Nongshim Zha Wang Review | Noodle Journey Episode 151
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Nongshim Zha Wang Review | Noodle Journey Episode 151

I’m diving back into the world of black bean sauce noodles, this time with a twist. Nongshim Zha Wang promises an oyster-flavored sauce that builds on the classic jjajang base but introduces a new depth and texture. It stands apart from Chapagetti (the first black bean noodle I ever reviewed) by aiming for something richer and more complex. Given my mixed history with Chapagetti and how strong some other brands like Paldo and Samyang have been, I’m curious to see whether this can step up and deliver something different.

Paldo Strawberry Bibimmen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 150
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Paldo Strawberry Bibimmen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 150

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.

Samyang Sutah Ramen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 149
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Samyang Sutah Ramen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 149

Samyang Sutah Ramen is another product from Samyang that isn’t part of their Buldak line but still aims to satisfy fans of spicy Korean noodle soups. Before trying it, I tried to find out what “Sutah” means and couldn’t locate much official information beyond an old 2011 review on The Ramen Rater's website. In that review’s comments, a reader explained that Sutah comes from Chinese characters meaning “hit by hands,” implying a handmade noodle style, though the noodles here are machine-made like most others. It seems Samyang is using the name to emphasize noodle quality rather than literal production methodology.

Samyang Tangle Kimchi Rosé Tangluccine Review | Noodle Journey Episode 147
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Samyang Tangle Kimchi Rosé Tangluccine Review | Noodle Journey Episode 147

Samyang Tangle Kimchi Rosé Tangluccine is the second entry in Samyang’s “Tangle” fusion line, following the excellent Bulgogi Alfredo from Episode 122. I’ve been looking for this one for months, and it’s been a hot item since release, so I was excited to finally track it down. This series reimagines Korean flavors through Italian-style pasta using wide, air-dried noodles that resemble fettuccine.

Nongshim Kimchi Noodle Soup Review | Noodle Journey Episode 146
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Nongshim Kimchi Noodle Soup Review | Noodle Journey Episode 146

After a surprisingly not horrible experience with Mike’s Mighty Good Kimchi Ramen, I wanted to see what a company that actually makes decent noodles could do with the same concept. Nongshim Kimchi Noodle Soup seems like the perfect follow-up, since I’ve already made it clear how much I love both kimchi and Nongshim’s products in general. This one feels like a natural fit with their other products.

Top 10 Instant Noodles (2024) | Noodle Journey
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Top 10 Instant Noodles (2024) | Noodle Journey

I recently hit the milestone of 1,000 subscribers, and to celebrate, I’m finally compiling the first-ever Noodle Journey Top 10 Instant Noodles list. Over the course of this channel, I’ve reviewed a massive variety of noodles, but these ten are the absolute best-in-class for their categories, in my humble opinion. These are the varieties that blew me away when I tried them and that I keep stocked regularly in my pantry for when I’m not filming reviews. This list is in no particular order. These are simply the major varieties that are easily obtainable and represent the pinnacle of my own instant noodle universe in 2024.

Samyang Buldak Tom Yum Ramen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 143
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Samyang Buldak Tom Yum Ramen Review | Noodle Journey Episode 143

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.

The Han Kitchen Budae Ramyun Review | Noodle Journey Episode 142
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The Han Kitchen Budae Ramyun Review | Noodle Journey Episode 142

The Han Kitchen Budae Ramyun is the last of the three Han Kitchen products I currently have. Han Kitchen is an Australian company with noodles manufactured in South Korea for global export. You should be able to find this one online as well as in H Mart and other Asian grocery stores. This flavor is their take on budae jjigae, or Korean army stew, a dish born in the 1950s by combining American military base rations like Spam, hot dogs, baked beans, and American cheese with Korean ingredients like kimchi, rice cakes, and gochugaru. It’s a concept I really enjoy, though I know it can be polarizing.

The Han Kitchen Pocha Ramyun Review | Noodle Journey Episode 141
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The Han Kitchen Pocha Ramyun Review | Noodle Journey Episode 141

The Han Kitchen Pocha Ramyun is the second of three products from The Han Kitchen I’m reviewing. Han Kitchen is an Australian brand owned by ByAsia, with its noodles manufactured in South Korea and now starting to show up more often in the U.S. I found a four-pack at Yamibuy for $5.99, and they’re also available in H Mart and other Asian markets. This is my first time seeing “pocha” used on a noodle product, and after some digging I learned it’s short for "pojangmacha," which means a tent or stall that sells street food in South Korea. The name doesn’t describe the flavor directly - no tents were ground into powder to make this broth - but according to Han Kitchen, this is their take on a spicy red ramyun soup in the same vein as Nongshim Shin or Ottogi Jin.

The Han Kitchen Gomtang Ramyun Review | Noodle Journey Episode 140
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The Han Kitchen Gomtang Ramyun Review | Noodle Journey Episode 140

The Han Kitchen Gomtang Ramyun is a milky beef bone soup with thick, chewy Korean noodles. I’m starting a trilogy of reviews from this relative newcomer to American markets because I want these on the books as they start popping up in more places. It’s been a long time since the Paldo Premium Gomtang review back in Episode 6, so this is a good chance to see how another take on gomtang measures up.