Today, let’s learn about cooking jajangmyeon at home! This popular Korean/Chinese dish will be perfect for the whole family.
About the South of Seoul ‘A Year to Learn Korean Cooking’ Series
Many of us live in South Korea for only a year. The time flies past faster than we can imagine. At South of Seoul, we decided to create a simple series that will offer 2-4 dishes to learn each month so that when you leave South Korea you have a slew of new dishes you feel comfortable making anywhere.
This series is a collaboration with Kimchi Rednecks. In 2020 they created the first blog in this series Online Resources for Learning to Cook Korean Food. These two love to have adventures in the kitchen and share the results with their community. Be sure to follow Kimchi Rednecks on YouTube for other great videos about living life in South Korea.
About Jajangmyeon
Jajangmyeon 자장면 (or jjajangmyeon 짜장면) a noodle dish topped with a rich and thick black bean sauce comprised of diced pork, vegetables and chunjang (Korean black bean paste). Often referred to as noodles in black bean sauce, this dish is a huge part of the Korean Chinese food culture, along with jjampong (spicy seafood soup) and tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork).
The dish first became known in Korea at a Chinese restaurant, Gonghwachun, in Incheon’s Chinatown back in 1905. Run by an immigrant from China, the restaurant became the home of the Jajangmyeon Museum today. The term jajang (자장 or 짜장) means “fried sauce” and Myeon (면) means noodles. It is not uncommon to see it spelled as jajangmyeon or jjajangmyeon.
The dish started with a very earthy flavor and over time Korea has added a bit of sweetness to it. Depending upon the location you get jajangmyeon, the flavor profile varies.
This dish is also often featured in many popular Korean dramas. Also, there is a holiday in Korea known as Black Day (April 14). On this day, single people get together to enjoy a meal of jajangmyeon to empathize with each other over their lack of a romantic relationship.
Biggest Hurdle Making Jajangmyeon
Chunjang paste is the essential ingredient for jajangmyeon. Fermented soybeans, flour and caramel comprise this rich black bean paste. The biggest challenge when making jajangmyeon is the bitter flavor in the chunjang. Therefore, frying the paste in a small amount of oil and sugar helps to bring about the savory flavor and reduce bitterness. In additon, some cooks use plum extract or honey to bring out a bit of sweetness instead of sugar.
Four Recommended Jajangmyeon Videos to Watch
This dish packs a great deal of umami to it. It is incredibly easy to find this dish in restaurants or have it delivered to your door in Korea. However, there are also many instant versions of jajangmyeon on the market as well to make it quick and easy.
Ready to cook your own? Watch these four versions of jajangmyeon and then make one of your own!
Korean American Jajangmyeon
Korean Jajangmyeon
Americans in Korea Jajangmyeon
Let Us Know How It Turns Out
When you make jajangmyeon for the first time at home, be sure to leave a comment and let us know how it went! If you are looking for other dishes (Korean or otherwise) or reviews of restaurants, be sure to check out the KimchiRednecks channel or check out our social media accounts on Facebook or Instagram, where we often share what we are cooking or eating.
Read more in our Year to Learn Korean Cooking Series
The KimchiRednecks channel was created in September 2018 by Chuck Whittington and Melissa Edwards-Whittington. They moved to Korea in July 2017 with their three Shih Tzu daughters, Sookie, Minion, and Mayhem.
The YouTube channel started as a way to share their lives here with their friends and families back in the states. They both have a deep love for Korean culture, people, and food and love being able to share that with others.
Chuck Whittington graduated from Francis Marion University with a Bachelors in Information Systems Management. He has worked in Information Technology roles for over 20 years. Chuck has always had an interest in Korea and has traveled here many times in the past.
Melissa Edwards-Whittington graduated from Mid-Atlantic Christian University with a Bachelors in Bible and a Minor in Elementary Education. She has worked in various roles in customer service and marketing over the years.
The YouTube channel has many interests just like they do because it is an extension of their lives here in Korea. You will often find videos on their channel about daily life in Korea, cooking, foodie adventures, traveling and exploring, computer and tech pursuits, gaming, and working on the Subaru BRZ.
Over the years, many of their friends have joined them for their videos and adventures because they enjoy sharing their lives with those around them. In addition, they add new interests from time to time, like making moonshine in Korea.
Life is about growing and changing, and the longer the KimchiRednecks live in Korea, the more they learn to love this country and culture and all it has to offer.