Buldak 4 Cheese Review: How Does It Compare to Original Cheese?

Why I Picked Up Samyang's 4 Cheese Buldak

I was wandering through Lotte Mart the other day when I stumbled upon the instant noodle aisle—and honestly, I couldn't walk away. The Buldak section had every flavor imaginable: original, carbonara, cheese, 4 cheese, jjajang, curry, rosé... way more variety than what you'd find at a convenience store. I grabbed a few that caught my eye because I've always wanted to do a proper comparison of the entire Buldak lineup.

So here we go—my first review in this series is the 4 Cheese Buldak. If you've ever wondered how it stacks up against the regular Cheese Buldak, or just how spicy it really is, stick around. Let's get into it.

Samyang 4 Cheese Buldak Package First Impressions

This is the 4 Cheese Buldak in the large cup size. The bright orange packaging really pops—you can't miss it on the shelf. I love the little witch mascot Hochi stirring her cauldron; it's cute enough that it made me reach for it. With four types of cheese supposedly packed in, I was curious how different this would taste from the regular Cheese Buldak. At 445 calories, it's pretty standard for a cup noodle this size. The package says it's microwave-only and you shouldn't drain the water, which is different from most stir-fried noodles. More on that later.

Microwave Cooking Time

This one's microwave-only. Cook for 2 minutes 30 seconds at 1000W, or 3 minutes at 700W. The key thing they emphasize is: don't drain the water. That's different from your typical stir-fried instant noodles.

Sodium Content Information

There's a sodium comparison chart on the package. This cup contains 1,550mg, which puts it at level 5 on their scale. The average for fried noodles (non-soup type) in Korea is around 1,140mg, so this is a bit higher. Korea has been pushing for more transparency on sodium levels lately—you'll see these charts on most processed foods now. Something to keep in mind if you're watching your salt intake.

Nutrition Facts and Allergen Information

Here's the full nutritional breakdown. Total weight is 110g (3.9 oz) with 445 calories, 1,550mg sodium, 67g carbs, 10g protein, and 15g fat. The saturated fat stands out at 7g, which is 47% of your daily value. That's probably because of all the cheese.

For allergens, this product contains: egg, milk, soy, wheat, chicken, and beef. A note for our international readers—this blog offers translated versions for different audiences. If you follow Hindu dietary guidelines, be aware this contains beef. For those following halal dietary practices, there's no pork in this product, so it should be accessible during your time in Korea.

How to Cook 4 Cheese Buldak

The cooking instructions are printed on the side with cute illustrations of Hochi guiding you through each step. They really emphasize that four cheeses went into this: mozzarella, cheddar, camembert, and gouda. The process is simple—open the lid, take out the sauce packets, pour in boiling water, microwave, then add the sauces and mix. The key point: do not drain the water.

What's Inside the 4 Cheese Buldak Cup?

Popped open the lid. Inside you get three things: noodles, 4-cheese powder (purple packet), and liquid sauce (orange packet). No separate vegetable or topping packet. The noodles have that yellowish tint that's typical of the Buldak line.

The Buldak Sauce and Cheese Powder

The orange packet is the liquid sauce that you add after cooking. It looks identical to the classic Buldak sauce—same color, same texture. Remember, since you don't drain the water with this product, you microwave first for 3 minutes, then add this sauce and mix. Get the order wrong and the taste might be off.

The purple packet is the cheese powder. I honestly expected four separate packets—one for each cheese type. But nope, it's all mixed together in one packet. A bit anticlimactic, but hey, as long as it tastes good, right?

Cooking Process Step by Step

Got hot water from the dispenser and filled it to the line. Now it goes in the microwave for 3 minutes. Since you don't drain the water and just cook it as-is, I was curious how this would turn out. Would four cheeses actually make a difference? How different would this be from regular Cheese Buldak? The anticipation was building.

Took it out after 3 minutes and... honestly, it looked pretty sad. Just noodles sitting in murky water—nothing appetizing about it. That's what happens when you don't add any sauce yet, I guess. Right now it looks like bland noodle soup. But once the Buldak sauce and cheese powder go in, will this transform into something creamy and delicious? Let's find out.

Adding the Sauces

I added the cheese powder first. The moment I poured it in, that cheese aroma hit my nose immediately. Smelled good enough to eat as-is. But here's the thing—I've tried a couple of cheese-based instant noodles recently, and they were way too rich and heavy. So I knew I had to add the spicy Buldak sauce too.

If you can't handle spicy food well, you can always adjust how much of the Buldak sauce you add. But me? I've got that Korean spice pride—what we call "maepbushim"—so I'm putting in the whole packet. The spicier it is, the less greasy it feels. That's the beauty of heat.

Added the Buldak sauce too. Now you've got yellow cheese powder with red sauce sitting on top. Still looks a bit sad, to be honest. That's the thing about instant noodle reviews—you can't really make them look like restaurant food. It's just sauce blobs floating around at this point. Time to mix it up.

The Finished 4 Cheese Buldak

All mixed up. The noodles are sitting in this creamy orange broth with red pepper flakes scattered throughout. I have to say though—Korean instant noodles really don't do toppings. Compare this to some international brands that come loaded with vegetables and meat. As a Korean myself, I'll admit it: the visual presentation could be better. But Korean ramyun has always been about flavor over looks. Let's taste it.

Lifted some noodles with my chopsticks. The orange sauce coats the noodles nicely, and you can see the creamy cheese clinging between the strands. The noodles are thick and flat, which helps them hold onto the sauce really well. You can spot the red pepper flakes dotted here and there—promising some heat.

Taste Test: How Does 4 Cheese Buldak Actually Taste?

There are so many cheese-and-spicy combo products out now. But real talk—no matter how much spicy sauce you add, cheese noodles always carry some level of richness. That's just unavoidable. Cheese means creamy, creamy means heavy.

That said, out of all the cheese-and-spicy instant noodles I've tried, this 4 Cheese Buldak does the best job of cutting through that richness. You get the heat and the cheese aroma in a surprisingly balanced way. Don't get me wrong—it's still rich. But the strong spice level really helps that heaviness fade into the background. If you love cheese but hate feeling weighed down afterward, this one's worth trying.

Another thing I love about the Buldak series is the noodle texture. These noodles are chewier than most instant noodles. Even after microwaving, they stayed bouncy and firm—not mushy at all. I think that's one of the reasons Samyang's Buldak line has such a loyal following worldwide.

Buldak has been huge internationally lately, and Samyang keeps dropping new flavors. For me, that means plenty more reviews to come. I picked up a few other Buldak varieties at Lotte Mart, so stay tuned for those.

This article was originally published on hi-jsb.blog.