On a very hot and humid Seoul afternoon, I tried 초계밀면 (chogye mil-myeon) at Somyeon Sanghoe, a tiny local noodle shop in Yangjae-dong. The dish arrived beneath a small mountain of frozen broth, accompanied by wheat noodles, shredded chicken, crisp vegetables and boiled eggs.
Naengmyeon (냉면) is a Korean cold noodle dish made with thin, chewy noodles—often from 메밀 (memil, buckwheat) or 고구마 전분 (goguma jeonbun, sweet potato starch). It’s served in either 물냉면 (mul-naengmyeon, icy broth) or 비빔냉면 (bibim-naengmyeon, spicy mixed version). Common toppings include 소고기 (sogogi, beef), 오이 (oi, cucumber), 배 (bae, Korean pear), and 삶은 달걀 (salmeun dalgyal, boiled egg). The dish is refreshing, tangy, and perfect for hot weather.
