Buldak Spice Level Chart: Every Flavor Ranked by Heat

Quick answer: The official Buldak spice level chart uses a 1 to 5 chili scale, not Scoville numbers: Swicy is level 1, Carbonara, Cream Carbonara and Rosé are level 2, Cheese, Quattro Cheese, Taco and Truffle are level 3, Original, Habanero Lime and Yakisoba are level 4, and 2X Spicy is level 5. Samyang does not publish SHU (Scoville Heat Unit) numbers on its official Buldak product pages, so any exact SHU figure you see online did not come from those pages.

Buldak (Samyang Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen) comes in a lot of flavors, and their heat ranges from “sweet with a little kick” to “twice as hot as the Original.” Samyang’s own website gives each product a chili rating from 1 to 5. The chart below puts those official ratings side by side for the pouch ramen flavors listed on Buldak.com for the US, UK and Australia. Where the brand gives no SHU number, the table says “not published” and quotes how Buldak itself describes the heat.

Buldak spice level chart (official ratings)

Flavor (pouch ramen)	Official level (1–5 chilies)	SHU	How Buldak describes the heat	On Buldak.com product list for
Swicy	1 (Mild)	Not published	“A spice level 1 product designed for consumers who prefer a milder level of heat compared to the original Buldak”	US, AU
Carbonara	2 (Medium)	Not published	“Enjoyable for consumers who find the spiciness of Buldak Original too intense”	US, UK, AU
Cream Carbonara	2 (Medium)	Not published	Made “creamier and smoother” by adding cream to Carbo Buldak	US, AU
Rosé	2 (Medium)	Not published	“A spicy delight enjoyable even for spice beginners”	US
Cheese	3 (Hot)	Not published	Adds rich cheese flavor “to the addictive spiciness of Buldak”	US, UK, AU
Quattro Cheese	3 (Hot)	Not published	“A creamy spicy flavor that even spice beginners can enjoy”	US
Taco	3 (Hot)	Not published	“Pleasantly spicy! Milder than the original”	US, AU
Truffle	3 (Hot)	Not published	No heat wording; the page focuses on truffle oil and a thicker noodle	US
Stew	3 (Hot)	Not published	“Keeps the original fiery heat, now in a hearty stew style” with a gochujang-based broth	AU
Original	4 (Very Spicy)	Not published	“An addictive spiciness with a powerful, fiery heat”	US, UK, AU
Habanero Lime	4 (Very Spicy)	Not published	“A spicy and tangy combination of habanero pepper, lime, and cilantro”	US, AU
Yakisoba	4 (Very Spicy)	Not published	Balances “the spiciness with the sweetness of Worcestershire sauce”	US
2X Spicy	5 (Extreme)	Not published	“Twice as hot as the Original Buldak – the ultimate fiery heat!”	US, UK, AU

Source: Buldak.com (Samyang Foods) product pages and spice-level filters for the US, UK and AU sites, checked October 12, 2026. Level names come from the site’s “Spicy Finder” (Mild, Medium, Hot, Very Spicy, Extreme). The last column only shows which regional Buldak.com site lists the product. It does not promise a store near you has it. We did not find a separate Buldak.com site for Canada, so Canadian shoppers should check stores directly.

How to read the Buldak heat levels

Samyang shows heat as little chili icons on every product page. On the US site’s Spicy Finder, the five levels are called Mild Spicy, Medium Spicy, Hot Spicy, Very Spicy and Extreme Spicy. Here is a simple way to use them:

Start from the Original (level 4). Most flavors are described by the brand as milder or hotter than the Original, so it is the reference point.
Levels 1 and 2 are the brand’s “beginner” zone. Buldak’s blog calls Swicy “literally a level 1 on the spice scale” and says Carbonara “was already considered the beginner-friendly option.”
Level 3 is a step down from the Original. Taco, for example, is officially “milder than the original.”
Level 5 is the top. On the US site, the only level 5 ramen is 2X Spicy. Buldak’s blog chart lists “Nuclear Buldak” at five chilies. The Korean site’s name for the 2X sauce uses “핵” (haek), which means nuclear.
Check the package if things don’t match. Buldak’s own February 2026 blog chart puts Cheese at four chilies, while the current US, UK and AU product pages show it at three. When two official sources disagree, go with the product page and the package in your hand.

If even level 2 sounds like a lot, our guide on how to make Buldak less spicy covers easy ways to tone it down. And if you are choosing between Korea’s two big spicy noodle names, see Shin Ramyun vs Buldak.

