I just did a guest post at DramaFever about the5 kinds of kdrama fans. After I was done, my husband read the post over my shoulder and said, "Wait, aren't you just writing about yourself for most of these?" Why yes, yes I am.
Does anyone else fall into these categories?
1.The Valiant Defender
Once you decide that you love a drama, you become like a mama lion protecting her cubs. You won’t let anyone get away with talking smack about your show! Did someone criticize the series extension? You thought it was perfect to really develop the relationship! Did they hate the costumes? But they were meant to show off the characters’ personalities! Did they say that the acting was melodramatic? OH NO THEY DIDN’T! How would they feel if they woke up with amnesia and cancer? Huh? Everything was perfect and wonderful and amazing and you cried in every single episode.
2.The Closet Viewer
You love Kdramas. I mean, you really love them. You spend your free time reading recaps and listening to the OSTs of your favorite shows. The only problem is that you are an adult, and you don’t know how to explain your obsession to your real-life friends in a way that they would understand. Instead, you lead a double life. When you tell your friends that you spent the weekend helping your mom clean out her basement, what you really mean is that you marathoned Prosecutor Princess for sixteen hours straight.
3.The Academic
You enjoy watching Kdramas, but you also have an advanced degree in psychology or literature or something. You reconcile these two interests by constantly talking about gender roles and socio-economic factors in your favorite shows. Most of your Kdrama-watching friends roll their eyes when you start conversations with “This episode reminded me of something Socrates once said…” but you don’t let that stop you! When that Wall Street Journal blog post criticized Kdramas as being “lowbrow,” you responded with a ten-page manifesto peppered with words like “dichotomy” and “pedantic.”
4.The Bias Stalker
Plot? Not important. Dialogue? Who cares? The one and only determining factor in helping you choose your next drama is how much screen time your favorite actor or actress will get. Now if only the writers would get rid of all these side characters and just put Oppa in a shower scene already…
5.The Seasoned Veteran
You were watching Kdramas looooooong before Full House or Coffee Prince even came onto the scene. As someone who has watched dramas for over a decade, you can dazzle younger viewers with extensive knowledge of the progression of kdramas. You have also gotten to a wise transcendental state of mind where Kdrama trends no longer impact you. You can wait until a popular show finishes airing before you watch it. You have also mastered the difficult art of watching only one episode at a time—something most Kdrama fans see as an impossible myth.
What are your Kdrama habits? One of the above? ALL of the above? (*raises hand slowly*)
A few weeks ago, Outside Seoul's Amanda wrote this post, where she briefly mentioned the similarities between kdrama leading men and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. Then, a couple of days ago, one of my good friends finished watching her first kdrama (I'm so proud!), and her initial response was that it felt like a "long romcom, but not an American romcom--more like a Jane Austen movie." These two comments, combined with the fact that I recently saw Austenland in theaters, have really brought my attention to the many ways in which kdramas mirror Jane Austen novels.
That, and this scene from The Master's Sun this week:
Surely, surely I wasn't the only one who immediately thought of this:
Yes, that's my second North and South reference in a week. No, I'm not sorry. Sure, it's Elizabeth Gaskell and not Jane Austen, but Gaskell's like a more political Austen anyway, so it all flows with the overall theme here.
Now, I'm not saying that these dramas copied Jane Austen. They come from completely different times and regions of the world, but I wonder if the similarities of a (relatively) reserved culture encourage parallel stories. Any theories?
Reason 1: The Darcy Effect
As both Amanda and my friend Rachel pointed out, kdramas are filled with extremely wealthy, handsome, emotionally constipated men who act all harsh on the outside but really have fluffy marshmallow filling on the inside. They often put on a cold exterior as the result of past pain (painful breakups, dead girlfriends, painful breakups with now-dead ex-girlfriends, etc.), and they are fiercely loyal once you crack that shell.
Sorry, ladies. That lake scene is the closest you'll get to a shower in Jane Austen's world. Source
That's right. It's Mr. Darcy, quite possibly the most famous ascot-wearing, insult-hurling leading man ever to grace the page (or the screen).
Darcy might be the most famous of Austen's leading men, but he's not the only one who has his ascot wound a little too tightly. For every Jun Pyo or Joo Won, you've got a Knightley or a Colonel Brandon just waiting to profess his love.
