• Korea’s Favorite Noodles

        • 02/02/2024

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  • Korea’s Favorite Noodles

    Slurp Your Way to Delight

    Photo of clam kalguksu lifted with chopsticks

    Noodles are beloved across the world, taking on numerous forms. In Korea, popular dishes that feature noodles include Banquet Noodles, Noodle Soup, Cold Buckwheat Noodles, and Buckwheat Noodles. These dishes all feature soup, but the former two are served hot, while the latter two are served chilled. Dive into the world of Korean noodles perfect for relishing throughout the four seasons.

    Cold Noodle Dishes for Spring and Summer

    Korea experiences four distinct seasons, transitioning from a mild spring to the arrival of hot summer. To beat the heat, Koreans often enjoy cold noodle dishes.

    ① The Addictive Allure of Subtle Broth, Pyeongyang Cold Buckwheat Noodles
    Enlarged photo of Pyongyang Naengmyeon
    A Bowl of Subtle-flavored Pyeongyang Cold Buckwheat Noodles
    Pyongyang cold noodles, danmuji, kimchi, and dumplings
    Pyeongyang Cold Buckwheat Noodles with White Kimchi, Pickled Radish Kimchi, and Mandu
    Pyongyang cold noodles, danmuji, kimchi, and dumplings
    A Variety of Side Dishes that Complement Pyeongyang Cold Buckwheat Noodles
    Pyongyang cold noodles lifted with chopsticks
    Pyeongyang Cold Buckwheat Noodles with Pickled Radish Kimchi Picked with Chopsticks

    For many international visitors, cold noodle may not be familiar. Typically, noodles are served with warm sauce or soup. But Pyeongyang Cold Buckwheat Noodles are made with chilled broth in the North Korean style, where Buckwheat Noodles were traditionally enjoyed with cold Radish Water Kimchi broth. Though this dish may appear to be somewhat unusual, those who try it often find themselves coming back for more. The clear and refreshing broth boasts a subtle flavor that's difficult to precisely describe but undeniably addictive. The texture of the dish depends on its buckwheat content, and some enthusiasts prefer noodles with higher buckwheat content, despite their tendency to break more easily. If you want to try something that is light and refreshing, the Pyeongyang Cold Buckwheat Noodles come highly recommended. The biggest difference between Cold Buckwheat Noodles and Buckwheat Noodles lies in the noodles themselves. Pyeongyang Cold Buckwheat Noodles uses peeled buckwheat and starch to create whiter and chewier texture, while Buckwheat Noodles tends to be rougher and less springy, due to using whole buckwheat.

    • Pildong Myeonok
    • 26 Seoae-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
    • +82-2-2266-2611
    • 11:00-20:30 / Break time 15:20-17:00 / Closed Sundays
    • Cold Buckwheat Noodles KRW 14,000
      Warm Noodles KRW 14,000
      Spicy Buckwheat Noodles KRW 14,000
    • HUMMING KOREAN COLD NOODLE
    • 1F, 29 Chungyeol-ro 16beon-gil, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon State
    • +82-507-1392-0714
    • 11:30-21:00 / Break time 15:00-17:00 / Last order 30 minute before lunch and dinner closing times /
      Closed Mondays
    • Pyeongyang Cold Buckwheat Noodles KRW 10,000
      Cold Soy Sauce Buckwheat Noodles with Perilla Oil KRW 10,000
      Pyeongyang Pure Cold Buckwheat Noodles with Steamed Rice and White Kimchi KRW 11,000
    • Neungrado Main Branch
    • 12 Sanun-ro 32beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do
    • +82-507-1474-3989
    • 11:00-21:00 / Open all year round
    • Pyeongyang Cold Buckwheat Noodles KRW 15,000 / Mandu KRW 13,000 / Bulgogi KRW 36,000
    ② Gangwon State’s Local Food, Buckwheat Noodles
    Buckwheat noodles with sesame seeds and seaweed powder
    Buckwheat Noodles in a Refreshing Light Broth
    Buckwheat noodles topped with spicy and sweet Spicy Raw Fish Salad
    Buckwheat Noodles Topped with Sweet and Spicy Raw Fish Salad
    two kinds of buckwheat noodles
    Buckwheat Noodles Topped with Sesame Seeds and Laver Flakes
    buckwheat noodles with dongchimi broth
    A Refreshing Bowl of Buckwheat Noodles with Radish Water Kimchi
    Buckwheat noodles lifted with chopsticks
    Rough and Rustic Texture of Buckwheat Noodles

    Buckwheat Noodles are made by kneading buckwheat flour into dough, boiling it to form noodles, and serving it with Radish Water Kimchi or other broth and topped with a sauce and Kimchi, cucumber, and more. Known as “Makguksu” in Korean, this dish gets its name from the idea of being freshly made upon order. The dough is made out of a mixture of buckwheat flour and wheat flour or starch, pressed out to form noodles. The higher the wheat flour content, the chewier the noodles become. While chewy noodles are generally favored, some enthusiasts prefer noodles with higher buckwheat content, which retain the rough and rustic texture of buckwheat. In Gangwon State, you can find Buckwheat Noodles crafted solely with buckwheat flour. These noodles lack cohesion, making it a challenge to pick them up with chopsticks. Nevertheless, the 100% Buckwheat Noodles are a great way to sample the true spirit of local food in Gangwon State.

