Both are pretty standard fare. Japchae is usually eaten at big holidays like the lunar new year or chuseok and whenever there’s a big family meal with company. It’s like of a no-brainer banchan.
Jjajjangmyeon is also pretty ubiquitous. It’s easy to get delivered, so it’s pretty common. People eat it probably as often as Americans eat Chinese food(?), so maybe once or a couple times a month? It depends because some people prefer Jjampong instead!
UncleJoesLandscaping
7 and 5.
With jjajangmyeon, it is mandatory to complain that it is too salty and greasy every time you eat it, even if you secretly love it.
Front_Reindeer_7554
Whenever I go to eat jjjajanmyeon, I become undecided between that and jjampong. Even when I specifically go to the restaurant for jjjajanmyeon, I end up ordering jjampong more than 75% of the time. I find it consistently better at most restaurants than jjjajanmyeon.
Fragrant-Net8293
4 and 9. Japchae is a very popular party food and my grandma always cooked it for my family in holidays or my birthday. But I didn’t like it so much since I was a kid. I guess it’s because she didn’t cook Japchae with pork or beef. (My grandma was not a vegetarian, but she was a devout buddhist, she didn’t use meat or eggs often.) Jjajangmyeon? I can eat it almost everyday. 😛
Mystery-Ess
Both 8s
DangOlCoreMan
I followed maangchis recipe for jjajangmyeon and I just couldn’t get into it. Was way too bland for me, personally. I’d love to try it from a restaurant or something, see if if it’s just the recipe I used or what
Flimsy_Claim_8327
Ten Ten. It depends on how well it is cooked.
rtfmplease
5 and 9, I don’t get the hype for japchae
AdPersonal1946
We have japchae for special occasions like holidays or birthdays. Jjajangmyun is, for me, deeply nostalgic. It reminds me of childhood–right up there with gimbap and mandoo. When my family goes out to eat at Korean restaurants, we don’t and have never ordered japchae. As an adult, given the choice, I always order jjamppong!
marigold303
6 for both
notasianjim
Is this a scale of popularity?
If so, japchae is a 6, you’ll see it as a food that is easy to make that can satisfy a bunch of people easily. Some people don’t like it.
Jjajangmyeon is basically a 10, maybe a 9 since everyone eats either jjajang or jjampong. I eat both depending on what I am feeling. Its usually spicy jjajang for me though. I sweat too much eating jjampong.
oymaynseoul
I’m an 80s kid and basically had a version of either this or that every week when I was a kid. Now as an adult… I make it myself. So pretty popular in my household of one hhhh
Japchae is a 6. Jajangmyun is an 8.
EnvironmentalTax1044
i love japchae very much! my stepmom makes it a lot. i think it’s pretty popular. never had the other dish, but japchae is a solid 9/10
shinchunje
I lived in Korea for a number of years and ate lots of each of these dishes. Whenever I went to the Chinese Korean place near my school, which was at least twice a week, I’d eat one of these.
buh_rah_een
Jajjangmyun is more commonly eaten everyday. Japchae is mainly a holiday food, not many restaurants actually serve it in Korea.
kidbased
Both are really good!.
Japchae is the best dry noodle dish in my opinion. I’d give it a 10.
Jjangmyeon is a top 5 noodle dish for me so probably a 9.
slinkysmooth
Japchae – 5. I’ve never really been a fan of it. Growing up it was everywhere. My white friends love japchae. Always have to order it when we go out to a Korean restaurant. Jjangmyeon – 10. I love noodles and my mom makes it the best. Biased of course. Interestingly enough, my wife doesn’t like it. Doesn’t like the taste of intense black bean.
Spunsquid
Japchae is one of my favorite noodle dishes from Korean cuisine (I haven’t had many though, I only worked at a Korean restaurant for a year) but mul Naengmyeon will forever be my top favorite 🤭 there’s just something about the noodles texture with the icy broth and the mustard/vinegar that just absolutely slaps.
InternalCoffee2260
I love japchar. It’s easy to make !
kleeinny
I love both. At home japchae is mostly a holiday dish because of how time consuming it is because we cook each veg separately. We make big batches of jajangmyeon sauce when we make it. This reminds me i haven’t made it in a awhile.
Personal ratings:
Japchae – 8.5/10 at home, between 6 and 8.5 otherwise
Jjajang – 7/10 at home, between 6 and 9 otherwise. At home it’s always a little too healthy and this is a dish that’s better when it’s not
LesPolsfuss
i’m not sure, but god i love to cook and eat it. so simple as well … just awesome comfort food.
noksucow
Japchae isn’t really a meal unto itself. It’s more of a side dish that you’re eating with other stuff. I love it but can’t eat that much of it.
CloudCalmaster
i would make the right one disappear in a minute.
ImGoingToSayOneThing
Japchae 10.
Jjajangmyun 7.
Maybe it’s because it’s attached to so many memories and holidays but I love japchae. I also love putting left over japchae in my kimchi jjigae.
stuartroelke
Would rather have kimchi fried rice 🤷♀️ Two, four—I find both to be one-note and bland.
