The Taste of Memories for Brothers Sang-tae and Gang-tae: Spicy Jjamppong [Spicy Jjamppong] (About the Drama 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay' #9)

This is the 9th installment about the drama 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay.' This time, we focus on the Jjamppong that brothers Moon Sang-tae (Oh Jung-se) and Moon Gang-tae (Kim Soo-hyun) ate with their mother when they were children. I will also introduce popular instant noodles that you can make at home.

In Korea, there have long been many restaurants serving Chinese cuisine, and the Korean-style, popular Chinese dishes are well-loved. Among these menus, the most classic dishes are Jajangmyeon and Jjamppong. If you have watched a few Korean dramas or movies, you are likely familiar with the Korean-style Jajangmyeon that often appears. Jjamppong is just as popular as Jajangmyeon, which is such an everyday meal. Jajangmyeon and Jjamppong cost about the same, and since many people struggle to choose between them when they go to a restaurant, many places offer a half-and-half menu.

What makes it different from Japanese Champon is that it is naturally a bit spicy. It is also very hearty, and despite being a noodle dish, there is the pleasure of eating the ingredients. Like specialized restaurants, it contains plenty of seafood, is nutritionally balanced, and is very delicious.

In episode 7 of the drama, Gang-tae invites his older brother Sang-tae, saying, 'Let's go eat the Jjamppong we used to have with Mom. You liked it, right?' It was a place they often visited and a taste they remembered from childhood. However, Sang-tae reveals that the spicy Jjamppong was actually Gang-tae's favorite, and that their mother used to take them there because Gang-tae would beg to eat it every day. It was a scene where Gang-tae, who had lived feeling lonely and believing he wasn't loved, remembered his mother's love.

Screenshot from the drama 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay'.

Since Jjamppong is naturally seasoned to be spicy, I think adding 'spicy' to the name implies it is 'extra spicy.' By the way, in Korea recently, spicy versions of both Jajangmyeon and instant ramen have become a hot topic. The Chinese restaurant in the brothers' memories is a familiar place that anyone might have visited as a child, and watching it makes me crave Jjamppong, and I can't help but empathize with the brothers Gang-tae and Sang-tae.

Screenshot from the drama 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay'.

There aren't many opportunities to eat Korean Jjamppong in Japan, but you can get instant Jjamppong. Although it differs from the taste of Korean Jjamppong, it has a unique deliciousness that only instant Jjamppong can offer, so it is very popular even in Korea. There are many types of instant Jjamppong products, and among them, 'Jin Jjamppong' and 'Mat Jjamppong' are highly regarded.

Jin Jjamppong

Mat Jjamppong

The soup flavor of instant Jjamppong is completely different from regular instant ramen. It is spicy but addictive, and the smell of the soup, in particular, is appetizing. This time, I made Mat Jjamppong. By the way, I bought it at the Japanese supermarket 'Niku no Hanamasa.' If you are interested, please give it a try.