Jajangmyeon refers to a dish of thick, handmade (or machine-pulled) wheat noodles topped with a heavy sauce made from fried chunjang (sweet bean sauce), soy sauce, diced pork, and vegetables.
It dates back to the early 20th century, to a Korean-Chinese restaurant in Incheon’s Chinatown that now functions as a Jajangmyeon museum.
People love it for its flavor but jajangmyeon owes some of its popularity to Black Day – an unofficial holiday celebrated on April 14 by unattached people in Korea.
Don’t know how the tradition started but people who don’t receive gifts on Valentine’s Day or White Day drown their sorrows in a black bowl of jajangmyeon.
