The Viral Ramyun Library in Seoul | A Noodle Novel with 225 Delicious Chapters

With global exports of ramyeon surging past a staggering 1 trillion won last year, it’s safe to say that Korean instant noodles are officially a thing now – not just at home, but around the world.

This is the Korean ramyeon library of your dreams.

Enter the Ramyun Library. With over 225 delicious varieties of instant noodles to choose from, on-site ramyeon cooking stations, and adorable cup noodle tables, this is the unexpected library you never knew you needed.

What is the Ramyun Library in Korea?

The Ramyun Library is a viral hotspot for cooking and eating Korean ramyeon in Seoul. With colourful instant noodle packages attractively displayed and arranged like books in a library, it’s no big surprise that this place is taking the social media world by storm.

Noodles, not novels.

Located inside CU convenience stores, there are over 225 different types of noodles to choose from at the Ramyun Library. And while the majority are definitely Korean ramyeon varieties, you’ll also see instant noodles from Japan, Indonesia, and other countries there too.

Of course, you’ll find Shin Ramyeon, Buldak Carbonara Ramen, and other popular varieties, but there are also a whole bunch you’ve likely never laid eyes on. I’ve lived in Korea a long time, but there were so many ramyeon I’d never seen before!

Have you seen 두부김치 ramyeon before?

The first Ramyun Library opened inside the Hongdae Sangsang CU branch convenience store in December 2023, and it’s been a roaring success from the start.

The store averages 600 to 700 customers every day – with nearly 2/3rds of them visiting from foreign countries. They also happen to sell 10 times more ramyeon packages than other convenience stores. Quite the feat!

The Ramyun Library sells a LOT of noodles!

This place is incredibly successful because it cleverly capitalizes on a few major trends that are popular with travelers and locals alike: Korean convenience stores, Hangang Ramyeon, and the whole Korean Hallyu wave taking over the world currently.

The photogenic Ramyun Library is the perfect place to experience (and of course post about) ALL these viral trends in one fell swoop.

The background is too aesthetic, wouldn’t you say?

I have to say that whoever came up with this idea is a marketing genius, and definitely deserves a promotion. Just saying…

Where is the Ramyun Library in Seoul?

I betcha didn’t know that there are 2 locations in Seoul to fulfil your instant noodle dreams. The most famous is undoubtedly the original Ramyun Library in Hongdae, but by dumb luck, I stumbled on a second Raymun Library in Jamsil Hangang Park.

A pretty cool second Ramyun Library location!

Maybe there are more hidden around the city? If you’ve found another one, definitely let us know!

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CU Hongdae Sangsang Branch

Address: 25 Jandari-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul | 서울 마포구 잔다리로 25

The viral Ramyun Library you’ve seen on social media, is likely the one inside the CU Hongdae Sangsang branch convenience store. This is on the northwestern side of Seoul, in Mapo-gu.

Cup ramyeon tables to eat at. Naturally…

Hongdae is one of the most popular areas to stay for travelers exploring Seoul, so you can bet that this Ramyun Library is foreigner friendly and easy to navigate, with information posted in multiple languages.

Directions: Take Seoul subway Line 2 to Hapjeong Station. Walk straight out of Exit 3, until you see a Woori Bank on your left hand side. Turn right, and walk until you see the CU convenience store on the right.

Hongdae is one of the best places for budget shopping in Seoul!

CU Jamsil Seonchakjang Branch

Address: 1st floor of Jamsil Nuehnaru Pier, 2 Gobun-ro, Baekje, Songpa-gu, Seoul | 서울 송파구 백제고분로 2 잠실누에나루선착장 1층

The Ramyun Library inside Jamsil Hangang Park isn’t as well known, but I dare say that it’s nicer than the one in Hongdae. It’s on a barge that’s floating on top of the Han River, so the views and atmosphere really can’t be beat.

Sunset, Han River, ramyeon – can’t go wrong.

Best of all, you can combine 2 fun Korean trends at once: eating ramyeon at the Han River in Seoul AND visiting the Ramyun Library.

Directions: Take Seoul subway Line 2 to Jamsilsaenae Station. Make a right out of Exit 7, then walk straight for about 300-metres until you reach the T-intersection at the end of the street. Cross through the tunnel to enter Jamsil Hangang Park, then walk all the way down to the river’s edge. Turn left, and walk about 200-metres.

The night time view by the Han River is stunning!

You’ll see the CU convenience store on the right hand side, at the bottom of a short flight of outdoor stairs. It’s in the same place as the Jamsil E-land Cruise dock.

My Personal Experience at the Ramyun Library

My niece was headed to Canada for an extended trip, so we decided to have the most Korean send-off possible by eating Hangang Ramyeon together.

You can see Lotte World Tower from the Ramyun Library in Jamsil Hangang Park.

Jamsil Hangang Park is walking distance from my house, so it was the natural choice to try to catch a sunset and enjoy some natural vibes. There are a number of convenience stores inside Jamsil Hangang Park, but we chose the CU because it was actually right on top of the water.

I’ve been wanting to check out the Ramyun Library in Hongdae (but it’s literally on the opposite end of Seoul for me), so it was a total and welcome surprise to stumble upon it so close to home.