Fun fact: Every single Jane Austen heroine marries up in terms of money and/or social status. Yes, even Emma Woodhouse, who doesn't need money. She literally marries the only guy she knows who matches her standing. Yes, even Anne Elliot, who marries the guy she initially dumped because he was too poor. Guess what? He has money now! (And sure, love conquers all. But he also has some serious money.)
Reason 2: The Poor Heroine
Emma aside, most Austen heroines aren't very wealthy. They aren't starving, but their families are usually pretty strapped for cash, which puts them just outside of socially acceptable reach for their fancy lovers. Toss in some (gasp) lawyers as cousins, and they're prime targets to have a few people whisper behind their backs at local balls.
It's sad when your male relatives inherit all of your stuff, isn't it, honey?
Kdrama leading ladies take this idea to the next level. They aren't just poor; they're run-away-from-loan-sharks-and-sell-your-shoes-for-bread poor. While Austen's characters have to be at a minimum social level to make the romances work, these characters usually have to be extra, extra strapped for cash in order to make them jump through plot hoops like fake marriage or getting married to a prince.
What Austen's heroines and the ladies from drama-land lack in style, they make up for in spirit. Our favorite heroines can banter with the best of them, and they dazzle their men with strong hearts and wit instead of diamonds. Even the doormats (like Fanny Price or the girl from Playful Kiss) have some character strengths that set them apart from the people around them.
Reason 3: Love Is in the Air
So these girls aren't the best social catches in the world, but somehow every single male in the entire plot is in love with them. Remember how ALL of the members of A.N.Jell were in love with Go Mi Nyu even though she had kind of a stupid personality and some of them didn't even all know that she was a girl?
Yeah, I like to pretend that never happened, too.
Well, this magical aura of love also persists in Jane Austen's realm. Lest we forget, the botched proposals in Austen's novels aren't limited to the bumbling Collinses of the story. We also have the Henry Crawfords, the Wickhams, and the Willoughbys. These dashing bad boys all fall for the poor girls first, even if it doesn't work out in the end.
Your ponytail and faux-Orlando Bloom face aren't fooling anyone! Except for maybe Elizabeth.
When we asked people which kdrama villain they wanted to be, about a million (or at least five) people said they wanted to be Jun Pyo's mother from Boys over Flowers. I wonder if those same people also find themselves weirdly relating to Lady Catherine de Bourgh. I mean, she ended up being an accidental catalyst for love, so she can't be all bad, right?
Whether it's a kdrama or an Austen novel, there are always mothers, aunts, sisters, and cousins getting in the way. (Wait, why are most meddling relations female? I call sexism!)
Reason 5: Passion vs. Propriety
I know that most of us have had those moments where we are in the middle of a kdrama and the two leads are gazing at each other and pretending not to be in love because of some crazy obstacle that makes them think they shouldn't be together and they could totally fix the whole thing if they just said something--anything--but they're too proud and/or noble and you shout "JUST KISS HIM!" at your screen, but it doesn't do any good because the show still has four episodes left, and...Can you tell how agitated I'm getting just thinking about this?
But let's be honest: Longing stares and repressed sexual tension are kind of the bread and butter of kdrama success. They're also the driving force behind a lot of the sighing and swooning that happens in Austen novels. These people aren't even allowed to give back hugs, so when they finally get together, we get an extra dose of stomach butterflies. C'mon--as much as they drive us crazy, don't tell me you don't secretly love a good old fashioned meaningful glance.
This guy totally knows what I'm talking about.
Any other Janeites out there who stumbled upon the world of kdramas?
I'm not usually a quitter. When I start to eat, I eat everything on my plate--even if it means that I am immobile for several hours afterwards in fear that my stomach might explode. I painfully dragged myself through the last few seasons of The Office because I had already committed to see the Dunder Mifflin crew through to the end. I can count on one hand--okay, one finger--the number of books on my Goodreads list that I started without finishing.
For the record, it was Middlemarch, and I only stopped when I realized that I was 100 pages into it and we were still getting exposition. Even so, I'm a little ashamed of myself every time I see it in my book list. It's a sore subject, okay?
