Today, I’ll be reviewing Ottogi’s new spicy ramyeon product, Mayeol Ramyeon, from the “Yeol=熱” (Heat) series.
Recently, spicy ramyeon has become a trend, and major Korean ramyeon companies have been rolling out their spicy lines one after another.
Companies that already had spicy lines are also launching new variations, and today’s featured Mayeol Ramyeon is another version of Ottogi’s spiciest ramyeon, “Yeol Ramyeon.”
Introduction to Ottogi Mayeol Ramyeon
When looking at Ottogi’s ramyeon line, the most representative is the Jin Ramyeon series.
Jin Ramyeon Mild seems almost like it’s specifically for the Japanese market, while domestically, Jin Ramyeon Spicy is more of a standard for Ottogi’s ramyeon.
About 25 years ago, the spicy ramyeon craze wasn’t as intense as it is today, but spicy instant noodles were gaining popularity, prompting major companies to release new products.
One of Ottogi’s entries was “Yeol Ramyeon.”
I still vividly remember the time this ramyeon was released—gathering at a friend’s house, faces turning red as we ate the spicy noodles together.
The name Yeol Ramyeon includes the Chinese character for “heat” (熱), emphasizing the spiciness.
However, I didn’t particularly prefer or eat this ramyeon often, since back then I wondered why a noodle needed to be this spicy.
Now, a new version of that Yeol Ramyeon, called Mayeol Ramyeon, has been released.
The boy who once struggled with the heat has now grown into an adult who has tasted the bitter, sweet, and strange flavors of life, and here I am facing this ramyeon again, but in a different version.
On the front of the package, there is an image decorated with red pepper flakes, garlic, black pepper, and shiitake mushrooms. It says the spiciness comes from garlic, pepper, and chili.
At first, I thought the name “Mayeol” was referring to the “ma” (麻) in “mala” (used in Sichuan cuisine), but upon closer look, it’s highlighting the character “마” from 마늘 (garlic). So, it seems they named it Mayeol Ramyeon because of the garlic.
Aside from the usual noodles, powdered soup, and dried vegetable flakes, there’s a small but significant packet labeled “The Key to the Flavor!”—a garlic and pepper block wrapped in black packaging.
I opened each packet and poured them into a small dish.
The powdered soup was a more vibrant red than I expected, and the dried flakes, aside from green onions and carrots, looked rather ambiguous.
Then, I opened the garlic and pepper block and placed it on a plate, releasing a strong garlic and pepper aroma.
Now, let’s check the cooking instructions and start cooking.
The cooking instructions say to add the dried flakes to 550 ml of water first, and bring it to a boil.
Then, add the powdered soup and noodles and cook for an additional 4 minutes.
Finally, after cooking, add the garlic pepper block and stir well before eating.
The sodium content is noted to be 1,750 mg below the cooking instructions, which is about average for ramyeon.
Just like when I reviewed Shin Ramyun The Red, I noticed that the spicier versions don’t necessarily have higher sodium content.
This time too, I followed the instructions exactly as written.
Taste and smell of Ottogi Mayeol Ramyeon
I measured the exact amount of water and set a timer while cooking.
The lighting was white, so the color didn’t come through perfectly in the photos, but the broth was more appetizingly red than I had expected.
It had a strong pepper aroma along with a subtle garlic scent.
The flavor was rich, with the umami of beef seasoning and a slightly sweet beef taste.
With the addition of strong pepper and garlic notes, it became a very intense and stimulating broth reminiscent of Yukgaejang (spicy beef soup).
Regarding the spiciness, I had wanted to mention this ever since garlic and pepper were listed as the sources of heat.
As many who cook often know, once garlic is cooked, all of its spiciness disappears.
Even when eaten raw, the initial spiciness can build up the more you eat, but it’s a more tingling heat rather than outright spiciness.
As for pepper, you really need to eat about a spoonful of it to genuinely feel its heat.
So, what am I getting at?
While both of these ingredients are excellent for enhancing the flavor and aroma of ramyeon, I don’t think they are particularly effective for increasing spiciness.
The same thought occurred to me while tasting Mayeol Ramyeon—compared to Yeol Ramyeon, I didn’t find it significantly spicier.
However, if you enjoy the strong aroma of pepper and garlic, and the slightly sweet beef broth, I think you’ll find this ramyeon quite satisfying.
It’s just right for pairing with soju. Considering the combination of garlic and pepper, adding a sausage would make it perfect.
Ingredients and Nutrition of Ottogi Mayeol Ramyeon
Ingredients
Noodles: Wheat flour (USA, Australia), modified starch, palm oil (Malaysia), potato starch (Denmark, France, Germany, etc.), gluten, refined salt, vegetable flavor liquid, eggshell powder, seasoned garlic extract, emulsified oil, noodle additive (acidity regulator), defatted sesame powder, green tea flavored oil, vitamin B2.
Soup packets: Garlic pepper block {garlic (Jeju), black pepper (Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc.)}, chili flavor base, chili powder, concentrated yeast powder, soy sauce powder, soy sauce base, mushroom and vegetable seasoning powder, seasoned broth powder, signature spicy seasoning, compound seasoning powder, chili flavor powder, beef umami seasoning powder, seasoned beef powder, flavor enhancer, pepper powder, roasted broth powder, pickled chili stir-fry powder, spicy chili seasoning powder, refined salt, glucose, sugar, roasted garlic powder, roasted seasoning powder, defatted sesame powder, chili extract, nutritional supplement, Cheongyang chili extract powder, hot chili extract, acidity regulator, dried young napa cabbage, dried green onion, shredded carrot, dried shiitake mushroom, dried chili flakes.
Nutrition Facts
Total weight: 120g / 510 kcal
Sodium: 1,750 mg, Carbohydrates: 78g, Sugars: 5g, Fat: 16g, Trans fat: 0g, Saturated fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Protein: 13g, Calcium: 239mg.
Conclusion
So today, I reviewed Ottogi’s new spicy lineup product, Mayeol Ramyeon.
While it isn’t necessarily spicier than Yeol Ramyeon, I found it to be more stimulating and rich in flavor, with a more complex taste compared to the original Yeol Ramyeon.
I never thought of Yeol Ramyeon as anything special, but Mayeol Ramyeon’s garlic and pepper flavors made it stand out compared to other ramyeons.
In particular, the synergy between sausage and garlic pepper was fantastic, so I think adding a sausage while cooking it would be a great idea.
I have a feeling that if I try it with a sausage, I might end up craving it more often.
I could see myself cooking one as a side dish and having a few shots of soju—maybe even finishing off two bottles easily.
That wraps up today’s review.
Bye~ Bye~