The Buldak Ramen Flavor That Isn't Worth The Pain Of Eating

From Buffalo Wild Wings' Blazin' Challenge to the rise of Hot Ones, spicy food challenges have become all the rage. Attracting all gluttons of pain, we've seen countless content creators — from the Spice King to Craving Capsaicin — emerge, while celebrities like Paul Rudd and Shaq have even hopped on board. Spicy challenges are not limited to internet and real-life celebrities as you can easily experience them for yourself through a simple venture to the grocery store. Chances are you'll find the 2x spicy Buldak ramen flavor there, though it's not one we recommend.

In opening the package, you're greeted with your standard instant ramen fare. However, upon tearing open the flavor packet (and we use "flavor" very loosely here), you're met with what appears to be a black sludge. One dab alone and you'll quickly realize the pain you're about to endure. If you're bold enough to dump the whole packet in, you'll soon find yourself with sweats, tear ducts that have been kicked into overdrive, and tingling lips.

On top of that, the flavors you're supposed to experience are swamped by the overwhelming spiciness of it all. Tasting Table writer Julia Duda can attest. In her ranking of 11 Buldak ramen flavors, the 2x spicy flavor comes in dead last. Duda laments that "spice is the only flavor at play" and notes that the flavor profile lacks "diversity," as you "can't taste the chicken or even the noodles."

Buldak ramen has become one of Samyang Foods' flagship products in recent years as it achieved global notoriety through social media. With over 360 million TikTok posts about the ramen (mainly covering reactions to its heat), the South Korea-based manufacturer crossed the $2 billion threshold in total revenue by mid-2023.

As is with the majority of Buldak flavors, hot or artificial spicy chicken flavor tends to be the unifying factor. If 2x spicy isn't up your alley, we don't blame you. There are plenty of alternatives you can try instead! For starters, No. 1 on Julia Duda's Buldak rankings is the curry ramen flavor. If flavors beyond heat get lost with the 2x spicy, curry ramen represents the antithesis of that. Rife with cumin, coriander, and garam masala, Buldak's curry ramen encapsulates the essence of quintessential Indian cuisine. In true curry fashion, the warmth and individual spices take center stage, while the heat trails behind — boasting an impressive flavor profile unlike any other.

If you're feeling adventurous, however, you could try quattro cheese. You may be wondering how the unorthodox combination of cheese and ramen play together, but it works (un)surprisingly well. Like a box of classic Kraft mac, Buldak's cheese flavor comes in powdered form. And just like that mac, the quattro cheese creamily coats the starchy noodles, but also offsets Buldak's characteristic heat from the noodles — making for quite the savory delight.