So I was pretty far into my kdrama-watching career before it even occurred to me that I could stop watching a show if I wasn't feeling it. The first time I dropped a show, I felt just a little bit guilty, but also really liberated. I didn't have to waste 10 more hours watching that show! I could move on to bigger and better dramas!
Unlike Coco, who is possibly the most fickle show watcher on the planet, I give most dramas the benefit of the doubt for as long as possible. That being said, here are some of my top reasons for jumping off of a drama ship:
Drop-worthy Offense #1: Lack of Chemistry
Case study: Manny
Up until episode 11, I had been enjoying Manny for the charming interactions between the handsome male lead and his adorable charge. Then the lead confessed his feelings for the boy's mother, and I suddenly realized that I didn't actually believe for one second that the main couple actually wanted to be together. The whole scene was kind of awkward, and I lost all interest in watching the show once the focus shifted to the romance.
Moral of the story? Don't let the adorable Korean children fool you! Rom coms need some base level of chemistry to work.
This one is completely subjective, and I know I'm going to take some heat for putting such a popular show on this list. Everyone keeps recommending My Fair Lady to me, and I keep trying to watch it. The first time, I got 20 minutes into it before I had to stop. The second time, I got all the way through the first episode, but I lost all will to push the "next episode" button.
Here's the problem: I can't take Oska seriously as a love interest. Yes, I logically know that Yoon Sang Hyun isn't Oska in real life and that I should give him a chance, but no matter how hard I try, he's just Oska to me, and Oska isn't the true love interest. It seemed especially weird when paired with Yoon Eun Hye trying so hard to pretend to be mean.
Although I didn't quit the show, I had a similar problem when I watched Dating Agency: Cyrano after A Gentleman's Dignity.
Maybe the next time I watch My Fair Lady, I will get through two full episodes, but I'm calling it quits for now.
Drop-worthy Offense #3: Overplaying the "Unlikable" Card
Case study: Twelve Men in a Year
Misleading poster aside, the premise to Twelve Men in a Year sounded so fun: she dates one man for every astrological sign! It seemed like a light, fluffy show that I could watch in a breeze.
Then I watched the first episode and realized that the female lead was kind of a terrible person. Now, almost every single drama starts with one of the leads being completely unlikable, so I was almost willing to let it slide. Then I realized that I would be really, really angry if I watched the whole thing and she never got any better.
Internet to the rescue! Pretty much every single review of this show indicated that the unlikable lead never progressed as a character. I put this show into my imaginary kdrama trash can and never looked back.
Drop-worthy Offense #4: Too Much of the Same Thing
Case study: My Girl
This is kind of an unfair category. Everyone who has watched more than a handful of dramas learns pretty quickly that kdrama cliches are everywhere. That being said, there are only so many versions of poor girl/rich guy that a person can watch before you hit your breaking point and need something new.
My Girl was my breaking point. After 4 or 5 episodes, I noticed that I knew the outcome of almost every single scene before it happened. While some dramas take the familiar formula and play with it just enough to keep things interesting, My Girl wasn't one of those dramas. It came out in 2005, so I can't really blame it for having so many copycats, but I watched it too late in my drama career to have the will to get to the end.
(*Whispers*) Guys, as much as I love LMH and PSH, is anyone else nervous that Heirs is going to have this problem?
Drop-worthy Offense #5: I'm Good Here
Case study: Flower Boys Next Door
This might sound crazy, but every once in a while, I stop watching dramas even when I really, really enjoy watching them. Yes, now that I've typed that, even I think it's crazy.
So why do I do it? These dramas usually get dropped in episodes 14-16, right after the couples get together, and right before the writers drop in their random plot twists to stretch out the final few episodes.
If any of you have watched Finding Mr. Destiny (With Gong Yoo! On Netflix! Watch it now!), I think it's kind of like that girl who never finishes the last bite of her cookies: I just want to end at the most satisfying moment possible. With FBND, I was perfectly happy once the main couple got together. When they tried to introduce the creepy stalker plot at the end, I decided that I was too sleepy to worry about such nonsense, so I stopped watching.
I did the same thing with Scent of a Woman. Coco accidentally told me the ending before I was done, so I got to a happy stopping place and skipped the last few episodes.
