Makguksu

Makguksu is a traditional Korean cold noodle dish consisting of noodles made primarily from buckwheat flour. The noodles are typically served chilled, either in a tangy dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth or mixed with a spicy sauce.

Makguksu is historically native to the Gangwon Province of South Korea. This mountainous region has a long history of buckwheat cultivation, making it the perfect environment for this regional specialty to thrive.

While both are cold Korean noodle dishes, Makguksu specifically highlights rustic, freshly extruded buckwheat noodles and is strongly associated with Gangwon Province. Naengmyeon, on the other hand, often uses a mix of starches and is famously tied to North Korean refugees who settled in cities like Pyongyang.

Makguksu is typically garnished with julienned cucumbers, slices of boiled half-cooked egg, and pieces of boiled pork. These toppings add necessary texture and protein to the tangy, ice-cold dongchimi broth or spicy gochujang-based sauce.