What is Ramyun

It's unlikely to meet anyone who hasn't heard of a dish like Ramyun. We're talking about Korean instant noodles. Of course, in its homeland, it's a real cult. Koreans actively export the product to different parts of the world. At the same time, the country ranks only fifth in the world for total consumption. For example, even Americans and Chinese are ahead. However, Koreans proudly state that they are ahead of everyone in the world in per capita consumption of Ramyun noodles.

It's easy to conclude that Ramyun is incredibly loved by Koreans and the numerous tourists who visit the country. Elegant packages of noodles can be found everywhere: from lavish supermarkets in the center of Seoul to a grocery store in some remote settlement. And its popularity will be high everywhere.

But if you look at traditional Korean recipes, you won't find Ramyun there. And people who actively promote Korean cuisine generally try to avoid this word. Of course, a puzzled reader will shrug their shoulders, wondering why Ramyun is ignored in the Korean lexicon, yet the country's residents themselves adore it? Let's take a detailed look at this question.

The answer is actually simple—the name of the noodles has a Chinese origin. The two hieroglyphs translate as "stretched" and "noodles." Based on the name, it's not hard to guess that in the old days, noodle dough was widely stretched by hand. The Chinese name for such noodles in Chinese sounds like "lamian."

Historians believe that after the war between Japan and China, which occurred at the end of the 19th century, the noodles began to spread actively throughout the land of the rising sun. They were actually called shina soba. The literal translation is "Chinese noodles." Yes, the name changed in the future. But the word that is pronounced as "ramen" in Japanese became entrenched in everyday use.

But there is a curious fact. The Japanese do not write the name with traditional hieroglyphs, but with katakana (a kind of alphabet). The word "ramen" itself still has the Korean pronunciation of Chinese hieroglyphs. It just came from the Japanese language. The same goes for another famous noodle dish, lagman.

An Incredible Japanese Invention

The Japanese are considered the originators of instant noodles. Even the residents of Korea do not try to dispute this fact. There is even a specific date when this dish was born. It happened on August 25, 1958. It was on this day that a dish called Chikin Ramen began to be sold in various shops in Japan. It was a noodle that was fried in palm oil and then dried. As soon as boiling water was added, it softened and became incredibly delicious.

The technology invented by the Japanese had many advantages. Instant noodles could be stored for a long time and transported over any distance. With its help, the Japanese finally solved the food problem that had been dragging on since the Second World War. The founding father of the product should be considered Momofuku Ando—a Japanese man with Taiwanese roots.

In the early 70s, instant noodles began to be improved. They were added to special heat-resistant containers in which the dish could be brewed. In general, the Japanese are proud of this invention. Yes, at first, these noodles were expensive and inaccessible to ordinary people. But then they became much cheaper and are still associated with "food for the poor." Although people from different walks of life love it.

In general, the Japanese consider the invention of instant noodles to be the main success of the 20th century. After all, it was the residents of the land of the rising sun who gave the world the "Nintendo" console loved by children and adults, compact discs, karaoke, and portable music players. Despite all this, it is instant noodles that are considered Japan's main invention of the last century.

Korean Analogue

Koreans began to produce ramen on an industrial scale in 1963. The "Samyang Ramyun" company became the founder in its country and started a whole era. Since its products instantly gained popularity, many other brands picked up the baton and began to do business in instant noodles.

The reason for the rapid spread of ramyun was not only in the taste and simplicity of the dish. After all, in the 60s, there was a food crisis in Korea. Due to the lack of rice, many could not afford to cook traditional dishes. And then noodles made from wheat flour appeared. And there was a lot of it in Korea at that time. Here we should thank the Americans, who, after the Korean War in 1953, began to actively supply flour to the country as humanitarian aid. After the bloody battles, cookies, bread, and other products became in demand. Ramyun rose high on this, one might say, trending wave.

The "Samyang" company was immediately able to reduce the cost of the process. The manufacturer produced instant noodles that were fried in low-grade beef fat. But at the same time, the product went as "ramyun with beef." Of course, Koreans who had problems buying meat immediately paid attention to the dish.

The "Samyang" company made a gigantic profit from this simple move. People really believed that they were buying a product with high-quality meat. However, in the late 80s, a report began to circulate in the press that the company was deceiving customers—everyone's favorite ramyun was prepared using industrial fat. A scandal erupted throughout the country! The company's reputation was instantly "blackened," and employees were arrested. The losses were colossal, because the goods were no longer bought as before. Yes, "Samyang" managed to gradually return to the national market after some time. But they were no longer dreaming of leadership. Now the market is captured by another company—"Nongshim."

In Korea, they know perfectly well that instant ramyun noodles are far from the healthiest dish. After all, there is plenty of so-called "chemistry" in it. Take at least flavor enhancers and other ingredients. But Koreans do not give up their favorite dish. It is found everywhere, including prestigious Seoul restaurants.

By the way, ramyun is considered a favorite treat for little boys and girls. I had to observe an interesting situation in Korea. The child could not calm down for a long time. The mother was already desperate to offer him any food. And then she just said: "What if I cook you some ramyun?" As if by a wave of a magic wand, the child calmed down, and his appetite returned instantly.

In general, Korean kids have developed their own way of eating ramyun. They buy a package and directly crush the product inside. Then they open the container, sprinkle the dry noodles with spices and eat them. Much like chips or seeds. Interestingly, parents in Korea are very understanding of this eating technique. They don't scold children at all for consuming ramyun. Apparently, a simple principle comes to the fore. Like, if you can't eat something, but you really want to, then why not eat it.

What can I say, Koreans have elevated the consumption of ramyun to the rank of art. They have even developed a way to get rid of face puffiness if you eat instant noodles at night. It is enough to add a little milk to boiling water, and there will be no puffiness in the morning.

Ramyun as Part of Modern Culture

Korea certainly cannot be called a poor country. Moreover, it has the world's largest electronics manufacturers. But then why can't they get rid of the cliché of inveterate lovers of instant noodles? It seems there are all the prerequisites for this. After all, the dish is quite unhealthy, not the most attractive in appearance, and is also called "food for the poor."

But it's too late to change anything. Ramyun is already part of modern Korean culture. For many people, it is associated with something pleasant. For example, for the older generation, it is associated with student years, military service, and some midnight gatherings with close people. And it is unlikely that anything can take away this so-called nostalgic aura.

What can I say, even older people are not deterred by the presence of "chemistry" in the product. In addition, manufacturers also contribute. They actively claim that they are constantly improving the composition of the product, removing harmful components and adding healthy ingredients. And consumers, of course, believe the words of the manufacturing companies. After all, Ramyun is already a full-fledged part of the country's culture.

In Korea, instant noodles… measure inflation. It's simple. If the prices of instant noodles rise, it means there is inflation in the country's food market. It seems that a Korean thinks as follows: "So, the prices for ramyun are normal, they haven't changed, which means everything is fine with the domestic economy."

In 2008, the Korean government included ramyun in the list of the 52 most important products for the country, the prices of which the state will control, regardless of the influence of external factors. And if suddenly rumors of a possible disaster appear in the country, people immediately run to the stores. And what do they buy first? Of course, instant noodles. Ramyun is literally swept off the shelves.