So who else drops the occasional kdrama? What are your reasons? Anyone who stays to the bitter end, no matter how much you hate it?
I think that our last Fashion Face-Off, the Battle of the Facial Hair, might have been the closest contest we've ever had. As of this minute, Hyun Bin wins for his character in The Snow Queen, but it's been pretty back-and-forth between him and Cha Seung Won in City Hall this entire time. Can I take this as a sign that we wouldn't mind a little more scruff on our leading men every now and again?
I spent last weekend at my little brother's wedding (I can't believe he's married! Awww, but also weird?), and it put me in the mood to write about kdrama nuptials. Now, most wedding fashion that appears in these shows doesn't actually make it to the altar. I feel like the prettiest gowns and suits are usually wasted in those dramatic "Omo, he's marrying the wrong person!" or "We're gonna get married, but in a terrible twist of fate, we need to wait five more episodes!" kinds of scenes. So instead of writing about wedding fashion, I want to devote this week's face-off to something that isn't clothing, but still requires a lot of style: kdrama proposals.
Many kdramas leave us with the couple staring off into the sunset and allow us to assume that they will live lives of blissful commitment. Other dramas fast forward to show us wonderful snippets of future married life. Other dramas are terrible, stingy buttfaces and don't really give us much romantic closure at all. But every once in a while, we get to see the actual engagement unfold, and the proposals are usually tailored to match the characters. This week's contenders might not all be the best kdrama proposals (at least in my opinion), but they are a diverse selection that will hopefully meet everyone's unique tastes.
Obviously, there will be some spoilers here.
Contender 1: The "It's the Thought that Counts" Proposal (Protect the Boss)
I'm terribly biased in favor of this show, and Noh Eun Seol and Cha Ji Heon are one of my favorite kdrama couples. So when Eun Seol shows up to a romantic candlelit dinner and Ji Heon croons a cheesy ballad to her by way of expressing his feelings, you would think it would be heart-melting swoon material, right?
You know that feeling when you're watching a singing show and one of the contestants has a hilarious personality, so you're really rooting for them to win, but then they open their mouths and it's so painful that you have to change the channel? That's kind of what happens here. My reaction went from "Awww, he put 'I love you' inside of a fortune cookie!" to "Why is this happening????" in about 0.2 seconds. Poor Ji Sung has kind of a cringe-worthy voice, but at least he has a nice heart!
If you're someone who values effort over execution and secretly applauds the William Hungs of the world, this proposal is for you.
Contender 2: The Big Gesture Proposal (A Gentleman's Dignity)
I never really understood the allure of proposals that happen in front of gigantic groups of people. Making me come down to the field in a baseball stadium? Blech. Putting my face on a Jumbotron for the whole world to see? No, thanks.
I have to admit, though, that I'm a huuuuuuuuuuge sucker for anything that involves a massive choreographed dance number. Maybe it's my childhood dream that my life would transform into the movie Newsies:
Why yes, that is 17-year-old Christian Bale belting his lungs out. And be-eyepatched Trey Parker, before he became old and gross. And the guy from The Mighty Ducks. Okay, okay, his name is Aaron Lohr, and yes, I do remember that from eight-year-old Vivi's mild obsession with this film.
Choreographed dance numbers have become an increasingly trendy way to propose in recent years, so it's no surprise that A Gentleman's Dignity matched Yi Soo's highly stylish outfits with an equally stylish proposal. No matter how you feel about Kim Do Jin as a character, you gotta give the guy mad props for planning this whole thing and then tacking on a throwback to episode 1, as well.
Aside from Newsies aficionados, this proposal also suits those people who enjoy announcing their love to the world.
Contender 3: The Heartfelt Speech Proposal (King 2 Hearts)
Poor Hang Ah had two big-gesture proposals early on in this series, and both of them ended up being hoaxes. It's only fitting, then, that the real deal would come without any fuss as they stand next to some military vehicles. It might not be the fanciest proposal in the world, but who needs balloons when you get lines like "I'm going to shower you with kisses every morning"?
We're focusing on substance over style here, but those conveniently falling blossoms don't hurt the mood, either.
