noodle brands, Jin Ramen is relatively mild in terms of spice. Hence, making it perfect for first-time spicy instant noodle eaters, or for those who cannot take spice in general. If topped with egg and some seafood, Jin Ramen would be a terrific meal on a cold, rainy day. Fun fact, some restaurants do offer Jin Ramen as a meal on their menu! So keep a lookout for it!

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Put the vegetable mix into 550ml (2 3/4 cup) of water, and when it boils, add noodles and powder soup and let it boil for 4 more minutes.
2. For improved taste please add Kimchi, Green onion, Egg, etc.

• Weight: 120g
• Calories: 500kcal

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Nongshim Shin Ramyun (Original)

Nongshim Shin Ramyeon has to be one of the best and most loved ramens by Korean locals. Every household probably has Nongshim Shin Ramyeon in their homes. It is popular in Korea but also in other parts of the world. The deep and spicy beef broth’s taste pleases every taste bud. The noodles have a thicker texture which makes chewing on it a more satisfying feeling as well. Its’ original spicy flavor has a good balance of spice which perfectly accommodates its full-bodied broth, making a cup of Nongshim Shin Ramyeon noodles a very comforting meal on a cold wintry day, or even after a hard day of work.

Nongshim noodles come in a variety of flavors – Spicy miso, Chapagetti ramen (Korean black bean noodles instant), Gourmet spicy, Kimchi ramen, Soo air-dried (beef and Korean seaweed noodle), spicy, spicy seafood ramen, and Soon veggie noodle soup. It is often, and probably best, eaten topped with egg and some dried vegetables. Some might even add cheese and spam to the mix for a more filling meal.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Boil 550ml (about 2 1/4 cup) of water. Add noodles, soup base, and vegetable mix.
2. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and serve.

• Weight: 120g
• Calories: 510kcal

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Shin Ramyunn Black

Shin Ramyun Black is a premium version of Shin Ramyun original. Koreans like Seolleongtang (Ox bone soup) and they made and put the Seolleongtang powder with boiled beefslices, garlic, and mushrooms. You can feel a bit softer and thicker tastes of broth compared to the original Shin Ramyun.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Boil 500ml (about 2 1/4 cup) of water. Add noodles, soup base, and vegetable mix.
2. Cook for 4.5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and serve.

• Weight: 127g
• Calories: 530kcal

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Shin Ramyunn Non-Frying (Light)

‘건면’ means ‘Air-Dried or Non-Frying Noodle’ in Korean. It is for people who are looking for non-heavy noodles for their health. The calorie of a serving is 350 kcal and it’s way lower than the normal Shim Ramyun. So it’s loved by people who is watching their weights.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Boil 500ml (about 2 1/4 cup) of water. Add noodles, soup base, and vegetable mix.
2. Cook for 4.5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and serve.

• Weight: 97g
• Calories: 350kcal

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Nongshim Chapaghetti (Korean Black bean noodles)

And now, the second half of the Chapaguri (Jjapaguri) recipe from the movie Parasite: Chapaghetti (Jjapaghetti)! Also under Nongshim (and mentioned briefly under our second recommendation!), Chapagetti is “dry” ramen: instead of a spicy soup base. Chapagetti is Korean black bean sauce noodles topped with vegetable and meat flakes. It comes with a small packet of olive oil that definitely gets your appetite going.

With its catchphrase “On Sunday, I am the chef for Chapaghetti’”, Chapagetti is convenient, fast, and easy to make, but has a taste that gets you hungry, even if you previously weren’t!

[Video Recipe]

[ How to make Jjapaghetti, IVisitKorea YouTube Channel ]

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Put noodles and vegetable soup into the boiling water (600ml) 
2. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and leave 6~7 spoons of water 
4. Add soup base and vegetable oil and stir well and serve.

• Weight: 128g
• Calories: 580kcal

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Chapaguri (Chapaghetti + Neoguri)

If you’ve seen the Korean movie, “Parasite”, you might have seen Chapaguri. One kid on a TV show introduced Chapaguri and how to make it by two kinds of ramen, Chapaghetti & Neoguri. After that, many people tried and loved the tastes. Spicy tastes of Neoguri and sweet-salty tastes of Chapaghetti really go well together and make the interesting flavors. They sell both in one package.

