Ram-Don (Jjapaguri with Steak) from the eat the rich genre film Parasite

Jjapaguri, the Korean dish blending black bean sauce noodles with spicy seafood udon, first became popular in 2013, but the addition of premium steak is entirely an invention of the 2019 film Parasite. The dark comedy which ranked as one of the best in the "eat the rich" genre, raises the question around who the real parasites are: the rich or the poor?

Jjapaguri (also known as Ram-Don) was trending years ago during the height of the movie's success. However, when the rich continue to get richer and the poor struggle to afford even the most basic needs in real life, both movie and recipe remain relevant.

Consider these statistics:

CEOs make 200 times more than median employees and 2,100 times more than the hourly part-time employee, per CNN.
Although the "right to food" is a growing movement in the country, Feeding America, a network of food banks and meal programs, cites "100% of U.S. counties have food insecurity"

Hanwoo Beef and Class Segregation

The steak featured in the film is Hanwoo beef (or, Hanu), Korea's answer to Japanese Wagyu, per The Manual. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the film's director Bong Joon-Ho explains that by adding something so rare and expensive, Mrs. Park, the affluent matriarch of the film, is signaling her wealth to say she is no commoner. Hanwoo could cost up to $120 per pound, the price of which easily keeps it out of the hands of the lower class.

My version, however, uses boneless ribeye at $22 for 12 ounces. BTW, ribeye would've cost $18 in 2019.

*Compare US dollars' buying power by year on the Inflation Calculator

Steak may be the star ingredient but the dish must be complemented by black bean sauce. The savory glaze gives the dish its glossy and elegant sheen and the appearance of something unsettlingly dark and murky, much like the tones found in the film's story and stunning visuals.

The black bean sauce comes as a glaze different from the Chapagetti variety where it comes in powder form.

Ram-Don is the loosely translated word for Jjapaguri, made up by the film's translator, blending the names of the two instant noodles: ramen + udon. The dish makes its appearance in the film when the wealthy Mrs. Park calls on the not-so-wealthy Mrs. Kim to have the food ready by the time she and her family walk in the door. Expecting food to be ready in approximately "8 minutes," she further instructs Mrs. Kim, posing as the family's housekeeper, to add the Hanu which they just happened to have in the fridge. NBD.

The Noodles

Sometimes spelled Chapaguri, the recipe typically calls for Chapagetti and Neoguri ramyun by Nongshim. However, Chapagetti was difficult to find so I substituted Jjajangmen by Paldo.

In this version, the ramen and udon noodles are dissimilar in shape; one square, one round. In the standard recipe, the two noodles are not exactly identical either so the Paldo ramen is appropriate here and symbolic of the families' diametrically opposing socio-economic backgrounds.

Serving size

The recipe is made for 1 person but this is a large serving of food. Traditionally we're talking 2 packets of instant noodles topped with 12 ounces of beef. Realistically, I cannot finish 12 oz of steak on my own so we'll cut the portion in half to use the rest in another recipe.

Cooking time

Just like in the film, the dish is made in under 10 mins.

What you'll need

Noodles

1 package Jjajangmen instant noodles using 100g of the accompanying black bean sauce
1 package Neoguri spicy seafood instant noodles with packets of dried vegetables and seafood broth, of which I will use all
0.5 qt of water. You don't need much, just enough to submerge the noodles in the pot

Steak

6 oz ribeye steak
Salt and pepper
2-3 tsps of a neutral flavored cooking oil with a high smoke point, like sunflower or avocado oil

Directions

In a small pot, bring water to a boil over medium heat
Add dried vegetables and seafood broth powder from the Neoguri package.

While waiting for the water to come to boil, prep the steak:

Salt and pepper the steak on both sides
Cut horizontally and slice into cubes
In a pan, add oil and heat for 2 minutes on medium.
When the oil starts to glide across the pan, add the steak and cook for about 2-3 mins on each side

When the pot of water starts to boil, add Jjajangmen and Neoguri noodles

Cook for a total of 5 minutes, rotating the noodles halfway through for even cooking
After 5 minutes, pull the noodles from the water and transfer to a serving dish
Add the black bean sauce to the noodles while still warm until noodles are evenly coated
Top with cubed steak