1. What is Garak Noodle
Garak noodle is a Korean noodle dish that originated from Japan’s udon and was developed in Daejeon.
2. The origin of Garak Noodle
The name originates from the Japanese food and its foreign term ‘Udon’, which was nativized in Korean as ‘Garak-Guksu’ (Garak Noodle). The Standard Korean Dictionary defines ‘Garak-Guksu’ as ‘a type of noodle made with thick strands, or a dish where these noodles are boiled and cooked in a clear broth.’
However, during the process of popularizing the nativized term Garak-Guksu, Udon underwent a complete localization. The noodles became slightly thinner than traditional Udon, and instead of using the Japanese-style katsuobushi and soy sauce broth, it uses an anchovy broth similar to that of Korean banquet noodles. In traditional Korean cuisine, thick noodles are rarely used. The traditional method of making noodles involved either slicing them, as in knife-cut noodles, or pressing them through a mold. Thick noodles are mostly found in Chinese or Japanese cuisine.
3. The story about Garak Noodle
In the past, garak noodle was a popular dish that passengers frequently enjoyed at train stations in South Korea, often accompanied by boiled eggs and soda. Establishments selling garak noodle did not have separate seating areas. Instead, customers would receive the prepared noodles around the cooking area and eat them standing up on the spot. This allowed many customers to enjoy the noodles in a short amount of time. In particular, the garak noodle at Daejeon Station has been very famous since the old days. The reason being, Daejeon Station used to be the transfer point for those traveling to Seoul on the Honam Line and the Gyeongbu Line. As a result, the practice of eating garak noodle during the brief transfer time became widespread. Moreover, until the completion of the first phase of the double-tracking project for the Honam Line (between Seo-Daejeon and Iri), trains on the Honam Line and Jeolla Line had to detach their locomotives at Daejeon Station and connect them to the rear, requiring a stop of more than 10 minutes. Additionally, trains on the Gyeongbu Line also had to stop for about 10 minutes for crew changes, intermediate inspections, and, at times, locomotive replacements. This allowed passengers to disembark, enjoy a meal, and then re-board the train during the stopover.
For these reasons, Daejeon became very famous for garak noodle. Recently, it is also being sold in areas outside of Daejeon. Specifically, it is being sold at most train stations, including Dongdaegu Station and Busan Station. Additionally, the menu item called ‘Udon’ that is sold at most highway rest areas is closer to garak noodle than the original Japanese Udon. Furthermore, it is also sold at old snack bars and late-night eateries. Recently, many people enjoy eating it alongside dishes like tteokbokki and kimbap.