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Paldo Gomtang Ramen

Gomtang is a representative Korean soup made by boiling beef meat and bones. It is rich in protein and calcium and is considered the best for boosting energy for Koreans. You can taste the real taste of the Korean gomtang if you add some sliced green onions and pepper.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Put the noodles, soup base into the boiling water (550CC), and simmer for 3 minutes till the noodles are tender.
2. Stir the noodles and ready to serve
3. Add the kimchi, if you like and enjoy

• Weight: 102g
• Calories: 430kcal

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Ottogi Cheese Ramen

Different from most spicy Korean ramen, this ramen is for people who love the creamy taste. The cheddar cheese in the soup base provides milky and savory flavor. So it’s the best ramen for kids and cheese lovers.

How to make Ottogi Cheese Ramen

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Put the dehydrated flakes into 550ml of water and boil.
2. Add noodle and powder sauce and keep boiling for 4 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and add powdered cheese sauce and serve.

• Weight: 111g
• Calories: 470kcal

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Neoguri Ramyun

A brand under Nongshim, you might be familiar with this ramen brand if you’ve watched the Oscar-winning Korean movie, Parasite. It is one-half of the famous recipe, Chapaguri. Neoguri ramen has two main flavors – seafood and spicy, or seafood and mild. Both flavors, however, offer broth with a deep and clean taste, and a healthy amount of Korean kelp which gives Neoguri ramen its unique taste and nutrition. Like many other spicy instant noodles, Neoguri ramen is best enjoyed in the cold weather of winter to warm yourself up.

Aside from Chapaguri, Neoguri ramen can also be used in other creative recipes, such as Neoguri fish cake ramyun, or Jjasai Parsley Udon!

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Boil 550ml (about 2 1/4 cup) of water. Add noodles, soup base, and vegetable mix.
2. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and serve.

• Weight: 120g
• Calories: 500kcal

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Ottogi Sesame Flavor Ramen

This is another Korean ramen that isn’t that spicy. It’s released in Korea in 1994, and interestingly, it’s more famous in other countries than in Korea. You can enjoy the savory flavor of roasted sesame and sesame oil.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Add the powder soup, egg block, and noodles to 500ml of boiling water.
2. Boil for 4 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and add the seasoning sesame oil. Stir well and enjoy.

• Weight: 115g
• Calories: 495kcal

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Ottoggi Cup Noodle – 120kcal Diet Ramen

I tried this ramen because of DY and the Ottogi Cup Noodle is DY’s favorite ramen. Because this ramen has only 120 kcal of calories, it seems that people on a diet love this ramen. You are watching your weight and want to have some spicy food, then this Ottogi Cup Noodle will be your best choice. Personally, I prefer the spicy one.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Open the lid and put the powder soup
2. Pour some boiling water (200ml) up to the inside line of the container
2. Wait for 3 minutes

• Weight: 38.1g
• Calories: 120kcal

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Ottoggi Yeul Ramen

The most famous spicy ramen in Korea is Nongshim Shin Ramyun. However, Yeul ramen has its own fandom. Yeul Ramen is definitely worth to try if you like hot and spicy ramen.

After people happened to know the hidden good deeds of Ottogi’s owner, more and more people began to like Ottogi products. And it became an opportunity for Ottogi Jin Ramen to closely follow Nongshim Shin Ramyun in Korea.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Add the noodles and both seasoning packets into 500ml of boiling water and simmer for 4 minutes.
2. If desired, add kimchi, green onion, red pepper, and egg.

• Weight: 120g
• Calories: 500kcal

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Ottogi Jin Jjambbong

Ottogi Jin Jjambbong is a cousin of Jin Ramen. Jjambbong is a Korean-style Chinese seafood noodle you can easily find in Chinese restaurants in Korea. With plenty of seafood and vegetable ingredients, such as cuttlefish, crab, and vegetables, you can enjoy the rich and spicy flavor of the soup. It has three powders dehydrated vegetables, liquid soup mixed, and lastly the red spicy oil you have to put in just right before you have it. Noodles are thick, chewy, and soup is delicious in its simplicity.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Boil with 2 3/4 cups (550 ml) of water.
2. Put in liquid soup and noodles.
3. Continue to boil for 5 minutes.
4. After cooking, put in oily soup and stir it.

