Noodle Journey Episode 143: Samyang Buldak Tom Yum Ramen

Samyang Buldak Tom Yum is hot off the presses, launching in the U.S. in January 2024. I may even be the first to do a full review of it on YouTube, since I couldn’t find any others when I filmed. While Buldak varieties pop up constantly in other countries, like Basil Cream Udon in Korea or Yakisoba in Australia, this Tom Yum flavor is, at least for now, exclusive to the U.S. market. I picked mine up from RamenMall for $1.99 a pack, though stock has been fluctuating quickly. At the time of this review, it hasn’t hit stores near me yet, but it should roll out to Asian groceries and other online sellers soon.

Tom Yum itself is a Thai hot and sour soup, flavored with lemongrass, lime, ginger, chili peppers, and often paired with proteins like shrimp, chicken, or pork. I really like Tom Yum and have reviewed versions before, including Ramen Talk’s excellent one and Mama’s various delicious renditions. For Samyang, though, this is a first dive into those flavors. Sodium lands at 1,880 mg, about 82% of your daily intake. Inside are the familiar flat Buldak noodles, a sauce packet with sugar, MSG, soy sauce, garlic, and artificial chicken flavor, a Tom Yum powder packet with yeast extract, soy protein, anchovies, lime, vinegar, dried shrimp, tuna, coconut, and even kimchi, plus a flake packet of bok choy, cabbage, and carrot.

When I opened the Tom Yum powder, a strong lemongrass aroma came through immediately. Stirred in, it completely changed the aroma of the broth from something close to Buldak Stew into a citrusy Tom Yum profile, with hints of lime and cilantro specks floating around.

Noodles:
The flat Buldak noodles are some of my favorite Korean noodles. Their shape gives them a bouncier chew and more surface area than the standard round stir-fry style.
• 9/10

Spiciness:
Not mild by any means, but not as intense as the classic black-pack Buldak. It settles around a medium-high heat for me.
• 6.5/10

Overall:
This is one of the most distinctive Buldak flavors I’ve had. The broth is thick, oily, and red, but instead of the usual smokiness and sweetness, citrus notes dominate. Lemongrass, lime, and ginger give it a bright, sour punch. There is a slight artificial edge to the citrus, like the kind of lime powder seasoning you might find on tortilla chips, but I think it works well enough without being distracting. The cilantro flakes are noticeable, so if you strongly dislike cilantro, this probably isn’t for you. Despite fish and coconut listed in the ingredients, I didn’t pick up much of either, likely relegated to background umami. This isn’t much like a real tom yum but more of a Korean-Thai fusion, but despite that, I think the broth is tasty as hell. The weak link here is the flake packet, which feels like an afterthought. Tiny pieces of carrot, cabbage, and bok choy add little flavor or texture. It’s disappointing considering how bold the broth is, and Samyang really could have elevated this with better flakes. Even so, everything else works. The sour flavor profile is robust in a way that sets it apart from the rest of the Buldak line. This is an excellent five-pack to work through, and one I’ll be keeping on hand as long as it’s available.
• 9/10

Notes since filming:

Here’s another variety I will defend on Reddit frequently. The common complaint is that it doesn’t taste like “authentic” tom yum and that Mama’s tom yum is better. While its authenticity may be a valid critique, it doesn’t change the fact that this I think this is delicious, and its existence in no way invalidates Mama’s existence, or vice versa. I buy Buldak Tom Yum and Mama Tom Yum to scratch different itches.

I have no problem calling out a product when it isn’t authentic to what’s on the label, but if it’s delicious on its own merits then that is certainly worth a good score. That’s the case with this flavor from Samyang: it’s certainly more of a Korean-inspired take on tom yum than an authentic tom yum (you only need to look at the kimchi in the ingredients to see that that’s the case), but that doesn’t make your experience any less valid if you enjoy the flavor of this.