Why are Koreans so crazy about ramyeon (instant noodles)?

Many people assume that Korean cuisine has a long and unchanging tradition. However, this is not entirely true. While some dishes have been passed down for generations, and some even date back to ancient times, most of them are relatively new.

Korea experienced many cultural changes in the 20th century, which also affected its food culture. Some of the old foods, such as kimchi and miso jjigae, have been enjoyed by Koreans since the 19th century, but many of the foods that our ancestors ate are unfamiliar to us today.

One of these foods is K ramyeon (라면). Many foreigners think that Korean ramen is similar to Japanese ramen, but they are quite different.

Ramen was introduced to Korea in the early 1960s. It was a time of scarcity and convenience, and Koreans needed food that could be prepared and gulped. That's when instant ramen became popular.

Making ramen noodles is easy. All you need is boiling water. There are two kinds of ramen in the market: bag noodles and cup noodles. Bag noodles can be cooked in boiling water for about 10 minutes, and cup noodles can be ready in a few minutes by pouring boiling water into a plastic cup and closing the lid.

Travelers and PC users prefer cup noodles that can be eaten on the go, but bag noodles that take a little longer are more popular. This is because you can customize bag noodles to your taste.

There are also many ways to make ramen. You can add various ingredients, such as green onions, bean sprouts, eggs, or cheese, to make your ramen more flavorful. I have lived in Korea for over 10 years and I have seen people make ramen with anchovies, milk, and even expensive abalones.

Even those who don't like cooking have at least one "yang-eun pot" to make K ramyeon. This is a silver pot made of aluminum that was widely used until the 1970s. It was replaced by Western-style cookware in the 1970s because it was prone to denting.

The advantage of the yang-eun pot is that it boils water fast. If you make ramen in a yang-eun pot, you can cook it quickly and eat it hot. Also, ramen made in a yang-eun pot reminds you of the old days.

You can find ramen noodles in large supermarkets and local stores. Convenience stores, which are open 24 hours a day, also have a kettle of boiling water, so you can make cup noodles on the spot. In convenience stores, you can often see people eating ramen at long tables with wooden chopsticks that are provided for free.

You can also see people eating K ramyeon outside convenience stores, where chairs and tables are set up. In fact, there is always someone eating ramen at a convenience store, day or night. Ramen lovers know that eating ramen too often is bad for your health. That's why ramen makers have recently developed low-sodium "wellness" ramen.

Now, the popularity of K ramyeon is spreading beyond the Korean Peninsula to the world. Especially, Korean ramen is doing well in Russia and China. There are also many cases where fans of Korean dramas around the world have become fond of ramen after seeing their favorite actor eating ramen in the show and trying it themselves.

As the variety of ramen noodles increases, they cater to the preferences of different customers. It may not be a healthy food, but ramen is the most beloved food among Koreans.

(Source)