Samyang Buldak Sweet Ramen is a bowl-only (currently) Buldak product aimed squarely at people who like the flavor of Buldak sauce but find the original versions a little too intense. This bowl released around the same time as the Taco flavor and not long before Samyang introduced “Swicy,” a very similar-looking but still distinct product. Sweet is positioned as a toned-down, slightly sweeter take on the classic hot chicken sauce rather than a major departure from the formula.
The Verdict:
| Product: | Samyang Buldak Sweet Ramen |
| Origin: | South Korea (Export to the USA) |
| Noodle Quality: | 5.5/10 |
| Spice Level: | 3/10 |
| Overall Score: | 6.5/10 |
The image on the bowl lid is a little deceptive, with promotional images suggesting icing and sprinkles on the noodles. None of that is actually included. What you get here is a bowl of noodles and a single sauce packet designed to deliver a milder, sweeter version of Buldak sauce. It’s intended to be more approachable without abandoning the core flavor profile.
This bowl is widely available at Asian grocery stores in the US and through online retailers. Sodium for the entire bowl comes in at 930mg, which is fairly reasonable for a Buldak product. There are 6g of added sugar, which is worth noting given the “sweet” branding. The sauce contains familiar Buldak ingredients including red pepper, habanero extract, soy, garlic, sugar, and milk, making it non-vegan. The bowl can be prepared by microwave or steeping; for this review, it’s prepared using the steeping method so the sauce remains as concentrated as possible.
Noodles:
These are standard Buldak bowl noodles, and they’re a noticeable downgrade from the thick, chewy noodles used in the pack versions. They’re soft, thin, and lack backbone, serving mainly as a vehicle for the sauce rather than contributing much on their own. They’re functional, but disappointing compared to what Buldak fans are used to from the packs.
• 5.5/10
Spiciness:
This is easily the mildest Buldak flavor available, but it’s still spicy. Anyone completely spice-averse will still feel the heat. The burn lingers, just at a much lower intensity than other Buldak varieties. It’s approachable, not tame.
• 3/10
Overall:
The sauce keeps most of what makes Buldak appealing. It’s savory, slightly sweet, and faintly smoky, with a touch of added creaminess from the milk. It lacks the curry-spice complexity found in the original hot chicken flavor and instead settles into a straightforward sweet-savory profile. While the reduced heat makes it more accessible, it doesn’t introduce much that feels new, and the weaker noodle quality holds it back. If the noodles were better, this would land higher. As it stands, it delivers familiar Buldak flavor with significantly less heat and noticeably worse texture.
• 6.5/10
