Noodle Journey Episode 150: Paldo Strawberry Bibimmen

Paldo Strawberry Bibimmen marks a milestone for the channel (Episode 150) and it might be one of the most unexpected instant noodle flavors I’ve ever reviewed. I first noticed it on MyKMarket while browsing for Korean-exclusive Buldak varieties, then forgot about it until a Reddit thread reminded me. The comments there convinced me to buy it for this episode, and it’s a fittingly strange way to celebrate a round-number milestone.

Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 150: Paldo Strawberry Bibimmen

This is a limited edition spring 2024 release from South Korea, and it’s not clear if Paldo will bring it back. For viewers outside Korea, MyKMarket lists a five-pack for about $13.75 plus shipping, and it’s also available on YamiBuy and SayWeee. Each pack contains 1,190 mg of sodium, which is fairly low by instant noodle standards. Inside are Paldo’s standard Bibimmen noodles, a sauce packet, and a separate strawberry powder packet. The main sauce includes sugar, soy sauce, gochujang, mustard, vegetable extract, and apple concentrate, while the strawberry packet is simply powdered strawberry concentrate and artificial flavoring. The separation means you can leave the strawberry out entirely and enjoy the original flavor if you don’t like what the added strawberry powder does to it.

The sauce smells identical to the normal Bibimmen base, with notes of mustard, soy, and apple concentrate. The strawberry powder adds little aroma.

Noodles:
Thin, chewy, and perfectly suited for a cold noodle dish. Identical to the original Bibimmen version.
• 9/10

Spiciness:
Moderate, about the same as the base product. The strawberry neither dulls nor adds to the heat.
• 3/10

Overall:
The original Bibimmen sauce has always been an intricate balance of salty, sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors, and the strawberry twist surprisingly keeps that intact. The powder adds a faint extra layer of tartness that complements rather than clashes with the apple concentrate. It’s subtle, barely noticeable on the first bite but clearer once the flavors meld. The result feels more like a thoughtful fusion than a gimmick, much closer to pairing fruit with savory ingredients than to a candy-like flavor experiment. This limited edition is a fun, oddball variation that manages to respect what made the original great. I don’t necessarily think it’s an improvement, but it’s equally enjoyable and genuinely interesting. Even if the strawberry flavor isn’t for you, you still end up with a five-pack of excellent Bibimmen noodles.
• 9/10

Notes since filming:

Even with all of the off-the-wall flavors Nissin has come out with in their American Cup Noodles, this might still be the strangest flavor I’ve reviewed. What’s stranger is how unexpectedly good it is! If this one ever comes back seasonally and you can find it, you should definitely give it a whirl.