• Weight: 130g
• Calories: 505kcal

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Nongshim AnsungTangmyun

This is the 6th highest-selling and very popular instant noodle in Korea. If you are not a big fan of nuclear-spicy ramen like Buldak Ramen and you are familiar with miso flavor, I strongly recommend this nice subtle miso and beef-bone flavor ramen, Nongshim Ansungtangmyun. It’s not spectacular but it’s good comfort food you can enjoy anytime.
AnsungTangmyun was famous because of the TV commercial copy, “The soup tastes great!” and I heard that it was developed with the proposal to realize the flavor of cabbage leaf soup enjoyed in the country market of old Korea.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Boil 1 1/2 cups (550ml) of water.
2. Add noodles and soup base.
3. Cook for 4~5 minutes and serve.

Weight: 125g
Calories: 549.6kcal

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Samyang Ramen

I should say this Original Samyang Ramen is not the hottest ramen in Korea these days but it’s the first original mild soup and chewy ramen long-loved by Koreans for over 50 years. When it was released in 1963, Samyang Ramyeon was made based on chicken broth. At the time, considering the manufacturing price, it was difficult to procure raw materials enough to brew broth from beef and pork. After that, it became famous with ham and beef flavor with its thick soup. If you want to try the original taste of Korean ramen, Samyang ramen original could be a great choice.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Put the noodle and soup base and flakes into the boiling water(550cc).
2. Leave it for 4 min.

Weight: 120g
Calories: 495kcal

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Paldo BiBimMyun – Sweet & Spicy Cold Noodle

It is the product with the highest share in the Korean bibim ramen market. It’s a broth-less ramyeon with sweet and spicy seasoning sauce to mix noodles. The most important part of the recipe is that you should hurry to rinse the hot boiled noodles into the cold water to make them chewy. It’s interesting to make and appetizing.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Put the noodle into the boiling water(550cc).
2. Leave it for 3~4 min.
3. Remove the noodle from boiling water.
4. Wash noodles in cold water 2~3 times.
5. Mix noodles with paste soup well and ready to serve.

Weight: 130g
Calories: 530kcal

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Nongshim Soon Veggie Vegan Ramen

Soon veggie noodle soup ramen is made with 100% vegan ingredients. ‘Soon’ means ‘Mild’ in Korean and it explains its taste well. This ramen is inspired by Shin ramyun, the best selling ramyeon in Korea, but it has a little bit different savory vegetable broth. If you are a vegan or tired of spicy and salty ramen, I strongly recommend this simple and delicious one.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Boil 550 mL (about 2 1/3 cups) of water. Add noodles, soup base, and vegetable mix.
2. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and serve.

Weight: 112g
Calories: 480kcal

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K-Army Stew Ramen

Koreans love “Budae-jjigae” stew and ‘Budae’ literally means Army and Jjigae is a stew. After the Korean war, people started to make a hot and spicy stew using hams and sausages provided by US armies with Kimchi. As a result, Koreans call it Budae-jjigae. Because the noodles of the K-Army Stew are made of 40% of potato starch, it has a chewier texture. And a rich broth with sausages and kimchi give you heartier flavor.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Boil 500ml (about 2cups) of water. Add noodles, soup base, and flakes.
2. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and serve.

Weight: 132g
Calories: 550kcal

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Samyang Jjajang Buldak Ramen

This is the newest Samyang Buldak ramen in the market. At this time, they mixed the original hot Buldak flavor with Jjajang. And the sweet jjajang flavor goes really well with the hot and spicy Buldak sauce. We are curious about what they are preparing for the next Buldak series.

[Written recipe on the product]
1. Put noodles into the boiling water (600ml) and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Throw away the water and remain 8 spoons of water. Put liquid source and stir-fry 30 seconds more.
3. Add flakes and stir well and serve.

Weight: 140g
Calories: 560kcal

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Samyang Curry Flavored Buldak Ramen

Everyone loves curry. It’s hot and curry-flavored Buldak ramen. If you already tried the famous original Buldak, I recommend you to try this. The recipe is the same as others.

• Weight: 140g
• Calories: 550kcal

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Samyang Fire Hot Cheese Flavored Chicken Ramen

As you know, spicy food and savory cheese always go well. So Samyang released Cheese Buldak ramen. They added mozzarella cheese powder and it makes an addictive spicy taste. The recipe is the same as others.

• Weight: 140g
• Calories: 550kcal

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There you have it! If you ever have a chance to visit Korea, give their instant noodles a try! They are great souvenirs! Easy to make! Affordable! And an experience all on their own. Bon appetit! 맛있게 드세요!