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Shin Ramyun vs. Buldak Ramen vs. Jin Ramen vs. Nongshim's Chapagetti: Which One is the Best?

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Shin Ramyun vs. Buldak Ramen vs. Jin Ramen vs. Nongshim's Chapagetti: Which One is the Best?

Shin Ramyun was the bestselling instant noodles in South Korea last year. Retail sales of Shin Ramyun of Nongshim, available in both packaged and cup noodle forms, amounted to 383.6 billion won (US$287.8 million) last year, topping the list of instant noodles. Nongshim's Chapagetti came in next with 213.1 billion won in sales, followed by Jin Ramen with 209.2 billion won and Buldak Ramen, known as hot chicken flavor ramen, with 147.2 billion won. How to choose these popular ramen noodles?

What are the most popular ramen noodles in Korea?

Korean ramen is now popular all over the world and we can try this delicacy everywhere. The most popular ramen brands are the following four:

Shin Ramyun
Buldak Ramen
Jin Ramen
Nongshim's Chapagetti

How to choose these ramen noodles? Let's look at the most obvious differences first. As for each Korean ramen experience and review, I will leave that below.

The 4 best instant noodles in Korea and the differences between them

#1. Shin Ramyun

This is one of the most popular Korean ramen brands known for its spicy and savory flavor. It is also easily accessible in Korean grocery stores and online.

Shin Ramyun is a popular brand of instant ramen known for its spicy and savory flavor. It was created by Nongshim, a South Korean food and beverage company.

#2. Samyang Buldak

This ramen brand gained popularity after its spicy noodle challenge went viral. It is known for its spicy and flavorful broth and chewy noodles.

Samyang Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is a popular brand of instant noodles known for its fiery and spicy taste. It originated in South Korea and has gained a cult following worldwide. The noodles are made of wheat flour and come with a red, spicy sauce. They are often accompanied by dried vegetables and flavoring packets to enhance the taste. The Samyang Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is famous for its intense heat and rich flavor, making it a favorite among spicy food enthusiasts.

#3. Ottogi Jin Ramen

This ramen brand is known for its mild and savory flavor. It is a popular choice for those who prefer a less spicy broth.

Ottogi Jin Ramen is a popular instant noodle brand known for its mouthwatering flavor and exceptional taste. It has gained a reputation for being one of the most delicious instant noodles in the market.

#4.Nongshim Chapagetti

This ramen brand is a hybrid of Korean black bean noodles and instant ramen. It is known for its sweet and savory flavor.

Nongshim Chapagetti is a popular Korean ramen dish that combines the flavors of spaghetti with traditional Korean black bean sauce. It features a unique blend of chewy noodles, savory black bean sauce, and various vegetable flakes, delivering a delicious and satisfying meal.

#5. Shin Ramyun vs. Buldak Ramen

The main differences between shin ramen and buldak noodles are as follows:

Taste: Shin ramen is rich in flavor and has a unique spicy taste; buldak noodles are famous for being super spicy and have a distinctive sweet and spicy taste.
Spiciness: Buldak noodles are usually significantly spicier than shin ramen, making their spiciness more challenging.
Noodles: The noodles of Shin Ramen are thicker and stronger; the noodles of Buldak Noodles are relatively thinner and have a stronger texture.
Seasoning: The seasoning of Shin Ramen focuses on the overall flavor; the seasoning of buldak noodles has prominent chili ingredients and a unique sweet and spicy flavor.
Audience: Shin ramen has a wider audience; buldak noodles are more popular among people who like to challenge spiciness due to their higher spiciness.

#6. Shin Ramyun vs. Nongshim's Chapagetti

There are some differences between Nongshim Shin Ramen and Nongshim Chapagetti:

Taste: Shin ramen is mainly spicy, with a strong spicy flavor; Chapagetti noodles are typical Jajang flavor, mainly salty and sweet.
Soup: Shin Ramen usually has soup; while Chapagetti is basically mixed without much soup.
Color: The soup and noodles of Shin Ramyun are usually darker in color; the color of Chapagetti is darker brown due to the fried sauce.
Taste: The noodles of Shin Ramyun are stronger and more elastic; the noodles of Chapagetti also taste good, but they pay more attention to the taste when paired with Jajangmyeon.
Ingredients: The seasoning packet of Shin Ramen contains chili powder, etc.; the Chapagetti noodles are mainly fried sauce and some dried vegetables and other ingredients.

