Noodle Journey Episode 164: Samyang Buldak Mala Ramen

Today’s review is something special: Samyang Buldak Mala Ramen, a flavor that many fans thought had vanished forever. Several years ago, this variety disappeared without warning all across the globe, leaving fans (and there were many) wondering if it would ever return. It was one of the most beloved Buldak flavors, blending the familiar heat of Samyang’s Hot Chicken with the numbing, herbal punch of Sichuan peppercorn. For years, social media threads and Reddit posts kept asking the same question – “What happened to Buldak Mala?” After years of speculation, I can finally answer that question: it’s back, just not where you’d expect.

Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 164: Samyang Buldak Mala Ramen

Samyang quietly resumed production of Buldak Mala in Indonesia under their Samyang Green banding, a Halal-certified range that’s exclusive to that market. Against all odds, this is the same flavor in the same pillow pack design with new regional labeling. Tracking it down was not easy. I had to reach out to a contact in Indonesia to obtain this package for review, since it’s not officially exported anywhere else. If you’re determined to buy it yourself, you may have luck with Indonesian e-commerce sites, third-party proxies, or occasionally on eBay and Shopee. It’s not confirmed whether this newer version is distributed outside of Indonesia, but this is the only one I could verify so far.

Before diving in, it’s worth revisiting what mala actually means. Mala sauce originates in Chinese Sichuan cuisine and combines chili peppers, fermented bean paste, star anise, fennel, and Sichuan peppercorns to create a unique flavor that’s spicy, floral, and numbing all at once. The original Buldak Mala was often mislabeled as “4X spicy,” but the official Scoville rating was around 2,700, roughly 30% of Buldak 2X. This Indonesian reissue is confirmed at 4,400 Scoville units, equal to the regular black-packaged Hot Chicken flavor, giving it a much more pronounced heat profile, even though it’s nowhere near the inaccurate “4X” moniker it got stuck with. I also confirmed through side-by-side ingredient comparison that this new Indonesian version isn’t identical to the original Korean release. In addition to the amped-up spice level, this Indonesian recipe uses artificial chicken powder in the ingredients, while the original version had artificial beef powder. At 1,490 mg of sodium, it’s actually less salty than most Buldak products while still packing serious heat.

Inside the pack are Samyang’s standard round noodles, a thick sauce packet, and a flake packet containing dried cabbage, carrots, bok choy, soy protein “beef” pieces, and mushrooms. The sauce features soy sauce, sugar, artificial chicken flavoring, chili pepper, onion, garlic, star anise, fennel, and coriander. While the ingredients are printed in Indonesian, translation suggests this version might be vegan in addition to Halal, though that’s not something I would officially confirm using just Google Lens. During cooking, the sauce releases a heady floral aroma, mainly that star anise, fennel, and peppercorn combination, creating that signature mala scent that fills the kitchen with a mix of heat and spice.

Noodles:
Standard Samyang noodles, thick, chewy, and substantial. They hold up perfectly against the sauce and carry just the right amount of heat and oil.
• 8/10

Spiciness:
Hot, numbing, and satisfying. It hits the same Scoville level as the classic Hot Chicken flavor but adds that distinct tingling sensation from the Sichuan peppercorn.
• 8/10

Overall:
This is one of the best Buldak varieties Samyang has ever made. The combination of numbing mala spice and deep soy umami is addictive, perfectly balancing heat with herbal complexity. The herbs work together to give a floral, licorice-like edge that contrasts well with the savory sauce. The soy protein “beef” pieces and mushrooms add great texture, even if the flake packet could be more generous. For those who loved the original, this revival lives up to the legend. It’s fiery, aromatic, and packed with character. If you enjoy the thrill of Sichuan spice and can handle Samyang’s heat, this is absolutely worth importing.
• 9.5/10