Jajangmyeon is hard to miss in Korean cuisine. The dark, almost black sauce makes the dish visually stand out, and once you have had a taste, you will remember the unique flavors forever. No wonder that Jajangmyeon noodles is one of the most popular dishes among Koreans and some of the most famous Korean noodles. This noodle dish was originally based on Chinese cuisine but has been adapted to better suit Korean taste buds.
Korean Jajangmyeon contains thick wheat noodles, topped with a sweet-salty, non-spicy Korean black bean paste sauce that is based on black soybean paste. You can get it in a lot of Chinese restaurants, at night markets, or in Incheon’s Chinatown. If you want to know the best places to eat Jjajangmyeon, you can join a food tour, such as the ones organized by Gastro Tour Seoul.
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What is Jajangmyeon
Jajangmyeon, or 자장면 or 짜장면 in Korean, was first served in Korea in the early 20th century by Chinese immigrants and has since been adapted to the Korean cooking style. It contains thick, wheat noodles that are served with a thick, semi-sweet black sauce. The sauce is based on Chunjang (춘장), a salty black soybean paste that originated in Northeast China, and is stir-fried with onions and minced pork or beef. Jjajangmyeon is often served with yellow pickled radishes, 단무지, to cut the greasiness.
Jajangmyeon is colloquially known as Jjajangmyeon (짜장면). The name is derived from the Chinese zhájiàng (炸酱), which means “fried sauce”, and myeon, which means noodles. As the pronunciation of zhá sounds more like the Korean Jja, many Koreans call Jajangmyeon, Jjajang noodles or Jjajangmyeon. Most Korean Chinese restaurants use this spelling.
Jajangmyeon is a widely popular food. As it is quite cheap, it is often eaten by students or workers. It is also a special dish on April 14th, also known as Black Day. The 14th of every month is a special day for Koreans to celebrate. After February 14th, Valentine’s Day, and March 14th, White Day, Black Day celebrates all singles. People wear black clothing and eat black foods, such as Jajangmyeon.
History of Jajangmyeon
Around the end of the 19th century, Chinese immigrants started to settle in what is now Incheon, the port city to the west of Seoul. They mostly settled in the same neighborhood, which has today become popular as Incheon Chinatown, famous for its many Chinese restaurants and shops.
Rumor has it that in 1905, a Chinese restaurant called Gonghwachun started serving Jajangmyeon. It was based on the Chinese dish Zhajiangmian, which literally means fried sauce noodles. This dish originated from the Shandong region, a province in East China. Later, caramel was added to make the dish sweeter to better suit Korean palettes. Nowadays, Gonghwachun is the Jajangmyeon Museum.
In the 1950s, after the Korean War, Jajangmyeon ramen started to gain popularity all over the country. Wheat became cheaply available and the inexpensive dish was very popular among merchants and dock workers. They spread the dish all over Korea. For a long time, Jajangmyeon was seen as a special dish and was only eaten on special celebration days, such as graduation, birthdays, or Children’s day. These days, Jajangmyeon is so cheap and so widely available, that it is said that over 7 million bowls are sold per day in South Korea.
In addition, while the development of the Korean food service market began in 1980, Chinese restaurants that were closely located in the local community started delivering to the local community, founded Korea’s delivery culture and the early days of the food service market.
Jajangmyeon Ingredients
There are special noodles to make Jajangmyeon. These are often quite thick, semi-chewy, and hand-made or machine-pulled. They are made from wheat flour, salt, baking soda, and water.
To make the characteristic black sauce, you need Chunjang. Chunjang is also known as Tianmian sauce and is a thick, smooth black paste made from beans and wheat. Although it is colloquially known as sweet black soybean paste, the sauce is primarily made from fermented wheat flour. Approximately 19 parts of flour versus 1 part of soybean is used to make the sauce. In Chinese restaurants, Chunjang is often served as a side dish in which you can dip raw onions.
The Chunjang paste is fried, after which the other ingredients are added. Often, these include:
- Soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Meat (such as ground pork or beef)
- Seafood (shrimp or squid)
- Scallions
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Vegetables such as onions, zucchini, or cabbage
- Stock
The thick wheat noodles are placed in a large bowl and topped with a rich portion of the Jajang sauce. You can add some extra toppings to the dish, such as:
- Thinly sliced cucumber
- A boiled egg
- Stir-fried bamboo shoots
- Scallions
Types of Jajangmyeon
Over time, many different types of Jajangmyeon developed. Some use different ingredients in the sauce, whereas others switch out the noodles for rice or rice cakes. These days you can also buy instant Jajangmyeon in supermarkets and convenience stores.