#7. Shin Ramyun vs. Jin Ramen

Shin Ramyun and Jin Ramen are two different brands of instant noodles in Korea. Their main differences are as follows:

Taste: Shin ramen is mainly spicy, with a strong spicy flavor; Jin Ramen has a variety of flavors, the common ones include original flavor, spicy flavor, etc. The taste of Jin Ramen is relatively mild, which may be more suitable for people who are not into spicy food.
Soup: The soup of Shin Ramen is usually rich and spicy; the soup of Jin Ramen may be relatively lighter.
Noodles: The texture of noodles is also different between the two. The noodles of Shin Ramen are generally chewy and elastic; the noodles of Jin Ramen also taste good, but they may be slightly different from Shin Ramen.
Seasoning: The contents of the seasoning packets of Shin Ramen and Jin Ramen may be different, which will also affect their taste.

Taste is a matter of personal preference, you can choose to try it according to your own preferences.

Shin Ramyun vs. Buldak Ramen vs. Jin Ramen vs. Nongshim's Chapagetti: Reviews

#1. Shin Ramyun Original

Spicy Experience: 3/5

The spiciness level of the original shin ramen is 3,400 SHU, so if you like spicy flavors, you will definitely eat a bowl quickly.

Although our favorite Korean famous spicy ramen - Samyang Buldak 3x is the spiciest, so much so that it has caused challenges from countless hot and spicy lovers, its spiciness level is 13,200 SHU, which is too spicy for daily meals.

And Shin Ramyun, also from South Korea, I bet is the spicy ramen most commonly enjoyed by my friends around me!

Although the numbers vary greatly, Shin Ramyun still tastes quite spicy to most people in the world, except Koreans and Chinese, so we rate it a 3 on the spiciness scale.

If you like bold and spicy flavors, try the signature beef flavor, which is not commonly found in ramen.

Shin ramyun has a bit of spice, but it is far from one of the spiciest ramyuns on this list. However, if you are very sensitive to spice or are not used to Korean ramyun, this can feel quite spicy.

It comes in instantly recognizable red shiny packaging and claims it "can make a grown man cry".

Interestingly, the spiciness will clear your sinuses and any bad mood from a hard day at work, while the chewy noodles will perk you up.

The chewiness of the noodles and the richness of the spicy broth – packed with beef, mushrooms, carrots, and peppers – will make you crave another bowl instantly.

We believe you will not be disappointed, after all, this is the spicy flavor that Koreans love, the representative ramen of Korea! Since its development in October 1986, Shin Ramen has been loved by people.

Currently, Shin Ramyun sells an average of 3 million copies per day, accounting for approximately 25% of the total Korean ramen market.

The unique spiciness of Shin Ramyun is loved not only in Korea but also in 80 overseas countries including Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China.

#2. Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen

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Spicy Experience: 4.8/5

Korean food maker Samyang Foods Co., which was first to introduce Korean style instant noodle ramyeon in 1963, is enjoying a new heyday with Buldak, spicy chicken favor recipe creating an addictive phenomenon in Korea and beyond.

Samyang Foods' Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen, or Buldak-bokeum-myeon, has passed the cumulative sales milestone of 4 billion. One in two people around the world ate the spicy instant noodle once.

Buldak-bokkeum-myeon is not a soup-based ramyun, and rather should be eaten with no water. They are spicy noodles that only a few people eat out of enjoyment – most people eat them only as a dare or challenge.

If you’re looking to test out the original boss-level noodles, grab a pack of these and enjoy the challenge with your friends.

The noodles that started it all. With soup that contains chili extract and powder, curry powder, paprika extract, and black pepper powder, you’ll bet that this ramen will give you a kick. (The flakes are simple roasted laver and sesame.)

#3. Nongshim Chapagetti

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Spicy Experience: 1/5

Experience the classic, subtly sweet flavours of Jjajang with Chapagetti! An instant noodle dish inspired by traditional Korean cuisine and provided to you by Nongshim; an award-winning South Korean food company. Your unique meal is made up of pre-rootsome and chewy noodles perfectly combined with a mouth-watering jjajang flavour. Just add boiling water and wait for 4 minutes for a delicious snack or light meal, perfect for those days when you need something quick yet full of flavour.
Chapagetti is the perfect choice for all palates as it comes in a mild, 0 spiciness level that allows you to enjoy all the exquisite flavours without any heat. An ideal treat to satisfy your cravings on the go or in the comfort of your own home; this traditional tasting Korean recipe will bring joy to every bite no matter where you are! Plus, each pack contains only one servings so as long as you can resist coming back for seconds, Chapagetti promises deliciousness with no waste!
Be sure to try out Chapagetti today and get ready to be swept away by its distinctive jjajang flavors. Enjoy a genuine Korean experience without leaving your kitchen - grab your packet now and cook up a flavourful storm!