Contender 4: The Lazy--I Mean, "Low Maintenance"--Proposal (Secret Garden)
Gil Ra Im is a pretty low-maintenance kind of girl. She usually prefers comfort, practicality, and kicking butt to anything frilly, so bringing her to city hall and announcing immediate marriage might be the best bet for her personality. After all, she has already declared her disdain for chocolates, wine, and all other romantic fluff.
On the other hand, "Because I said so" isn't the most compelling reasoning I've ever heard to get married, and I simply can't bring myself to believe that anyone--Gil Ra Im included--actually hates a good box of Lindt truffles. Impossible!
Estonians have this phrase, "laiskvorst," which directly translates to "lazy sausage." I personally feel like this is kind of a laiskvorst proposal, but hey, maybe it works for some people. If you've got a no-nonsense attitude and prefer to circumvent all of the obnoxious wedding planning in favor of getting right to the honeymoon, then you've found your dream proposal right here!
Contender 5: The Classic Fairytale Proposal (City Hall)
Roses? Check. Candles? Check. Waltzing? Check. FREAKING TWINKLE LIGHTS? Check. It might not be new or exciting, but sometimes they're classics for a reason.
Yes, she WILL dance with you through life. She's not a crazy person!
I just noticed that 3/5 proposals here come courtesy of Kim Eun Soook. Does this give us a hint for the future of Heirs?
And, just because you all read through this so nicely, I will share what might just be my favorite ending love scene of anything ever created:
Okay, so Richard Armitage doesn't technically say the words "Let's get married" with his voice, but I don't even care because he SAYS IT WITH HIS EYES.
So which proposal scene best matches your style? Did we miss one of your favorites? Vote and comment below!
Ever since my Queen In Hyun's Man review, I've been thinking about the stereotypical "dumb-as-a-rock-but-nice" kdrama female lead. I really, really liked the leads in that show, but I was infuriated that she kept calling herself stupid the whole time (and no, I don't think that his response of "You're not stupid; you just don't know anything" made things much better).
In many dramas, it's much worse. The male lead often belittles the female lead for her stupidity, pushing on her forehead with his finger and saying things like "Do you just smash things with this rock?" or "I'm surprised you can even chew food with this useless lump." (I don't know if those are actual kdrama insults, but they sound like real kdrama insults. You're welcome to use them in any upcoming dramas, provided that Lee Min Ho is the one saying these lines.)
If a man did this to me, I would break his finger off. And then do some calculus out of spite.
Now, I'm not saying that every woman has to be a rocket scientist, but these shows seem to consistently assume that the only thing women can do well is being "nice." That's why they need big, smart men to help them escape their own stupidity. In essence, saying that women are always stupid and incompetent infantilizes them.
For those of you kdrama viewers who get tired of girls pounding their fists on their heads and blinking absent-mindedly, I've put together a list (in no particular order) of some competent kdrama female leads who have some brains behind all that beauty. If you don't mind the she-can't-tie-her-own-shoes-but-she's-so-cute lead, then you're welcome to ignore this list and go watch Playful Kiss or You Are Beautifulon repeat.
Note: This list is all about brains. Some of these leads have other weaknesses that we didn't love, but many of them are all-around awesome.
1. Kim Yoon Hee (Sungkyunkwan Scandal)
I actually started watching Sungkyunkwan Scandal because I really, really needed a show with a female lead who was smart enough to hold her own against the male characters. Kim Yoon Hee to the rescue! In terms of gender-bending dramas, she's the anti-Go Mi Nam. I'm pretty sure you would never catch Yoon Hee accidentally gluing her fingers together, even if she time traveled and had never seen glue before. But she goes way beyond this bare minimum of brain power; she's a brilliant scholar who refuses to give up on knowledge just because she's a girl.
Hwang Tae Hee doesn't even have niceness going for her, so maybe she has to be smart by default. Even her enemies can't deny that she's the best of the best at her job, but their constant sabotage is no match for her sharp wits.
I suspect that she derives special brain powers from her helmet hair.
3. Sam Soon (My Lovely Sam Soon/ My Name Is Kim Sam Soon)
Sam Soon might not have book smarts, but she has something more important: food smarts. This is the perfect example of finding strengths outside of traditional education. I'm okay with female leads who aren't nuclear physicists if they are pastry geniuses instead. To be honest, if I had to decide whether I could have a PhD or become a world-class patisseur, I would probably choose blood orange cream filling every single time. Drool.
