flipJjapaguri (ram-don) with hanwoo beef
Jjapaguri (ram-don) with hanwoo beef
Why this dish? This dish became world-famous thanks to Parasite (2019), Bong Joon-ho's Palme d'Or and Oscar-winning film: the rich mother orders it at the last minute, and the housekeeper prepares it in a panic. It's a mix of two packets of Korean instant noodles, topped with luxurious hanwoo beef — the very symbol of the social contrast dear to the filmmaker.
An unlikely marriage of two Korean instant noodles — one with black bean sauce (jjapaghetti), the other spicy udon-style (neoguri) — combined in a single bowl and crowned with pan-fried cubes of hanwoo beef. The fridge-raid dish, transformed into a feast.
When I imagined that scene, I wanted a dish that every Korean knows by heart, but elevated by an outrageously expensive piece of beef: childhood comfort and luxury in the same bowl. That's social fracture, on a simple kitchen table. Don't translate 'jjapaguri' into English — call it ram-don, otherwise the world won't understand a thing, but keep the hanwoo beef, that's the whole point of the joke.
- •Instant noodles with black bean sauce (jjapaghetti) — one packet (sweet and umami base)
- •Spicy instant noodles (neoguri) — one packet (heat and seafood flavor)
- •Hanwoo beef (sirloin) — one nice piece (luxurious signature)
- •Green onion — a few stalks (finish)
Jjapaguri (ram-don) with hanwoo beef
An unlikely marriage of two Korean instant noodles — one with black bean sauce (jjapaghetti), the other spicy udon-style (neoguri) — combined in a single bowl and crowned with pan-fried cubes of hanwoo beef. The fridge-raid dish, transformed into a feast.
Why this dish? This dish became world-famous thanks to Parasite (2019), Bong Joon-ho's Palme d'Or and Oscar-winning film: the rich mother orders it at the last minute, and the housekeeper prepares it in a panic. It's a mix of two packets of Korean instant noodles, topped with luxurious hanwoo beef — the very symbol of the social contrast dear to the filmmaker.
When I imagined that scene, I wanted a dish that every Korean knows by heart, but elevated by an outrageously expensive piece of beef: childhood comfort and luxury in the same bowl. That's social fracture, on a simple kitchen table. Don't translate 'jjapaguri' into English — call it ram-don, otherwise the world won't understand a thing, but keep the hanwoo beef, that's the whole point of the joke.
Ingredients (period version)
- Instant noodles with black bean sauce (jjapaghetti) — one packet (sweet and umami base)
- Spicy instant noodles (neoguri) — one packet (heat and seafood flavor)
- Hanwoo beef (sirloin) — one nice piece (luxurious signature)
- Green onion — a few stalks (finish)
Ingredients
- Packet of jjapaghetti noodles (black bean sauce) — 1 (sweet and umami base)
- Packet of neoguri noodles (spicy) — 1 (heat and seafood base)
- Beef sirloin (ideally marbled) — 150 g, cubed (luxurious signature)
- Neutral oil — 1 tbsp (searing the beef)
- Green onion — 1 stalk, sliced (finish)
- Water — as per packet instructions (cooking the noodles)
Method
- Cut the beef into cubes and sear quickly in a pan, just rosy; set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook both noodle blocks together for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Reserve half a ladle of cooking water, then drain the noodles.
- Return the noodles to the pot off the heat, add both sauce packets and the reserved water, mix until coated.
- Use only part of the neoguri spicy powder to control the heat.
- Plate in a large bowl, place the seared beef in the center, sprinkle with green onion, and serve immediately.
How it was made : Instant ramyeon arrived in Korea in the 1960s and became a popular staple. The 'mix' of two brands to create a new taste was a practice among students and families long before the film — Bong Joon-ho merely filmed a real habit, adding beef as a class marker.
The contemporary twist : Serve it in a designer bowl with the beef arranged in a rosette: the contrast between the €1 noodle and the premium meat is the whole point of the dish, just like in the film.
Sources : Bong Joon-ho, interviews around Parasite (2019-2020) · CJ ENM / Nongshim, official ram-don recipes
Bong Joon-ho · Charactorium
