Udon vs Ramen -or- Udong vs Ramyeon

As you know, Pat is the cook amongst the Gmamas....clearly this is her post. It's a couple of days after Thanksgiving and you're probably sick of turkey so perhaps this post will help!

In the latest Kdrama I’m watching Stranger the two lead actors meet in an orange tented pop up for a quick bite…and soju, of course. When the male lead, Cho Seung-woo, meets the female lead, Bae Doona, he’s eating udon. When she tries to order the same, he tells her to get the ramen. Why I have no clue. (Because the udon was too salty...Judy)

Already I need to do some explaining. Udon is the Japanese word; udong is the Korean one. Ramen is the Japanese word; ramyeon the Korean one. The pop up I described above is really called a street stall. I used pop up which became universally known in this country during the pandemic. Many restaurants had trouble persuading diners to eat inside, so pop ups were born. That’s a sad fact, but it’s true.

Korean Ramyeon

So which is more popular in Korea? Udong or ramyeon? Udong seems to be healthier with less sodium than ramyeon. Ramyeon has the good luck to be endorsed by the boy band, BTS. One of their singers loves it, and it’s even featured in a cookbook they published. I can’t imagine they cook, but hey, anyone can boil water, right? (Is that how you cook ramyeon? ~Judy) Personally I prefer ramyeon but only because it’s easier to eat. I can grab a bunch with chopsticks. The udong is harder to manipulate. And the best part is the slurping. In our culture, the noise one makes while slurping anything is taboo, but in the Korean culture it’s universally accepted. So while you’re enjoying your udong or your ramyeon, slurp to your heart’s content.

Packaged ramyeon is commonly available in Korea and the public seems to enjoy it. They'll frequently cook it in the little container & just add a soft boiled egg on top. If you think I can actually tell the difference between these 2 dishes you would be incorrect... much less know which is easier to eat! You go Pat!

Incidentally on Facebook I follow a group titled 'Korean Food and Recipes.' You might take a peek as there are lots of recipes, video instructions, & tantalizing photos. Why this Gmama follows that group is a total mystery since I will probably never attempt any of the recipes. ~Judy

Korean Udong