This scene is kind of a waste of delicious cake, but the fact that she combines her baking prowess with the guts to shove cake into a man's face is pretty commendable.
What I love about Protect the Boss is that neither lead is really living up to his or her potential until they join forces. Noh Eun Seol readily admits that she spent more time hitting bullies than hitting the books in her school days, but that doesn't make her stupid. She is creative and innovative and finds ways to help her boss tap into his own smart ideas. In a position that chews through Ivy League graduates faster than you can say "all that student debt for nothing," Eun Seol shows her competence by thinking outside of the box and winning everyone's approval.
Bonus points for beating up a man who tried to sexually harass her in the first episode. Extra bonus points for telling the rich chaebol that kissing her without permission is also harassment.
I can't tell if she is punching or cheering, but in either case, she will be victorious!
5. Gong Ah Jung (Lie to Me)
Lie to Me was the first drama I ever saw where the female lead didn't start out starving in a gutter or hiding from loan sharks. Unless an unexpected swarm of bees shows up to trash a major international event, Gong Ah Jung is an excellent public servant. She takes her position so seriously that when the government tries to fire her, she basically says, "Nope, sorry, I'm actually awesome at my job."
Yoon Eun Hye's best "I love working a desk job for the government!" face Source
I already mentioned how I sort of bonded with Yi Soo in my review of this series, but I want to praise her skills again here. She might be somewhat frozen-faced around her love interests, but in her regular life, she is a personable educator who is able to reach even the most difficult of students. She's not just a teacher; she's a really good teacher, and that's not something to dismiss.
Why yes, that IS an entire classroom of teenage boys applauding during a lesson. What's next? A unicorn dancing with a leprechaun?
7. Jang Hye Sung (I Hear Your Voice)
Jang Hye Sung comes with a bit of a caveat. She's smart and good at her job, but only when she wants to be. She isn't always passionate about doing a good job, but when she is, she can work a case like a champ.
I know what you're thinking. Ma Hye Ri on a list of positive female depictions? Impossible! I know a lot of people saw Hye Ri as a whiny child throughout most of Prosecutor Princess, but I'd like to make a case in her behalf (Get it? Make a case? Because she's a prosecutor? I'll stop now.). In the first episode, we find out that Hye Ri aced her exams without studying and then graduated at the top of her law class with ease. Even if she's self-absorbed and useless at first, no one can deny that the woman has some brains under that hideous mop of hair. Once she stops focusing on herself, she actually turns out to be a pretty strong prosecutor, too.
I don't think it's any coincidence that the level of crazy perm in Ma Hye Ri's hair has an inverse relationship with the quality of her work. Source
Okay, if you really want to see a female prosecutor done right, look no further than Yoo Jung In. Unlike the previous two entries, she comes to the job full of passion and a drive to succeed. When she gets left out of the boys' club for being female and a non-vampire, she doesn't mope or dress up as a boy. She just does her own sleuthing (without the help of cheater vampire powers, might I add) and solves crimes on her own. Also, she beats up gangsters. Also also, she interrogates people like a boss. Also also also, I LOVE HER.
"Let's see who wins"? It's you, Yoo Jung In. You win. At everything.
Last but not least is City Hunter's Kim Na Na. This is Park Min Young's second entry on this list, but it's for quite a different role. This time, she's a talented, driven bodyguard with goals to make it to the Blue House. Not only does she have brains, but she can also best Lee Min Ho at judo. For more about how awesome she is, see Coco's review of the series.
Must...restrain...envy...
So who did we miss? What other series should we check out for other smart, capable women? What characteristics do you love in kdrama female leads?
The fun Korean media news site, Soompi, recently asked Do You Know Your Korean Ramen? I shamefully had to respond that despite all the Korean ramen I have viewed being eaten on Kdramas, no, I actually did not know. The closest I had ever come to it was the infamous, cheap, Top Ramen that you usually eat when you are in college and can only spend $.25 on a meal, or when you are just too lazy to make real food (which happens more than I'd like to admit), or when you're watching a Kdrama and see them eating it and want some even though you're not actually hungry but think you can get away with eating it anyway because all the Kdrama female leads eat ridiculous amounts of food and are still thin.