1. Ganjajang
Ganjajang (간자장) is very similar to regular Jajangmyeon, but instead of a watery sauce, the sauce is quite “dry”. No stock has been added to the sauce, making it a little more chewy and a little less sauce. 주문이 들어오면 야채와 춘장을 즉석에서 볶아서 나간다.
2. Jaengbanjajang
Jaengbanjajang (쟁반자장) is made by stir-frying the noodles together with the sauce in a wok and serving the entire dish on a plate rather than in a bowl.
3. Samseonjajang
Samseonjajang (삼선자장) incorporates fresh seafood like squid, shrimp, and mussels in the sauce. This gives it a more fresh, tangy flavor.
4. Jajangbap
If you are not a big fan of noodles, you can try Jajangbap (자장밥) instead of Jajangmyeon. Bap literally means rice and Jajangbap is essentially the same as Jajangmyeon, but instead of being served over noodles, the Jajang sauce is served over Korean white rice. This dish is also incredibly popular and served in most Chinese restaurants.
5. Jajang Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki is a dish that is usually made with chewy, soft rice cakes that are stir-fried in a spicy red sauce. Jajang Tteokbokki is those same chewy rice cakes but served with the black Jajang sauce instead.
6. White Jajang
Jajangmyeon is well-known for its black look, but did you know you can also eat white Jajang? Also called Baekjajang (백자장) or Hayanjajang (하얀자장), this dish is made with Korean fermented soybean paste (Doenjang/된장) instead of black soybean paste. The sauce has a characteristic white-brownish color but tastes very similar to regular Jajang sauce. You can find this dish in dedicated restaurants in Incheon Chinatown.
7. Instant Jajang
You can easily order Jajangmyeon at home, but if you want something simple on-the-go, give Instant Jajangmyeon a try! There are many different kinds of instant Jajang you can find in the supermarket, such as the brands Paldo or Samyang. If you are adventurous, you can also try Jjajang Buldakbokkeummyeon – Spicy chicken Jajang – or Chapagetti – Instant Jajang with thin, spaghetti-like noodles.
‘Jjapaguri’, which was introduced in the movie Parasite, is actually Instant Jajangmyeon and cutting beef as a topping.
Best Jajangmyeon in Seoul
It is not hard to find simple Jajangmyeon in Seoul, you can go to almost any Chinese restaurant and find the dish. However, if you are looking for the best Jajangmyeon in Seoul, check these places out! You can also join a food tour, such as the Seoullo 7017: Namdaemun Market & Myeongdong Tasting Tour by Gastro Tour Seoul. This tour takes you past Namdaemun Market and Myeongdong, the best places to go shopping in Seoul. Besides walking through these neighborhoods, you get to try delicious Korean foods, such as classic Jajangmyeon in Myeongdong Chinatown.
1. Donghui-ru
Located in Junggu, Donghui-ru (동회루) serves great handmade noodles and scrumptious Jajang sauce all day long. They also have delicious fried rice and Mapa Dubu to order together.
2. Gaehwa
Located close to the Chinese embassy, Gaehwa (개화) is the go-to place for authentic Korean-Chinese food. The restaurant has been operating for over 50 years, so you are guaranteed the food is great. The Jajang sauce has a very deep soy flavor with small bits of pork to make it the ideal savory Jajang.
3. Sinseonggak
If you love vegetables in your Jajangmyeon, give Sinseonggak (신성각) a try! They have been operating since 1981 and make a Jajang sauce that is chock full of vegetables. The noodles are very silky and light and pair nicely with the fresh sauce.
4. Incheon Chinatown
Yes, we know that this is technically not Seoul, but you can take a subway from Seoul and get to Incheon Chinatown in under an hour! The birthplace of Jajangmyeon is definitely worth a visit. Not only do they sell the most traditional Jajangmyeon in Incheon Chinatown, they also sell many variations, such as White Jajang. Be sure to come early, as lines will form around lunchtime!
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally, Jajangmyeon is made from thick wheat noodles that are topped with Jajang sauce. Jajang sauce is based on Chunjang paste, sweet black soybean paste, mixed with stock, soy sauce, minced meat, and vegetables such as onions and scallions. These days, you can also eat Jajangmyeon that contains seafood, or rice instead of noodles.
Most people describe the taste of Jajangmyeon as sweet and savory at the same time. The onions and black soybean paste have a slightly sweet flavor, but the soy sauce and stock make the dish deliciously savory at the same time. The noodles are thicker than usual and very soft and silky.