HonoluluLongBeach
Love it.
sendeek
i’d give them both a solid 4. not because they taste bad. i just never order it myself and there’s other things i’d rather get instead.
i find that my non-korean friends love japchae and jjajangmyun more
cannibaltom
9 and 9. I love both as accompaniments to a jjigae or grilled protein. I don’t really eat them on their own though.
28 Comments
Both are pretty standard fare. Japchae is usually eaten at big holidays like the lunar new year or chuseok and whenever there’s a big family meal with company. It’s like of a no-brainer banchan.
Jjajjangmyeon is also pretty ubiquitous. It’s easy to get delivered, so it’s pretty common. People eat it probably as often as Americans eat Chinese food(?), so maybe once or a couple times a month? It depends because some people prefer Jjampong instead!
7 and 5.
With jjajangmyeon, it is mandatory to complain that it is too salty and greasy every time you eat it, even if you secretly love it.
Whenever I go to eat jjjajanmyeon, I become undecided between that and jjampong. Even when I specifically go to the restaurant for jjjajanmyeon, I end up ordering jjampong more than 75% of the time. I find it consistently better at most restaurants than jjjajanmyeon.
4 and 9.
Japchae is a very popular party food and my grandma always cooked it for my family in holidays or my birthday. But I didn’t like it so much since I was a kid. I guess it’s because she didn’t cook Japchae with pork or beef. (My grandma was not a vegetarian, but she was a devout buddhist, she didn’t use meat or eggs often.)
Jjajangmyeon? I can eat it almost everyday. 😛
Both 8s
I followed maangchis recipe for jjajangmyeon and I just couldn’t get into it. Was way too bland for me, personally. I’d love to try it from a restaurant or something, see if if it’s just the recipe I used or what
Ten Ten. It depends on how well it is cooked.
5 and 9, I don’t get the hype for japchae
We have japchae for special occasions like holidays or birthdays. Jjajangmyun is, for me, deeply nostalgic. It reminds me of childhood–right up there with gimbap and mandoo. When my family goes out to eat at Korean restaurants, we don’t and have never ordered japchae. As an adult, given the choice, I always order jjamppong!
6 for both
Is this a scale of popularity?
If so, japchae is a 6, you’ll see it as a food that is easy to make that can satisfy a bunch of people easily. Some people don’t like it.
Jjajangmyeon is basically a 10, maybe a 9 since everyone eats either jjajang or jjampong. I eat both depending on what I am feeling. Its usually spicy jjajang for me though. I sweat too much eating jjampong.
I’m an 80s kid and basically had a version of either this or that every week when I was a kid. Now as an adult… I make it myself. So pretty popular in my household of one hhhh
Japchae is a 6. Jajangmyun is an 8.
i love japchae very much! my stepmom makes it a lot. i think it’s pretty popular. never had the other dish, but japchae is a solid 9/10
I lived in Korea for a number of years and ate lots of each of these dishes. Whenever I went to the Chinese Korean place near my school, which was at least twice a week, I’d eat one of these.
Jajjangmyun is more commonly eaten everyday. Japchae is mainly a holiday food, not many restaurants actually serve it in Korea.
Both are really good!.
Japchae is the best dry noodle dish in my opinion. I’d give it a 10.
Jjangmyeon is a top 5 noodle dish for me so probably a 9.
Japchae – 5. I’ve never really been a fan of it. Growing up it was everywhere. My white friends love japchae. Always have to order it when we go out to a Korean restaurant.
Jjangmyeon – 10. I love noodles and my mom makes it the best. Biased of course. Interestingly enough, my wife doesn’t like it. Doesn’t like the taste of intense black bean.
Japchae is one of my favorite noodle dishes from Korean cuisine (I haven’t had many though, I only worked at a Korean restaurant for a year) but mul Naengmyeon will forever be my top favorite 🤭 there’s just something about the noodles texture with the icy broth and the mustard/vinegar that just absolutely slaps.
I love japchar. It’s easy to make !
I love both. At home japchae is mostly a holiday dish because of how time consuming it is because we cook each veg separately. We make big batches of jajangmyeon sauce when we make it. This reminds me i haven’t made it in a awhile.
Personal ratings:
Japchae – 8.5/10 at home, between 6 and 8.5 otherwise
Jjajang – 7/10 at home, between 6 and 9 otherwise. At home it’s always a little too healthy and this is a dish that’s better when it’s not
i’m not sure, but god i love to cook and eat it. so simple as well … just awesome comfort food.
Japchae isn’t really a meal unto itself. It’s more of a side dish that you’re eating with other stuff. I love it but can’t eat that much of it.
i would make the right one disappear in a minute.
Japchae 10.
Jjajangmyun 7.
Maybe it’s because it’s attached to so many memories and holidays but I love japchae. I also love putting left over japchae in my kimchi jjigae.
Would rather have kimchi fried rice 🤷♀️
Two, four—I find both to be one-note and bland.
Love it.
i’d give them both a solid 4. not because they taste bad. i just never order it myself and there’s other things i’d rather get instead.
i find that my non-korean friends love japchae and jjajangmyun more
9 and 9. I love both as accompaniments to a jjigae or grilled protein. I don’t really eat them on their own though.