    • Yangyang Memil Makguksu
    • 10 Donggwang-ro 15-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
    • +82-2-3482-3738
    • 11:00-21:00 / Break time 15:00-17:00 / Closed irregularly in winter (Inquiries by phone before visiting)
    • Buckwheat Noodles with Raw Fish KRW 14,000
      Buckwheat Noodles KRW 12,000
      Buckwheat Pancake KRW 16,000
    • Saembat Makguksu
    • 644 Sinsaembat-ro, Sinbuk-eup, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon State
    • +82-33-242-1712
    • 10:00-20:00 / Last order at 19:30 / Open all year round
    • Buckwheat Noodles KRW 8,500
      Potato Pancake or Mung Bean Pancake KRW 10,000
      Pure Buckwheat Noodles KRW 12,000
    • Maehyang
    • 18 Baengmigoeul-gil, Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do
    • +82-41-881-3161
    • 11:00-15:00 / Open all year round
    • Buckwheat Noodles KRW 12,000
      Spicy Buckwheat Noodles KRW 12,000
      Buckwheat Noodles with Soy Sauce KRW 12,000
    Warm Bowls of Noodles for Fall And Winter

    In the midst of chilly fall and cold winter, comforting noodle dishes with warm broth is always delightful. Here are some Korean noodle dishes that come to mind when the cold wind blows.

    ① Wishes for Longevity, Banquet Noodles
    Banquet noodles lifted with chopsticks
    Banquet Noodles with Various Toppings
    Banquet noodles with seaweed flour
    Banquet Noodles Topped with Laver Flakes
    Banquet noodles with various toppings
    The Perfect Harmony of Kimchi and Banquet Noodles

    Banquet Noodles are named such because they used to feature often in banquets. Noodles were often served in weddings, anniversaries, and other significant events wishing longevity. Simple to make yet delicious, Banquet Noodles became a dish frequently featured on common meal in Korean cuisine. Wheat noodles are boiled and topped with stir-fried beef, egg garnish, carrots, cucumber, laver, and are served in a hot Meat or Anchovy Broth. The popularity of Banquet Noodles can be seen at how frequently they feature in snack restaurant. Their light and refreshing taste of broth, airy and light noodles, can appeal to people of all age and gender. When mixed with a red sauce made from Red Chili Paste and Chili Pepper Powder instead of broth, Banquet Noodles transform into a tangy and sweet Spicy Noodles.

    • Wondang Guksu Jalhaneun Jip
    • 22 Donggyo-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
    • +82-2-322-5582
    • 10:30-20:00 / Last order at 19:30 / Closed Mondays
    • Banquet Noodles KRW 6,000 / Spicy Noodles KRW 7,000 / Warm Buckwheat Noodles KRW 7,000
    • Iyeon Guksu
    • 286-3 Gyeonhwonwanggung-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk State
    • +82-63-242-0036
    • 11:00-17:20 / Open until sunset (Inquiries by phone before visiting)
    • Banquet Noodles KRW 5,000 / Spicy Noodles KRW 5,000 / Boiled Mandu (2 Servings) KRW 6,000
    • Daedong Halmae Guksu
    • 8 Dongnam-ro 45beon-gil, Daedong-myeon, Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
    • +82-507-1306-6439
    • 10:30-18:50 / Closed Mondays
    • Banquet Noodles (Regular) KRW 5,000
      Banquet Noodles (Jumbo) KRW 6,000
      Spicy Noodles (Regular) KRW 6,000
    ② A Broth Full of Seafood, Noodle Soup with Clams
    Clam Kalguksu in a refreshing broth
    Loaded with Clams, Noodle Soup with Clams
    Side dishes that go well with clam kalguksu
    Mandu, the Perfect Side Dish for Noodle Soup with Clams
    The harmony of clam kalguksu and kimchi
    Kimchi, an Essential Side Dish for Noodle Soup with Clams
    An enlarged photograph of clam kalguksu
    Deep and Clean Flavors in Noodle Soup with Clams

    Noodle Soup with Clams is a dish made by boiling fresh noodles in a clam-based broth, then adding garlic, zucchini, green onions, and clams and boiling once more. In Korea, the surge in wheat flour availability during the 1950s, coupled with policies encouraging wheat or mixed grain consumption in the 1960s-70s due to rice shortages, led to increased wheat flour consumption. As wheat-based dishes diversified, regions abundant in clams began incorporating clams into wheat flour noodle dishes. Clams have long been an essential protein source for Koreans and are considered a nutrient-rich superfood. Their delicious flavor and chewy texture certainly make them a beloved ingredient. Noodle Soup with Clams goes exceptionally well with Kimchi. Placing a side dish of Kimchi atop the Noodle Soup creates a delightful harmony between the Kimchi's crispness and the noodles' chewiness. Therefore, Kimchi is an essential part defining a Noodle Soup with Clams restaurant’s reputation. The broth, enriched with clam essence, also makes it a popular hangover food.

    • Limbyungjoo Sandong Kalguksu
    • 65 Gangnam-daero 37-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
    • +82-2-3473-7972
    • 11:00-20:40 / Closed Mondays
    • Noodle Soup with Clams KRW 11,000
      Pyeongyang Jumbo Mandu KRW 11,000
      Noodles in Cold Soybean Soup KRW 12,000
    • Kkotji Haemul Kalguksku
    • 23-5 Jounmakteo-gil, Anmyeon-eup, Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do
    • +82-507-1318-3099
    • 10:30-16:30 (Saturday-Sunday 10:00-17:00) / Closed Wednesdays
    • Noodle Soup with Clams KRW 10,000 / Noodle Soup with Seafood KRW 13,000 / Mandu KRW 6,000
    • Haengbokan Bada Jeongwon
    • 2081 Wando-ro, Sinji-myeon, Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do
    • +82-61-552-9981
    • 11:00-19:00 / Break time 15:00-17:00 / Closed Mondays
    • Noodle Soup with Clams KRW 10,000
      Clam Bibimbap KRW 13,000
      Noodle Soup with Seaweed Fulvescens KRW 11,000

    * The column was written in November 2023, hence some of the details may have changed. Please check with the restaurants before visiting.

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