Revamped Jin Ramen with 'deeper umami flavor' hits shelves this month

Otoki's Jin Ramen revamps its flavors with deeper umami, a spicier kick, and improved noodles, marking its first major update in 11 years.

Otoki's Jin Ramen comes in mild and spicy flavors. [OTOKI]

Otoki’s Jin Ramen has gotten a flavor makeover, its first major change in 11 years since 2013. Korean retailers will sell the revamped Jin Ramen starting in September.

The beef stock bases of the brand’s two ramyeon flavors — mild and spicy — have been tweaked to have a “deeper umami flavor and richer broth,” the manufacturer said Monday.

The spicy version has become 10 percent hotter, in line with current customers’ preferences for spicier flavors.

The amount of seasoning has also been reduced slightly, an Otoki spokesperson told the Korea JoongAng Daily. The amount of solid ingredients in the soup, on the other hand, has increased by around 10 percent.

Otoki, in turn, now instructs customers to use 500 milliliters (16.9 ounces) of hot water when cooking their ramyeon on the back of its packaging — 50 millimeters fewer than before.

The noodles have also become chewier and more springy, Otoki said. The mild flavor has more noodles than its predecessor did, while the spicy version's noodle count remains the same.

The ramyeon flavor was tested and developed for a year, Otoki said in its statement. The company’s spokesperson said that while Jin Ramen has continuously changed its recipe since its first release in March 1988, this release marks a particularly noticeable change.

Changes in flavor and composition of exported Jin Ramen are under review, the spokesperson added.

BY KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]