'K-Ramen' Ranked No. 3 Among Top Noodles... Praised as "Seafood Soup with Thick Noodles"

Ranked Third in Nikkei's List of Top Asian Instant Noodles

Nongshim's "Squid Jjambbong" has ranked among the top instant noodles in Asia, as selected by Japanese media.

Squid Jjambbong. Nongshim Homepage

Recently, the weekend supplement "NIKKEI PLUS1" of Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) announced its "Top 10 Asian Instant Noodle Dishes That Go Well with Rice," in which Squid Jjambbong placed third. The top spot was taken by Singapore's Laksa noodles, followed by Taiwan's Man Han Da Chan Braised Pork Noodles in second place.

The rankings were determined by a panel of Japanese culinary researchers, food culture experts, and instant noodle enthusiasts, who meticulously evaluated the taste, texture, and aroma of each entry.

The panel described Squid Jjambbong as a "seafood soup with thick, chewy noodles." In particular, they praised the harmony of flavors when eaten with rice, highlighting the noodles' elasticity and the rich seafood broth.

The publication also cited the refreshing and clean taste of the seafood-based broth as a key attraction of Squid Jjambbong.

Squid Jjambbong. Nongshim Homepage

Squid Jjambbong is a seafood ramen that was first launched in 1992. By using squid extract and seafood paste, it delivers a refreshing and clean broth. Its distinguishing features include minimizing artificial flavoring and emphasizing the natural taste of seafood, while the thick, resilient noodles absorb the broth well, creating the deep flavor characteristic of jjambbong. The addition of dried squid and vegetables enhances the texture, earning high marks from reviewers.

Until now, Korean instant noodles such as Samyang Foods' Buldak Bokkeum Myeon and Nongshim's Shin Ramyun have attracted global attention for their spicy and bold flavors. Unexpected popularity has also arisen from content such as the film "Parasite" with its "Chapaguri" (a mix of Chapagetti and Neoguri) and the Netflix animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters." However, the recent success of Squid Jjambbong is seen as an example of Korean ramen demonstrating new competitiveness beyond these simple trends.