I was pretty happy to find a Ramyun Library so close to home.

I’d say the Jamsil Hangang Park Ramyun Library definitely had more locals than tourists inside (though there were a few). Other than that, it’s pretty much the same. There’s still a bookshelf full of noodle novels, cup ramen tables, and all the sides and toppings you could ask for.

One big difference from the Hongdae location is the ample seating. There’s both indoor and outdoor seating available in Jamsil – including a ton of picnic tables from which you can enjoy a glorious Seoul sunset.

We watched the sunset and ate ramyeon at the Ramyun Library in Jamsil.

If you wanted to combine some Korean fried chicken with your ramyeon, that’s possible here too, because there was also a BBQ in the same building. I saw a lot of people happily indulging in both.

How to Eat Ramen at the Ramyun Library

Cooking and eating ramyeon at the convenience store is as natural to Koreans as brushing their teeth, but I get how it could be confusing at first. There’s a definite process for this, which I’ll try to demystify for you as much as possible.

Have you seen this ramen cooking machine before?

1. Select a Ramyeon

The hardest part of visiting the Ramyun Library is choosing a ramen from the hundreds of different instant noodles available. I’m always tempted to stick with Neoguri – my favourite ramyeon – but I try to pick something I’ve never seen or tried whenever I go there.

Check the spice level before buying!

Koreans mostly like things pretty spicy, so if you’re new to Korean ramyeon, one of the most important things to check is the spice level of each ramen packet. Fortunately, the Ramyun Library has labeled each instant noodle with a spiciness level, ranging from Mild to Hell.

Don’t worry if you can’t handle spice at all. There are mild versions of spicy ramens (which are admittedly still a bit spicy), and plenty of options available for kids and young children too!

Ramyeon with zero spice for young kids.

My daughter can’t really handle much spice yet, so her go-to ramyeons are Sari Gomtang and Twigim Udong. Look out for those if you need a delicious, but non-spicy option.

2. Choose Add-on Toppings and Side Dishes

At the Ramyun Library (and any Korean convenience store for that matter), there are a bunch of add-on toppings to choose from. An egg is the most classic choice, but you can also get packets of bean sprouts, green onion, cheese, dumplings, and more to amp up your ramen.

Add on toppings and side dishes at Korea’s Ramyun Library.

Kimchi, pickled radish, and other side dishes are also available for purchase, because really – a meal isn’t a meal in Korea if there’s isn’t banchan included, right?

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3. Grab Other Convenience Store Goodies

The Ramyun Library is located inside a convenience store, so there are other things to purchase besides ramyeon. From triangle gimbap to chips and sweets, to other prepared meals, there’s a ton more Korean foods to try out.

CU is a fully stocked convenience store.

Make sure to have a good wander around, exploring al the aisles for other yummy treats before heading to the cash register.

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4. Choose Some Beverages

The drink selection at a Korean convenience store is extensive. You’ll find soft drinks, milk, iced coffees, hot coffees, tea, beer, soju, and a whole host of other options to choose from.

I’m partial to the ice cup drinks, which entail grabbing a drink pouch to pour into a cup filled with ice (which you’ll find in a separate freezer). These are always totally refreshing – especially during Seoul’s hot, hot summer.

4. Pay for your Purchases

Take all your items to the cash and pay for your items. You can use credit card, cash, Wowpass, or even a T-Money Card to pay for your purchases.

Make sure you check out the whole store, before heading to the cash.

If you’re eating at the Ramyun Library, the cashier will give you a paper bowl, which costs an additional 900 won. Wooden chopsticks and napkins can be found nearby. If you were wondering, there aren’t any forks available, so plan accordingly.

5. Prepare your Ramyeon

After you’ve paid for everything, find some counter space or head to one of the ramyun cup tables to get your ramen ready for cooking. Everything that’s inside the ramyeon packet can be dumped into the paper bowl. All additional toppings, except the egg, can be added into the bowl at this time too.

Dump everything (except the egg), into the paper bowl.

When you purchase your ramen, the cashier will probably tell you in Korean that you should wait until there’s 1:30 left on the ramen machine timer before adding the egg. Odds are you may not understand – but now you know. 😉

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6. Cook the Ramen using the Automatic Ramen Cooker

Take your prepared ramen bowl to the automated machine, scan the barcode, and let the machine do its work. Prepare for some perfectly cooked ramyeon!

Let the machine make you a delicious bowl of ramen.

Once the ramen has finished cooking, take it to one of the ramyeon cup tables and enjoy. Be careful when you’re transporting the bowl though – it’s very hot!

8. Clean up and throw away garbage.

It’s bad etiquette in Korea to leave any of your garbage on tables, so after you’ve finished your meal, make sure to clean up after yourself.

At the Jamsil location, food waste was out by the picnic tables.

There are separate trash bins for different materials, like plastic, paper, or general garbage (eggshells go here), so make sure you’re throwing your items out in the correct bin.

One important thing to note is that there’s a separate bin specifically for food waste. If you can’t find it, ask the cashier and they’ll point you in the right direction..

Instant noodle dreams fulfilled at the Ramyun Library.

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Which Korean ramyeon is on your must-try list?