How Hot is 2x Spicy Samyang Ramen? Will the Spiciest Ramen in the World have you in tears?

What is Samyang Ramen?

Samyang is a Korean company that specializes in spicy chicken and ramen noodles. The Korean brand is a staple in Asian countries, especially South Korea where it's sold at every corner store. Their Buldak ramen line is their most popular.

Buldak in Korean means ‘fire chicken’, which precisely foreshadows what’s to come from eating their ramen. The Samyang Buldak Ramen, a collection of Korean spicy noodles, include:

Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Ramen
Samyang 2x Spicy Buldak Ramen
Samyang Buldak Cheese Ramen
Samyang Buldak Carbonara Ramen
Samyang Buldak Jjajang Ramen
Samyang Buldak Stew Ramen
Samyang Buldak Curry Ramen
Samyang Buldak Corn Ramen

How is Spiciness Measured?

The first thing to note is that there are two types of hotness when it comes to spicy foods: the heat factor and the burn factor.

Heat Factor
The heat factor is how much capsaicin there is in your food; this is what determines how spicy it tastes. Capsaicin is the chemical compound responsible for producing pain and inflammation when you eat something spicy.
Burn Factor
The burn factor, on the other hand, refers to how long your mouth will feel like it's burning after eating something hot; this is caused by capsaicin binding to receptors in your mouth that send signals to your brain saying “we're on fire!”

Which Samyang Ramen is the Spiciest?

Samyang 2X Spicy Buldak Ramen (불닭밤알) is a spicy red variety of Samyang’s popular original Buldak Ramyun. The brand has been around for over 30 years and is one of the leading producers of instant noodles in South Korea.

The original Buldak Ramyun, which means ‘fire chicken’ in Korean, features a chicken-based broth with a spicy kick. It has become so popular that it’s now exported to over 60 countries around the world.

Samyang 2X Spicy Buldak Ramen follows in this tradition but ups the ante with twice as much heat being crowned as the hottest Samyang ramen. It comes with an extra packet of chili powder on top for those who want to crank up the heat even more.

How Hot is 2x Spicy Samyang Ramen?

The original Samyang Buldak Ramen has a spicy level of 4,404 Scoville units and the Samyang 2X Spicy version has a spiciness level of 10,000 Scoville units. At 10,000 Scoville units, the Samyang 2X Spicy Buldak Ramen is equivalent to the spiciness of a serrano pepper.

This is not a spicy noodle soup for the faint of heart (or stomach), but if you're looking for an extra-spicy meal, it's worth a try.

Samyang 2X Spicy Buldak Ramen Ingredients

The 2X Spicy Buldak Ramen is made with a mix of chili powder and red pepper powder, which gives it a unique red color similar to that of other spicy Korean foods like kimchi or bulgogi (grilled beef). The broth itself is made with chicken stock, onions, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.

Samyang Spicy Ramen Challenge

The popularity of Samyang Spicy Ramen has led to the emergence of the famous "Spicy Ramen Challenge." This challenge involves attempting to finish a bowl of the notoriously spicy noodles within a given time limit. Many brave individuals have taken on this challenge, documenting their experiences and reactions in videos that have gone viral on social media platforms.

Samyang Ramen Hacks and Tips

• If you prefer milder spiciness, you can adjust the amount of the included seasoning sauce to your liking.
• Adding fresh vegetables, tteokbokki, or egg can provide additional texture and nutrients to your bowl of spicy Samyang noodles.
• To elevate the presentation, serve the noodles in a traditional ramen bowl and garnish with cilantro or sliced chili peppers.

Non-Spicy Samyang Ramen

If the spicy Samyang Ramen Flavors are not your calling, they also offer the Samyang Ramen Original which includes all the goodness with none of the spiciness. It is the perfect introduction to Korean instant ramen until you are ready to accept the 2X Spicy Buldak Ramen challenge!