Piki
Welcome to Part 2 of Kpopmap’s exclusive interview with Korea’s one and only ramen critic, Piki!
As many might know, the Hallyu wave has brought over other influences outside of K-Pop and K-Dramas – namely K-Food. Among the many delicacies out there, Korean ramyun has become a staple representative in among all other K-Food choices. And with the help of Piki, we’ve come to understand and appreciate Korean ramyun more than ever.
Through this special interview, Piki spoke about all things ramyun and his fun findings. If you missed Part 1 where Piki talked about his modest beginnings, discussed his views on the appeal of Korean ramyun and its history, as well as unforgettable experiences, and more, you can check it out here.
Without further ado, let’s get back into this fun, yet insightful interview with ramen critic, Piki!
I looked at your blog and saw that you’ve already posted over 1,950 reviews! I was really surprised to see so many articles about ramyun and all your different reviews! How do you find them all?
Even without me searching for them myself, subscribers tell me about the different variations and request that I review them. Since there are subscribers who tell me about new ramyun through comments, messengers, texts, etc., I naturally find and introduce them.
Despite having over 1,950 reviews, even at this moment new ramyun is being released, while others disappear. Even moving forward, I will continue to work hard to introduce all the ramyun in the world.
Working as a ramen critic, you’ve traveled across the country and overseas to try all types and varieties of ramyun. During your travels, do you have any special episodes you’d be able to share?
I’ve had a variety of different episodes during my travels while searching for ramyun. One of the most memorable experiences that comes to mind was when I was mistaken for a Vietnamese person because of Vietnamese ramyun.
During the process of entering Cambodia after traveling to Vietnam, the airport staff was surprised to see my luggage filled with Vietnamese ramyun, so they thought I was Vietnamese. I still remember how we both laughed while I explained the situation. (Even now when I go overseas, I come back with one suitcase full of local ramyun).
Piki
Another episode happened at the Osaka Ramen Museum in Japan. When I visited the Ramen Museum’s souvenir shop that sold cute products and goods, I found 10 books about Japanese ramen on display and told the staff I would like to buy them all. The staff were shocked and asked if it would be okay since the books were all in Japanese. Even to this day I vividly remember the staff’s surprise when a Korean person wanted to buy all these ramen books that don’t even sell well to Japanese people.
You’ve already published two books about ramyun, and I also heard that you’ve been recently preparing another! So in total, you’ve written three books. Could you please introduce them? What are the main topics you wrote about and what prompted you to publish your books?
The first book, “Complete Ramen Conquest” is a recommendation book written with the goal of being a “Michelin Guide” of the Korean ramyun industry. It’s a book that was written to introduce the different varieties of ramyun and help readers choose which one they’d like to try. The second book “Ramen Today Too” is an essay book that features the story of how I came to like ramyun and unique episodes I experienced while working as a ramen critic. Both books were created after a publishing company CEO, who held my dream of “Let’s taste and introduce all the ramen in the world” in high regards, suggested publishing them.
Piki
And on August 14, 2024, my third book, “History of Ramen”, will be published. Through a long preparation process and fueled by my desperation, this book was prepared for publication. “History of Ramen” is a compilation of all the material I studied and covered over my 11 years working as a ramen critic. It covers the story of how instant ramyun was invented and how it became a favorite food, loved by Koreans and people all over the globe. With focus on the history of Korean and Japanese ramyun, and because of the huge effort I put into writing this book, I’m looking forward to a good response from readers.
Aside from typical side dishes Koreans eat like kimchi or eggs, can you recommend some food that go well with ramyun that our international readers can try at home?
I’m not sure what type of food overseas readers will be able to get. However, if you’re looking for foods that complements Korean ramyun, rice pairs especially well with it. If you’re eating spicy Korean ramyun, after eating all the noodles, try adding rice to the remaining soup. This way, you can enjoy Korea’s spicy soup culture through ramyun. Or, if you’re able to get kimbap or triangle kimbap, eating them together will make Korean ramyun even more delicious.
It can also make a great side dish while drinking beer or other alcohol, as well as a good hangover cure. Spicy Korean ramyun and alcohol make a great combination.
Additionally, if you eat it with kimchi, yellow pickled radish, Chinese scallions, or pickled ginger, you can focus more on the ramyun flavor.
So out of curiosity, if you could create your own unique ramyun flavor, what would it be?
I want to try making ramyun with delicious noodles or sauce. Various ramyun were created and discontinued in Korea like Yangnyeom Chicken Ramen, Tuna Mayo Bibimmyeon, and Cheongyang Mayo Ramen. If I were to receive an opportunity in the future, I would like to use the varieties that unfortunately disappeared without gaining consumers’ attention and develop a beloved ramyun product.
The job of a ramen critic may still be a bit unfamiliar in Korea. Can you provide some advice to those who want to become a ramen critic?
I’m the one and only person working as a ramen critic in Korea. As someone who has created this new path, it’s hard to say specifically what one should do, however, while working as a critic, I believe the most important thing to consider is fairness.
I do not receive the sponsorship of a ramen company for introducing or recommending products, because I believe if I receive any sort of compensation, that would be unfair. This stubbornness of mine has caused me some financial difficulties, since the quickest and easiest way to make an income through content creation is made through the sponsorship of a ramen company.
Piki
However, the many people who understand my stance and philosophy as a critic has helped me along the way. I earn income by writing books, providing lectures, planning and hosting events, TV appearances, and other types of support. I collaborate with a variety of different people to share the story of ramyun with many others.
If there’s anyone who dreams of becoming a ramen critic, I hope you have your own philosophy on criticism and take on the challenge.
Finally, please tell Kpopmap readers where they can find you on social media and see more of your content.
Recently, I’ve been adding English subtitles to my YouTube content so that it can be viewed by more than just Korean subscribers. Although my blog content is written in Korean, it can be translated well through browsers like Google Chrome, so even Kpopmap readers who don’t know Korean well can read it.
I would like to introduce the Ramen Conquest blog (https://blog.naver.com/pikich89) and Ramen Conqueror Piki YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@ramenpiki). If you’re a person who likes ramen or has an interest in Korean ramyun, you will certainly be able to enjoy the content. Thank you in advance for all the visits, subscriptions, and support.
Even in the future, I will continue to taste and introduce all the ramen in the world and diligently present the story of ramen through various contents and media.
Thank you for listening to my story.
Ramen critic, Ramen content creator
Ramen conqueror Piki Ji YoungJun
Thank you once again to Korea’s first and only ramen critic, Piki, for taking the time out of his busy schedule to answer our interview. We hope this interview will shed some light on one of K-Food’s most iconic dishes and for ramyun enthusiasts, don’t be afraid to follow Piki for even more content. Once again, you can find Piki via his blog and YouTube channel for all things ramyun.
As mentioned in Part 1, we are currently planning even more opportunities to collaborate with Piki to create fun and enjoyable content on all things ramyun. Remember to bookmark his profile, here, and follow Kpopmap on X for updates.
Until then, enjoy a bowl (or more) of Korean ramyun as you wait.
What’s your favorite brand of Korean ramyun?
