Welcome to the first review here on Noodle Journey! I am a total noodle novice, and I recently purchased a shitload of instant noodles from the Internet and I decided to document my experiences trying them and let you know which ones are worth a purchase. Nongshim Shin Ramyun is colloquially referred to on the Internet as Nongshim Red, Shin Red, or some variation thereof. I’ve always had instant noodles in my pantry, but it wasn’t until the Covid pandemic began that I started to explore more high-end offerings. And while most of what I’ll be reviewing will be the first time I’m having it, this is not the case here, and I’m starting with this one for a good reason because it is probably the standard to which I hold all other spicy Korean instant ramyun soups. This is one of the noodles I ordered completely blind one fateful day last year that started me on this path to instant noodle heaven.
The Verdict:
| Product: | Nongshim Shin Ramyun |
| Origin: | South Korea (Manufactured in the USA) |
| Noodle Quality: | 8/10 |
| Spice Level: | 6/10 |
| Overall Score: | 7/10 |
Shin Ramyun is a great place to start with Korean ramyun because while it can be jazzed up with many ingredients that aren’t in the bag, it makes a great meal all on its own without any modifications. Best of all, it’s getting much easier to find than it once was in the United States; I can drive to my local Target and grab one of these for 99 cents, which I couldn’t do at the start of the pandemic. This used to be exclusive to Asian grocery stores in my region, or I would have to suck it up and order them in bulk online. That makes this by far one of the most convenient lunches I can eat.
Inside the package, we’ve got a round package of fried noodles along with two packets: a soup base and a modest pouch of veggies. The veggies are unremarkable but better than nothing.
I actually find the round shape of these noodles to contribute heavily to its convenience factor, because they just fit into microwavable bowls without any fuss, which means I can be a lazy asshole and not have to break out a pot to boil water when I want one of these. But for the sake of this review, we’re going to do this the right way: on the stovetop.
Once cooked, the soup is comforting and aromatic, smelling vaguely of beef broth and red chili. The vegetable package is largely green onion and carrot with some little chunks of mushroom that could be easily mistaken for dehydrated beef, and I swear if I had not read the ingredients before reviewing this I would have said that it actually was beef.
Noodles:
The noodles are perfectly firm and al dente. Nongshim noodles are usually regarded among the best of the best in the instant noodle world and from what I have gathered, I don’t disagree.
- 8/10
Spiciness:
How does the broth taste? Well, it is spicy. If you’re used to those aforementioned 30 cent packages of noodles from your grocery store, then these will surprise you. You will definitely get accustomed to it as you eat, but unless you’re a fiend for spicy food, which full disclosure I am, this will kick you in the tonsils on the first bite. Not bad enough to burn on the way out though.
- 6/10
Overall:
As for the flavor behind the spice, you’ll taste chili, beef stock, garlic, a decent amount but I can never have enough garlic, onion, and a general indistinct umami. The ingredients list bok choy, which is one of my favorite vegetables to accompany soup bowls, but I find it difficult to isolate their flavor. I should mention that I am a supertaster, which can be a cool trick some days and be a shitty curse on other days. What makes this a perfect go-to when you’re scrounging up a meal is that it is an excellent blank slate. You can throw almost anything in this and it will be satisfying. You cannot go wrong adding in scallions, kimchi, an egg cooked to your liking, as long as that liking is somewhere between a soft and medium boil, let’s not get crazy, and even a slice of Spam works very well in this. What? Shut up, I love Spam. Would I buy this again? Absolutely, and I regularly do. It’s cheap, tasty, and versatile, which is an excellent combination.
- 7/10
Continuing the Journey
- If you want to know how Noodle Journey started, check out Noodle Journey: Introduction!
- A great alternative to this flavor is Paldo Namja Ramyun.
- Vegan? Nongshim Shin Ramyun Vegan or Nongshim Shin Ramyun Green might be right up your alley.
- If the spice level in Shin doesn’t do it for you anymore, you might want to graduate to Nongshim Shin Ramyun Red.
Notes since filming:
My first review! I still love this flavor, and you can’t beat how easy it is to find in supermarkets nowadays. Sadly, that 99-cent price point I mentioned in the video is long gone in most stores. I confess that I don’t buy this as regularly as I used to (my main Korean noodle purchases for myself are mostly Shin Black, Shin Green, and Samyang Vegetasty as I write this), but I will forever be grateful to Nongshim for showing me what a quality instant noodle product can be. This one is a great way to get your spice tolerance up to a medium-level, and Shin takes really well to almost any veggies or protein you want to throw into it.
I also mentioned at the beginning how lots of folks call this “Shin Red” but that’s no longer accurate since there’s an actual Shin Red, a super spicy take on this.