But guess what? I am lucky enough to live near Ktown in NYC, so I have no excuse to be Korean ramen ignorant any longer! This weekend I decided to take the Soompi ramen challenge by sampling 5 ramens from their list. There are 10 on the list, but I just couldn't do it, ok? You try eating more than 5 ramens over a three day weekend! In order to conduct a ramen taste test you need:
1. An Assortment of Korean Ramen Down in Ktown they have this awesome little Asian market, Hanahreum, that has an entire aisle of instant ramen. It was a ramen aficionado's dream!
These are the 5 ramen contenders I chose for the challenge.
Korean ramen does not look that different than regular old Top Ramen, but I did notice some differences. The biggest difference is that Korean Ramen includes a separate package for dried vegetables to add. Here is an example of what Korean Ramen looks like uncooked.
2. A Ramen Pot
You know you've seen these beauties on kdramas and wanted one! I managed to pick one up. The best part was that right after I made my first ramen package I sat down to watch Answer Me 1997, and look what she was making!
I just had to eat my ramen off the lid since Kdrama characters are always claiming who gets it. It really did taste better that way.
3. Korean Chop Sticks
I mentioned in my last blog post about visiting Ktown that I am terrible at eating with chopsticks, particulary Korean ones because they are metal. Luckily I found some for this taste test and now I start practicing with them at home!
With all the necessary supplies ready, I began the task of determining which instant Korean ramen was the best.
1. Paldo Namja Ramen
I thought this was really good Korean ramen. That being said, I have a pretty high spice tolerance. I am originally from Arizona so I grew up eating a lot of Mexican food. I would say that my spice threshold is more than the average white American, but less than the average Asian. I would give this ramen a spice rating of 4 out of 5. It made my nose run and gave me a mild lip burn, but I wasn't running around trying to find something to drink. The noodles were perfect with a good roundness and softness, and did not taste overly processed. The overall flavor was mostly just spicy, but it had a nice beefy broth. My roommate and I both went back to the ramen pot for more, only to discover that we already ate it all.
2. Jin Ramen
This was my last favorite ramen. It just seemed pretty bland. The overall flavor was just salty. The noodles were also kind of gummy and overly processed tasting. I would give it a 2.5 out of 5 on the spicy scale. It would still be considered spicy for a lot of white Americans. My roommate and I didn't even have the urge to finish the pot.
3. Shin Ramyun Black
This ramen was pretty tasty. The overall flavor was mushroomy and beefy. I would give it a 3 out of 5 on the spice scale. My nose did run a little but there was no lip burn. The noodles were nice and soft without being gummy. The little packet of dried vegetables that came with it added a nice texture. Only eat this ramen if you really love mushrooms.
4. Samyang Spicy Beef
This ramen had a nice beefy flavor with a good amount of spice. I would give it a 3.5 out of 5 on the spice scale. I wanted to go back for more as I ate it. One strange downside to this ramen is that it is very orangey, so much so that it tinted my teeth orange. Gross.
5. Kokomen Clean Spicy Chicken
This was my favorite ramen overall. As I leaned over the pot to cook it, I whispered out loud, "Oh my gosh, that smells really good." The funny thing is that on the package the flavor is labeled as "clean" and "spicy". I was really curious to find out what "clean" tasted like, but I actually think this is a really good description for this ramen. It just looked light and fresh, and not greasy or overly processed. The noodles were nice and soft and round. It had a delightful chicken and green onion flavor. The dried vegetables you add in were very prominent, especially the green onions, but I liked that. I would give it a 3.5 out of 5 on the spice scale, which I think is perfect because spicy doesn't become the main flavor, but still plays a big part. I think this is a great choice for a kdrama fan to sample.
Hopefully this has inspired you to conduct your own Korean ramen taste test. You should try the other five on Soompi's list and let us know what you think. Have you ever tried Korean instant ramen? What are your favorites? Comment below.
Also, I found a few other gems at the Korean market, which means stayed tuned for more posts about my forays into Korean food and culture in Ktown, New York City!
