The Birth of Ramen

Early 1960s, South Korea. A time when the nation stood on the edge of hunger and hope, when even one bowl of pig slop stew made from army leftovers could mean survival. In this era of post-war poverty, a man named Jeon Jung-yoon was desperate to give his people a proper, dignified meal. Meanwhile, Kim Hang-pil, a fresh-faced recruit just discharged from KATUSA, joins Jeon’s dream—driven by the thought of someone he loves. That someone is Lee Young-hee, his unspoken love, now selling bowls of pig slop from a shantytown on the fringes of society. Amid hunger, heartbreak, and hardship, they work tirelessly to create something revolutionary: A warm, simple meal for the masses. A symbol of survival. A taste of comfort. The birth of ramen.