Art, music, history, cuisine and religious practices are the tried-and-true ways to learn about other cultures when visiting another country.
But so are convenience stores.
That’s where you can get a quick read on what the locals grab when they’re in a hurry. A tour of a 7-11 in the United States, for instance, certainly provides an eyeful of what American consumers might need in a pinch: A bag of Takis, a quart of motor oil and an alkaline SmartWater, perhaps?
Ramens and toppings at Hangang Ramen in Aurora, Colorado, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. Hangang Ramen is a do-it-yourself ramen shop where customers can choose a ramen and then add toppings and make the whole thing at a machine. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
In South Korea, chain convenience stores like CU and GS25 also function as do-it-yourself restaurants, selling dozens of varieties of instant ramen — called ramyun in Korea. They can be cooked on-site at automated stations, where customers can also add toppings or sides.
Hangang Ramen, which opened in September at 2281 S. Peoria St. in Aurora, is an homage to the convenience stores along Seoul’s Han River, said manager Daniel Pyo. “We wanted to bring that part of the culture to Denver, so people didn’t have to travel all the way to Korea.”
Hangang offers more than 50 flavors and types of instant ramen, which come in their packaged containers, plus toppings like boiled eggs, Spam, green onion and strips of fish cake. Sides include the golden, pickled radish called danmuji and classic cabbage kimchi.
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Kaki-Bing, a new shop at 3401 S. Broadway in Englewood, offers a similar experience. Its ramen selection is significantly smaller, but the price includes a few free toppings with more for purchase. The ramen menu is helpfully organized by spice level for the risk-averse. There’s also poké bowls, boba and shaved-ice desserts. Like Hangang, Kaki-Bing has automatic ramen-making machines, which serve to give both businesses a Korean convenience-store feel.
Cailin Deiter chooses a ramen at Hangang Ramen in Aurora, Colorado, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. Hangang Ramen is a do-it-yourself ramen shop where customers can select an instant ramen and then add toppings and make the whole thing at a machine. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
These stores also court the social media crowd since TikTok videos about instant ramen around the world can rack up hundreds of thousands of likes.
Since the best way to experience do-it-yourself ramen is to, well, do it yourself, I decided to put the machines to the test at Hangang, zeroing in on the large selection from the Buldak brand. Since I’d already tried the nightmarish “2X Spicy” and curiously compelling “Carbonara” flavors at home, I grabbed “Jjajang.” (Hochi, the expressive chicken mascot for Buldak, looked calm and content on the green packet, as opposed to him screaming and throwing bombs on the 2X Spicy package.)
The cashier advised me that Jjajang is a Chinese-Korean mashup made with black-bean sauce, and pointed me to the boiled eggs and fish cake as topping ideas. After ringing me up with a drink and a side for about $15, she gave me a disposable bowl and told me to hit the “3” button on the ramen machine. I layered everything in the bowl and let the magic happen.
According to Pyo, Shin Black, a spicy beef-broth ramen soup, is the most popular choice, followed by JinJjambbong spicy seafood noodles. Pyo’s current fave is an Omori-brand kimchi stew that he loads up with Spam, sausage and dumplings.
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Special containers allow you to dispose of excess liquid in your bowl before adding the final touches. Then it’s time to slurp your noodles to a bouncy K-Pop soundtrack and watch other customers come and go — and wonder which flavors they chose.
According to Pyo, Shin Black, a spicy beef-broth ramen soup, is the most popular choice, followed by JinJjambbong spicy seafood noodles. Pyo’s current fave is an Omori-brand kimchi stew that he loads up with Spam, sausage and dumplings.