Noodle Journey Episode 162: Ottogi Kongguksu

Summer’s here, and with it comes the perfect time for cold noodle dishes. Today’s review features Ottogi Kongguksu, a Korean instant noodle that swaps hot broth for a chilled soy milk soup. It’s something I’ve never tried before, and from a Western perspective, the concept is strange – soy milk and noodles in a cold broth – but that’s exactly why I had to check it out.

Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 162: Ottogi Kongguksu

I found this on RamenMall for $12.99 for a four-pack, and it occasionally pops up on other Korean import sites or even local Asian grocery stores. Kongguksu, for those unfamiliar (me included prior to reviewing this), is a summer specialty in Korea: thin wheat noodles served in a creamy, cold soy broth that’s supposed to be refreshing when the heat’s unbearable. This instant version contains 1,100 mg of sodium per pack and comes with Ottogi’s familiar wheat-and-potato-starch noodles, plus a powdered soy broth mix. The ingredients list includes soybeans, milk, sugar, salt, corn powder, peanut powder, sesame, and black sesame seeds, so it’s definitely not vegan and clearly leans toward a slightly sweet profile. While cooking, the powder releases a mild peanut and corn aroma that’s pleasant at first, though thick and lumpy if not mixed well. The broth forms quickly, turning pale beige and creamy once stirred.

Noodles:
Medium gauge and chewy, similar to Ottogi’s other products like Jin Ramen, but they feel too heavy for a dish that’s supposed to be delicate and cold. They’re slightly gummy and could have used a thinner cut to match the style of the broth. Good noodles objectively, but maybe not appropriate in this context.
• 7/10

Spiciness:
There’s none to speak of; this one’s entirely spice-free.
• 0/10

Overall:
Maybe it’s just my palate to blame here, but I find that Ottogi Kongguksu is an ambitious but disappointing experiment. The broth is thick and creamy but shockingly bland, offering only faint sesame and peanut notes with barely any umami or depth. Mercifully, the sweetness stays subtle and doesn’t overpower, but that’s about the best thing going for it. The texture is fine, and it’s certainly refreshing when cold, but there’s no flavor payoff for me, it’s just sesame-flavored milk. This might work as a base if you add your own vegetables, eggs, or seasonings, but as sold, it’s incomplete and dull to the point where I just don’t want to waste any vegetables or protein on it. It’s the kind of product you can tell has potential but needs serious help to get there.
• 2.5/10

Notes since filming:

I’ve seen some faint praise of this product since filming where people have said, “It’s so refreshing!” While that may be true, I just could not get into this. The flavor is minimal and bland, and I’m sure I could’ve figured out a way to make it taste better, but I had better things to do that day.