Celebrate Black Day on April 14th with JAJANGMYEON (자장면) – Noodles with Black Sauce

April 14th is “Black Day” in Korea (and Japan too). But Black Day isn’t for celebrating the rich heritage of blacks in South Korea. It’s for celebrating the loneliness of people who didn’t receive any Valentine’s Day or White Day gifts. Every year on April 14th, people get together to eat Jajangmyeon (자장면) and chat with each other.

These noodles are hand made with white flour, and the sauce on top is salty and has a deep, complex flavor. On top of the dish is Chun-jang (춘장) which is made from fermented black soybean paste. This gives Jajangmyeon its flavor.

Even if you got a lot of chocolate and gifts on Valentine’s Day or White Day in Korea, you can still enjoy Jajangmyeon. It’s available at most Chinese restaurants (and they’ll even deliver it to you), or you can also find it prepackaged at Korean supermarkets outside of Korea. Check it out~!