If you’re a fan of jjajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce), you’ve probably tried Nongshim’s Chapagetti. Traditional jjajangmyeon is delicious but not easy to cook, so Chapagetti is a convenient way to enjoy this noodle dish.

Chapagetti has soft, chewy noodles. The brown-black sauce is salty and savory while its onion flavor adds sweetness to it, making it more balanced. If you’re averse to spicy food, you’ll be glad to know that this one has no hints of pepper at all.

Thanks to the Oscar-winning movie Parasite, these Korean instant noodles became even more popular when the movie introduced Jjapaguri or Chapaguri – a dish made by combining Chapagetti and Neoguri. The dish in the movie also had beef as a topping.

This popularity prompted Nongshim to release a singular Chapaguri instant noodle, which combines Chapagetti and Neoguri so that you don’t have to buy a packet of each noodle.

If you watched the Korean movie ‘Parasite’, then you probably recognize this one as it is one half of the Chapaguri/Jjapaguri recipe from the movie. This fusion style instant noodles with chajang sauce from Nongshim was questionable to me at first but my husband loves it.

This is a tasty sweet ramyeon dish and the ingredients include carrots, onions, ground beans, and other grains. You’ll tell this one apart by the distinct black sauce that tops the Korean-Chinese dish. It is also a ‘dry’ ramyeon or no-broth ramyeon.

Korea’s leading and one of the best Korean instant noodles. This Chinese-style ramyeon is a dish of noodles in black sauce. These are jajangmyeon instant noodles. This Chinese Korean dish was a fusion made when many Chinese immigrants moved to South Korea in Incheon. In Korea, you can find this dish at a Chinese Korean restaurant.

The noodles are thicker than most Korean instant ramen but thinner than your average Italian pasta. The texture is surprisingly chewy with a soft bite for an instant noodle. The sauce coats everything evenly giving it an extra kick of flavor that enhances your taste buds, making you want to keep eating.

#4. Ottogi Jin Ramen Mild

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Spicy Experience: 2/5

Jin Ramen Mild—the perfect spicy accompaniment to your lunch and dinner!
Introducing Jin Ramen Mild, the spiciest ramen made by Ottogi, South Korea’s leading brand in instant noodles. Despite its uncanny spiciness level of two, this ramen is surprisingly mild and can be enjoyed by even the most timid of palates. With just one bite you'll experience a flavour explosion that's bursting with unique and comforting flavour that will surely delight both your taste buds and tummy.
Crafted with carefully-selected ingredients, this ramen contains a delightful blend of spices complemented with an array of savoury textures for an amazingly delicious meal! No matter what mood you're in, this ramen is definitely sure to satisfy your cravings - leaving you with no regrets after finishing a bowl.
Bring life to boring weekdays and make every meal more exciting with Jin Ramen Mild! Add a spoonful of minced garlic for some extra zing to transform it into something extraordinary or top it off with a boiled egg or some nori (dried seaweed) – however you like it, it's always guaranteed to be incredibly delicious! So gather round the table and enjoy the amazing flavours of Jin Ramen Mild today!

Ottogi Jin Ramen is another popular Korean ramen both in and outside Korea. I personally think this is one of the best Korean instant noodles because of its balanced flavor.

Like Shin Ramyun, Jin has a beef-based broth but is milder. Instead, it has a stronger kimchi taste. The onions, garlic, mushroom extracts, and pepper add to the savory flavor. The noodles are also firm and smooth and don’t become mushy quickly.

Jin Ramen comes in two varieties – mild and spicy. Both still carry spice but don’t compromise the savory beef flavor. Those who enjoy more lasting heat can go for the spicy variant but Jin is still less spicy compared to other ramyeons like Shin and another Ottogi product, Yeul Ramen.

Another one that my husband always has stocked, Jin Ramen tastes very similar to Shin Ramyun except it has a more red pepper taste. This one also has some variety though the one with the blue is the more common one.

There is also a spicier red option. The broth for Jin Ramen is a beef and kimchi flavor so hits the spot when you’re missing Korea. In general, most people agree that Jin Ramen is relatively more mild than other ramyeon brands so it’s a good option for those that aren’t used to the spice and want an introduction.