Visit Seoul

Jajangmyeon (Noodles in Black Bean Paste) – Jajangmyeon, a popular dish at Korean-Chinese restaurants, combines noodles with a black bean paste sauce, vegetables and meat. This dish traces its history back to 1883 during the Joseon era when the port of Incheon opened and workers from China began coming in droves to Korea. The Chinese laborers would eat noodles mix with a black bean paste called chungjang. This dish was later adapted to match the palettes of Koreans. This involved a process where other ingredients, like vegetables and meat, were added and the black bean paste sauce was roasted. Jajanmyeon is also a popular dish on graduation days and should even be eaten on April 14th often referred to as “Black Day.” On this day men and women who did not receive candy or chocolates from members of the opposite sex either March or February 14th must eat jajangmyeon or some other black food.<br>