The Drama: When Dreams and Love Collide
The year was 2022, and Twenty-Five Twenty-One (스물다섯 스물하나) reminded us what it felt like to be young.
Set against the backdrop of the 1998 IMF financial crisis in Korea, the drama follows Na Hee-do, an ambitious high school fencer, and Baek Yi-jin, a former chaebol heir now struggling to survive. Kim Tae-ri’s portrayal of Hee-do—fierce, vulnerable, achingly earnest—became one of the most beloved characters in recent K-drama history. And Nam Joo-hyuk’s Yi-jin showed us that first love doesn’t always mean forever.
What made Twenty-Five Twenty-One different wasn’t the romance alone. It was the authenticity. The drama captured the 1990s perfectly—the fashion, the music, the collective trauma of an economic collapse that reshaped Korean society. And through it all, food became a marker of both poverty and resilience.
Naengmyeon—cold buckwheat noodles in icy broth—appears throughout the drama. It’s what you eat when summer arrives. It’s what you share with friends. It’s the meal that costs little but means everything. Like first love itself, naengmyeon is cold on the surface but carries depths of flavor that linger long after the last bite.
The History of Naengmyeon
What Is Naengmyeon?
Naengmyeon (냉면) literally means “cold noodles”—naeng (冷) for cold, myeon (麵) for noodles. But this simple translation barely captures what naengmyeon actually is: an experience of temperature, texture, and taste unlike any other noodle dish in the world.
The noodles are made from buckwheat flour, often mixed with potato or sweet potato starch for elasticity. They’re long, thin, and notoriously chewy—so chewy that restaurants traditionally provide scissors to cut them. The broth, served ice-cold with floating ice chips, is made from beef and dongchimi (radish water kimchi), creating a tangy, refreshing base.
A Dish from the North
Naengmyeon originated in northern Korea, specifically Pyongyang and Hamhung, during the Joseon dynasty. Back then, it was actually a winter food—Koreans believed eating cold food in cold weather helped balance the body’s energy.
| Style | Origin | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Pyongyang Naengmyeon | Pyongyang | Buckwheat noodles in light, tangy broth (mul-naengmyeon) |
| Hamhung Naengmyeon | Hamhung | Chewier potato starch noodles with spicy sauce (bibim-naengmyeon) |
| Seoul Style | Post-Korean War | Sweeter broth, adapted to southern tastes |
After the Korean War, refugees from the North brought naengmyeon to South Korea, where it evolved to suit local palates. Seoul’s version became slightly sweeter, while new regional variations emerged. But the essential character remained: impossibly chewy noodles, bracingly cold broth, and a taste that defines Korean summer.
The Ritual of Eating Naengmyeon
Eating naengmyeon is a ritual. The noodles arrive in a large stainless steel bowl, broth so cold it numbs your teeth. On top: thin slices of beef, half a hard-boiled egg, pickled radish, cucumber, and sometimes a splash of mustard oil.
You add vinegar and mustard to taste. You use the provided scissors to cut the noodles—or, if you’re traditional, you don’t. You slurp loudly (this is encouraged). You drink the last drops of broth directly from the bowl.
In Korea, naengmyeon is summer’s defining food. The first hot day of the year triggers a collective craving. Lines form outside famous naengmyeon restaurants. Friends meet and ask: “Have you had naengmyeon yet this season?”
The Recipe: Summer’s Signature Naengmyeon
This recipe creates authentic mul-naengmyeon (물냉면), the soup version with chilled broth. Making naengmyeon at home requires some preparation, but the result is worth every effort.
Ingredients
For the Broth
- 8 cups water
- 200g beef brisket
- 1/2 medium onion
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 small piece ginger
- 1 cup dongchimi juice (radish water kimchi brine, or substitute with 1/2 cup water + 2 tbsp vinegar + 1 tsp salt) Amazon →
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- Salt to taste
For Serving
- 2 portions naengmyeon noodles (buckwheat or sweet potato starch) Amazon →
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
- 1/2 Asian pear or cucumber, thinly sliced
- Pickled radish, sliced
- Korean mustard (gyeoja) Amazon →
- Rice vinegar for serving
- Ice cubes
Equipment
- Large pot for broth
- Large pot for boiling noodles
- Stainless steel naengmyeon bowls (optional but traditional) Amazon →
- Kitchen scissors
- Fine mesh strainer
Video Tutorial
Video by Maangchi - Trusted Korean cooking expert
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Beef Broth Place beef brisket in a large pot with 8 cups of water. Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, skimming any foam that rises. Remove the beef and slice thinly for topping. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer.
