Noodle Journey Episode 142: The Han Kitchen Budae Ramyun

The Han Kitchen Budae Ramyun is the last of the three Han Kitchen products I currently have. Han Kitchen is an Australian company with noodles manufactured in South Korea for global export. You should be able to find this one online as well as in H Mart and other Asian grocery stores. This flavor is their take on budae jjigae, or Korean army stew, a dish born in the 1950s by combining American military base rations like Spam, hot dogs, baked beans, and American cheese with Korean ingredients like kimchi, rice cakes, and gochugaru. It’s a concept I really enjoy, though I know it can be polarizing.

This instant version doesn’t come loaded with all those goodies the way Nongshim’s K-Army Stew did way back when. Instead, it’s more of a hot pot base with dried flakes, and you’re meant to add your own favorite army stew ingredients. Sodium is 1,900 mg (83% of your daily intake). Inside are thick wheat and potato noodles, a soup base with MSG, vegetable protein, garlic, onion, shiitake mushroom, red pepper, kimchi, and anchovy extract, plus a flake packet containing shiitake mushrooms, green onion, bok choy, soy protein, carrot, and red pepper. Compared to Han Kitchen’s Pocha variety, the key differences are powdered kimchi and fish in the broth, which will likely add extra sourness, spiciness, and umami.

When cooked, the broth gave off a strong kimchi chili aroma that I found appealing, though my wife thought it smelled like cat food. Presentation was decent, with chunky mushrooms, soy protein, and visible vegetables. The broth itself was more soup-like than stew-like, thinner than I’d expect from a true budae jjigae.

Noodles:
Same as the other Han Kitchen flavors: thick, chewy, and hearty. They’re among the best Korean instant noodles I’ve had, though I would shorten the cook time for a firmer bite going forward.
• 8/10

Spiciness:
Less spicy than Nongshim’s K-Army Stew and even milder than Han Kitchen’s own Pocha. It sits at a medium level, comparable to but a little under Shin or Jin Ramyun.
• 5/10

Overall:
Flavor-wise, this is a very solid bowl. The broth is salty, savory, and umami-forward with a satisfying chili kick. The anchovy extract works like a powdered fish sauce, not overtly fishy but adding depth. The flakes are high quality; the mushrooms are thick with great texture, and the soy protein had a convincingly beefy bite. But for something sold as a budae jjigae, it feels incomplete. Nongshim’s version included beans, fish cake, and kimchi flakes, while this one relies on a smaller flake packet that doesn’t live up to the “army stew” approach of loading up the broth with toppings. The broth consistency is thinner than I’d like, and the absence of key toppings like kimchi or more substantial garnishes holds it back from a higher score for me. That said, the flavor is still pretty excellent, and I’ll happily finish the four-pack I bought. If Nongshim’s K-Army Stew weren’t available, I’d call this a worthy substitute. But since it is, I don’t see myself buying this one again. It’s a fun product, tasty and well made, but lacking the extra touches that would make it closer to a perfect score.
• 8/10

Notes since filming:

I bungled/reversed the translation of “budae” and “jigae” in this video and got (rightfully) called out on it. Don’t regret your little mistakes and always take the opportunity to learn from them. If you can’t find Nongshim K Army Stew anymore, this is a great alternative!