Soup & stew
Budae-jjigae
Army Base Stew
A bubbling 'army stew' of kimchi, sausage, Spam, and ramyeon noodles — a spicy, hearty shared pot.
Budae-jjigae, literally 'army base stew,' was born in the lean years after the Korean War, when cooks combined surplus American provisions — Spam, hot dogs, baked beans — with kimchi and gochujang into a spicy communal pot. What started as making-do has become a beloved comfort food, simmered tableside on a portable burner and shared among friends. Instant ramyeon noodles and a slice of processed cheese are dropped in near the end, and the whole thing is meant to be eaten slowly as it cooks down and intensifies. It's rich, salty, spicy, and unapologetically a group dish — perfect with drinks. Uijeongbu, home to old U.S. bases, is its spiritual capital.
✦ Tastypinch tip
Fish out sausage, Spam, and noodles with chopsticks; keep the spoon for the spicy broth.
How to eat it
- Let it simmer on the burner; eat from the edges as ingredients cook through.
- Add the ramyeon noodles when the broth is hot and eat them before they overcook.
- Ladle into your own bowl and eat with rice; refill from the shared pot.
Common mistakes
- Don't add the noodles too early — they turn to mush in the hot pot.
- It's a sharing dish; order it for two or more, not as a solo meal.
Where to try it
- Budae-jjigae specialty restaurants
- Uijeongbu, famous for its 'budae-jjigae street'
- Popular with after-work drinking groups
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