Step 2: Season the Broth Add soy sauce, sugar, salt, and rice vinegar to the strained broth. Stir until dissolved. Add the dongchimi juice. Taste and adjust—the broth should be savory, slightly tangy, and refreshing. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
Step 3: Prepare the Toppings While the broth chills, prepare your toppings: slice the reserved beef thinly, boil and halve the eggs, slice cucumber or Asian pear, and prepare pickled radish. Keep everything refrigerated until serving.
Step 4: Cook the Noodles Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add naengmyeon noodles and cook according to package directions (usually 3-4 minutes for fresh, longer for dried). The noodles should be chewy but cooked through. Immediately drain and rinse under cold running water, rubbing vigorously to remove excess starch.
Step 5: Assemble the Bowls Place a portion of chilled noodles in each serving bowl. Coil the noodles neatly—presentation matters. Carefully ladle the ice-cold broth around the noodles. Add 2-3 ice cubes to keep it extra cold.
Step 6: Add Toppings and Serve Arrange sliced beef, egg half, cucumber or pear, and pickled radish on top of the noodles. Serve immediately with Korean mustard and rice vinegar on the side. Diners add condiments to their own taste.
Step 7: Enjoy Properly Use scissors to cut the noodles for easier eating (or don’t, if you prefer the traditional challenge). Add mustard for heat and vinegar for extra tang. Slurp enthusiastically.
FAQ
Why are naengmyeon noodles so chewy?
Naengmyeon noodles are made from buckwheat flour mixed with potato or sweet potato starch, which gives them their distinctive elastic, almost rubbery texture. This chewiness is intentional—it’s what makes naengmyeon unique. The noodles are extruded under high pressure, which further develops their bounce.
What’s the difference between mul-naengmyeon and bibim-naengmyeon?
Mul-naengmyeon (물냉면) is served in cold broth—“mul” means water. It’s tangy, refreshing, and lighter. Bibim-naengmyeon (비빔냉면) is served without broth, mixed with spicy gochujang-based sauce—“bibim” means mixed. Both use the same chewy noodles but offer completely different experiences.
Can I make naengmyeon without beef?
Yes! Many variations exist. You can use anchovy or kelp broth for a pescatarian version, or simply use the dongchimi juice with additional seasonings. Some modern restaurants even offer vegan naengmyeon with plant-based broths.
Why is the broth served so cold?
The intense cold is essential to the naengmyeon experience. Traditionally, naengmyeon was stored in ice houses (called seokbinggo) before refrigeration existed. The cold temperature makes the broth more refreshing and helps maintain the noodles’ texture. Always serve with ice cubes.
Why do restaurants provide scissors?
Naengmyeon noodles are extremely long and chewy, making them difficult to eat without cutting. Restaurants traditionally provide scissors so diners can cut the noodles to a manageable length. However, some purists prefer to eat them without cutting—it’s a matter of personal preference.
What season is naengmyeon typically eaten?
Naengmyeon is Korea’s quintessential summer food, especially popular from May through September. However, some Koreans follow the old tradition of eating it in winter, believing that consuming cold food in cold weather balances the body’s internal temperature.
What’s the proper way to add condiments?
Start with a small amount of mustard—it’s very strong. Add a splash of vinegar and taste. Adjust until the broth suits your preference. Some people also add a spoonful of sugar for extra sweetness. There’s no wrong way, but go slowly with the mustard.
Make It Tonight
There’s a reason Twenty-Five Twenty-One left audiences in tears. It understood that some loves aren’t meant to last, that youth is precious precisely because it ends, and that the memories we make at seventeen can shape who we become at twenty-five.
Naengmyeon carries that same bittersweet quality. It’s cold and refreshing, perfect for summer, but there’s something melancholic about it too—the way the ice melts, the way the noodles are so long you can’t help but think about connections that stretch and sometimes break.
Tonight, make naengmyeon. Eat it slowly. Let the cold broth remind you of summers past, of friends you’ve lost touch with, of the person you used to be. That’s not sadness—that’s the taste of a life fully lived.
오늘 밤, 스물다섯 스물하나 정주행하면서 직접 만든 냉면과 함께하는 건 어떨까요?
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Hero image: “Mul-naengmyeon, Chilled Buckwheat Noodle Soup” by KOCIS Korea, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Part of our K-Drama Kitchen series—cooking the dishes that made us hungry while watching.
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