We sell about 50 kinds of Korean ramyun out of our Northvale, NJ store, and the same question comes up at the register every week: "which one should I get?" This is the list we give people. Ranked by what people come back for and what we eat ourselves on a Tuesday night.
If you only read this far
- Best overallShin Ramyun
- Start hereBuldak Carbonara
- Zero spiceChapagetti
- For kidsJin Ramen Mild
- SummerPaldo Bibimmen
The ranking
Nongshim Shin Ramyun
The benchmark. Beef broth, garlic, a clean chili heat that builds but never gets silly. It is the ramyun most Koreans picture when they say "ramyun." The bag version has a thicker, chewier noodle than the cup; buy the bag unless you need it for a desk drawer.
Samyang Buldak Carbonara
Not a soup. You drain the noodles and stir in a sticky hot-chicken sauce plus a cream powder that turns the whole thing pink-orange and smoky. It is hot, but the cream keeps it in the "one more bite" zone rather than the "call for help" zone. If you are buying Buldak for the first time, start here.
Ottogi Jin Ramen (Mild)
Shin Ramyun's rival back home, and the one Korean parents buy for kids. Mild means savory and peppery without real chili. The noodle is springier than Nongshim's. If someone in your house says "I can't do spicy," this is the answer, and the Spicy version sits just under Shin Ramyun if they change their mind.
Nongshim Chapagetti
Instant jjajangmyeon: thick noodles tossed in a sweet black bean sauce with a packet of oil. No broth, no heat. Famous from Parasite, where it gets mixed with Neoguri into "chapaguri." People who try it once usually come back for the 4-pack.
Samyang Buldak 2x Spicy (Black)
Twice the capsaicin of the original Buldak. We will be honest: most people do not finish the bowl the first time. There is real flavor under the burn, but buy this for a challenge, a dare, or because you genuinely like pain. Keep milk nearby. Water does nothing.
Paldo Bibimmen
Cold noodles. Boil, rinse under cold water, mix with the sweet-tangy gochujang sauce. Three minutes, no broth, done. It is the ramyun we reach for in summer. A sliced boiled egg and cucumber on top is the standard move.
Ottogi Yeul Ramen
For people who want a spicy soup, not a spicy stir-fry. Sharper, cleaner heat than Shin Ramyun with less sweetness than Buldak. Yeul means "heat" and the name is accurate.
Samyang Buldak Rosé
Carbonara's milder cousin: tomato and cream over the hot-chicken base, so it comes out tangy and a little sweet. This is the Buldak we recommend to people who were scared off by the original. Sells out regularly, so grab it when you see it.
Ottogi Sesame Flavor Ramen
Underrated. A nutty, gentle broth that comes with a real egg block and a sesame-oil packet. The ramyun you make when you are sick or hungover. Very little heat.
Nongshim Shin Bowl (12-pack)
Shin Ramyun in a microwave bowl. Same broth, slightly thinner noodle, three minutes with no pot or stove. The 12-count case works out to about $1.40 a bowl, which is why offices and dorms buy it by the box.
Ottogi Jin Ramen Veggie
Jin Ramen with a vegetable broth and no meat ingredients. Mild, clean and the easiest Korean ramyun to put in front of a vegetarian friend without a disclaimer.
Buldak Carbonara Bowl
The desk-drawer version of #2. Microwave, drain, stir. A little less noodle than the bag, same sauce. Good for trying Buldak without committing to a 5-pack.
Spice at a glance
| Ramyun | Spice (1–5) | Style | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapagetti | 0 | Stir-fried, black bean | Anyone, any age |
| Jin Ramen Mild / Veggie | 1.5 | Soup | Kids, first-timers, vegetarians |
| Sesame Ramen / Buldak Rosé | 2 | Soup / creamy stir-fry | Mild palates |
| Buldak Carbonara | 2.5 | Creamy stir-fry | Most people |
| Shin Ramyun / Bibimmen / Shin Bowl | 3 | Soup / cold | The Korean default |
| Yeul Ramen | 4 | Soup | Spice fans |
| Buldak 2x Spicy | 5 | Stir-fry | Challenges only |
How to cook it so it tastes like the picture
- 550 ml of water, about 2⅓ cups. Almost everyone uses too much and ends up with weak broth.
- Add noodles, powder and flakes together once the water boils. Cook 4 to 4½ minutes.
- In the last minute, lift the noodles out of the water with chopsticks a few times. It cools them slightly and makes them chewier.
- Heat off. Crack in an egg, add green onion. A slice of American cheese on top is not a joke; it is how convenience stores in Seoul serve it.
Questions we get at the store
Which Korean ramyun is the most popular?
Shin Ramyun, in Korea and worldwide. If you want something that is not a soup, Buldak Carbonara is the usual first pick.
Which ones are not spicy?
Chapagetti has no chili at all. Jin Ramen Mild, Jin Ramen Veggie and Sesame Ramen are mild. Paldo Gomtang (in the Paldo collection) is a milky beef-bone broth with zero heat.
Is ramyun the same as ramen?
Ramyun is the Korean word for instant noodles and the noodles themselves are chewier and spicier. Japanese ramen usually means a fresh-noodle restaurant bowl with a long-simmered broth.
How long does ramyun keep?
Twelve months from production for most bags. The date is printed on the back; store it somewhere cool and dry and it is fine right up to that date.
All 50-plus ramyun ship from Northvale, NJ to every US state. Orders over $100 ship free.
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