Buying Korean 라면 (Ramyeon, or Ramen noodles) on Amazon US

Amazon is a great place to buy Korean food, but finding Korean noodles, or ramyeon, on it can be a little daunting. This post lists some of the best Korean ramen (라면) products to buy on Amazon, such as Shin Ramyun (신라면) or Buldalk Bokkum Myeon (불닭볶음면).

Quick links
  • Ansung Tang Myun 농심안성탕면 - ramen with miso taste (Amazon)
  • Buldak Bokkum Myeon 삼양 불닭볶음면 - fire chicken ramen (Amazon)
  • Cheese Ramyeon 오뚜기 치즈라면 - ramen with dried cheese (Amazon)
  • Chapagetti 농심 짜파게티 - ramen with black bean paste (짜장) taste (Amazon)
  • Jin Ramen 오뚜기 진라면 (Unavailable)
  • Kokomyun 팔도 꼬꼬면 - chicken ramen with clear broth (Amazon)
  • Namja Ramyun 팔도 남자라면 - spicy ramen with red broth and strong garlic taste (Amazon)
  • Neoguri 농심 너구리 - spicy seafood ramen (Amazon)
  • Rabokki 팔도 라볶이 - ramen with tteokbokki taste (Amazon)
  • Shin Ramen 농심 신라면 (Amazon) / Shin Black 농심 신라면 블랙 (Amazon)
  • Volcano Chicken Noodle 팔도 블케이노 치킨볶음면 - spicy chicken ramen (Amazon)

라면 - Ramyeon (Ramen) Noodles

Ramyeon noodles are a must-have staple in any Korean pantry. Ramyeon noodles on Amazon tend to ship in large boxes of 10 to 20 bags or cups, so check the quantity twice before ordering. A rule of thumb: a 5-pack Korean ramen at Korean grocery stores usually retails between $6-$9; premium ramen such as Shin Black (신라면 블랙), or flavored Buldak Bokkum Myeon (불닭볶음면) usually command higher prices (from 1.5x to 2x for Shin Black). See the end of this post for more tips about ordering Korean ramen on Amazon.

농심 Nongshim brand

Nongshim (농심) products are widely available on Amazon, from Shin Ramen (신라면) to Ansung Tang Myun (안성탕면).  My personal favorites among Nongshim noodles are Ansung Tang Myun (안성탕면), Shin Black (신라면 블랙), and Chapagetti (짜파게티). Note that Nongshim has altered some of the recipes for the US market; for example, the US Chapagetti does not quite taste the same as the Korean one (I was told the culprit was the dried meat). In some cases, the cooking methods of Nongshim noodles (especially for Chapagetti) are also different. 

The links below will take you directly to the corresponding Amazon page.

오뚜기 Ottogi brand

Ottogi (오뚜기) ramyeon products are harder to find on Amazon, but some third-party sellers do offer a few choices. Good options are Cheese Ramen (치즈라면) and Sesame Ramen (참깨라면). Jin Ramen Mild and Spicy are also delicious, but unavailable at the time of writing (please check back later for updated links).

삼양 Samyang brand

Samyang (삼양) has some of the best ramen available on Amazon. The most famous Paldo ramen product is undoubtedly Buldak Bokkum Myeon (불닭볶음면), the very spicy chicken-flavored ramen. Several variations of Buldak exist, including Carbonara (not very good), Black bean paste (짜장불닭볶음면; great), Cheese (치즈불닭볶음면; okay), Curry (커리불닭볶음면) and 2X extra spicy (핵불닭볶음면, not willing to try).

팔도 Paldo brand

Paldo sells the very iconic Kokomyun (꼬꼬면), with its distinct chicken flavor and clear broth. Its cousin, the spicy Volcano Chicken Noodle (불케이노 치킨볶음면), is similar to Samyang's Buldak Bokkum Myun (불닭볶음면) in that it is very spicy and stir-fried (no soup). If you like spicy ramen but prefer having a broth, go for Namja Ramyun (남자라면), the garlic-flavored spicy ramen from Paldo. Another popular ramen is Rabokki (라볶이), or noodles with tteokbokki taste; adding an egg and rice cakes makes it even better. Paldo also makes the cold Bibimmyun (비빔면), a great option in summer.

Tips

  • A rule of thumb: a 5-pack Korean ramen at Korean grocery stores usually retails between $6-$8; premium ramen (신라면 블랙, flavored 불닭볶음면) usually command higher prices. Consequently, paying around $18-$25 for a 20-pack is reasonable for Shin Ramyeon (신라면), and $18-$25 for a 10-pack is reasonable for Shin Black (신라면 블랙).
  • Check twice the sizes! Some items come in giant packs, while some are sold by the unit. Price is almost never correlated to quantity when it comes to food on Amazon.
  • Check if your product is shipped by Amazon or by a third-party reseller. If a third party reseller ships the item, check where the item is shipped from (products shipped from Korea may sometimes take two to three weeks to arrive).
  • If not sold directly by Amazon, always check the reseller rating and reviews left by other Amazon customers. Some resellers send products close to their expiration date, so be careful.
  • Some products may be sold one day by Amazon, but on another day sold by a third party reseller. Even if you are just reordering the same items as one of your previous orders, always check the reseller's name.