24 Hr. Ramen Convenience Store (라면 편의점)
Ever craved ramen late at night only to find out that all the stores and restaurants nearby were closed? Well, at this store, that’s never a problem.
라면 편의점 is a 24/7 ramen shop where there is no staff or cooks to operate the store. Rather, customers are able to self-select what they want and pay on a kiosk to submit their orders. While this may be a novel concept in the United States, stores like this are somewhat common in South Korea and Japan.
Upon walking in, you are greeted by a massive shelf of ramen next to the kiosk. Almost every type of Korean instant ramen you can imagine is here, and guests are allowed to choose any, and as many as they want, as long as they pay for it. Security cameras are in place to ensure honesty and, if you don’t know anything about Korea’s CCTV systems, it’s best not to steal from here as Seoul police are incredibly efficient at finding perpetrators of the law through the city’s countless security cameras. This might sound exaggerated, but cases like this have happened in the past, and it’s best to not risk that for a few bucks.
Once you choose your ramen and pay for it, you can grab a paper bowl and walk over to the left side where watering machines stand. This time around, I opted to go for the popular Jin Ramen in red and yellow packaging, which only cost me about $2.50 USD. After putting the noodles, seasoning, and vegetable flakes in the bowl, instructions on the machines tell you which button to press.
After pressing the necessary buttons, the machine cooks the ramen by itself within two to three minutes. Right next to the machines is a complimentary sides station, where customers can add things like kimchi, vegetables, and other toppings to their ramen.
Once the machine is done, the ramen comes out perfectly cooked and steaming hot. Customers can sit down at the ground level seating against the wall, or walk upstairs to another seating area. And while the instant noodles will taste exactly like what you can cook at home or anywhere else, there is a “cool factor” in having it prepared by a machine with no human interaction other than maybe from the other customers.
There is also an air of casual comfort as a result of this humanless experience. One can simply eat their ramen and leave without saying a word, something that some may find appealing. Whatever your preferences, 라면 편의점 is a unique and interesting gem that visitors should try at least once while in Seoul.