What about Buldak Scoville numbers?

You will see exact Scoville figures for Buldak all over the internet. We looked for them on Samyang’s official pages: the US, UK, Australian and Korean Buldak.com sites and Samyang Foods’ global English site. None of the product pages we checked list an SHU number. They only show the 1 to 5 chili rating.

That is why every SHU cell in our Buldak spice level chart says “not published.” We would rather leave the cell blank than repeat a number we can’t trace to Samyang. If Samyang publishes official SHU numbers later, we’ll add them to the chart.

What Scoville Heat Units mean

Scoville Heat Units measure how hot a chile pepper is. According to New Mexico State University’s extension guide, heat in peppers comes from compounds called capsaicinoids. In the original Scoville test, people taste a pepper extract that is diluted again and again until they can no longer feel the heat. Each unit of dilution is one Scoville Heat Unit.

NMSU notes that the taste test is subjective because it depends on each taster’s sensitivity. Labs today use a method called high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which NMSU calls the most accurate way to measure pepper heat. The same guide says “mild,” “medium” and “hot” labels on foods are broad and can be subjective. That is a good thing to keep in mind with any chili-icon rating, including Buldak’s.

Here is how common peppers compare, using ranges from the University of Florida’s IFAS Gardening Solutions:

Pepper	Typical heat (SHU)
Bell pepper	0
Poblano	1,000 to 2,000
Jalapeño	2,000 to 8,000
Serrano	10,000 to 25,000
Cayenne	25,000 to 50,000
Habanero	100,000 to 350,000

Source: UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, “Peppers Ranked by Heat,” checked October 12, 2026.

These ranges are wide because heat changes with growing conditions. NMSU explains that a pepper plant under stress, such as heat or lack of water, can produce hotter fruit. Since Samyang does not publish SHU for its noodles, there is no official way to say “Buldak Original equals a jalapeño.” The Habanero Lime flavor does use habanero pepper, but that does not mean a bowl has the heat of a whole habanero. The brand still rates it level 4, the same as the Original.

Which Buldak flavor should you start with?

This is a guide based on the brand’s own ratings, not a taste test. Pick by your comfort with spicy food:

New to spicy food: Swicy (level 1), if you can find it. Samyang made it for people who want less heat than the Original.
Some spice is fine: Carbonara, Cream Carbonara or Rosé (level 2). The brand describes all three as easier than the Original.
You like a solid kick: Cheese, Quattro Cheese or Taco (level 3).
You want the classic: Original, Habanero Lime or Yakisoba (level 4).
Experienced spice fans only: 2X Spicy (level 5), which Samyang calls “twice as hot as the Original.”

Want options beyond Buldak? Our list of the best Korean instant noodles for beginners includes milder picks from other brands.

Allergens and label notes

Buldak recipes are not the same in every country, so always read the package you are buying. Here is what Samyang’s own regional product pages showed for the Original flavor when we checked:

United States: The US Original page says “Contains wheat, soy, sesame.” The US Carbonara page says “Contains wheat, soy, milk.” The US Original sauce lists curry flavor.
United Kingdom: The UK Original ingredient list includes wheat and soy, and its chicken flavouring “contains celery.” The flakes are listed as roasted laver (seaweed). It also carries a “may contain” warning for crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, milk, nuts, mustard and molluscs.
Australia: The AU Original page lists “Contains: wheat, gluten, soy, sesame,” and its sauce includes a habanero pepper seasoning. It has a “may contain” warning for crustaceans, egg, fish, tree nuts, peanut, milk and molluscs.
Canada: We did not find a Canada-specific Buldak.com page. Read the English or French label on the package sold in your store, since an imported pack may follow a different market’s recipe.

Cheese, carbonara, cream and rosé flavors contain dairy in the US versions we checked, so people avoiding milk should read those labels with extra care. Ingredients can change without notice, and the same flavor can differ between countries, so the package in your hand is always the final word.

FAQ

What is the least spicy Buldak flavor?

On Samyang’s official US and Australian Buldak sites, Swicy is the only pouch ramen rated level 1. The brand says it was “designed for consumers who prefer a milder level of heat compared to the original Buldak.” If you can’t find Swicy, Carbonara, Cream Carbonara and Rosé are all rated level 2. Their availability depends on your country and store.

What is the spiciest Buldak flavor?

Among the pouch ramen on Buldak.com’s US, UK and AU product lists, 2X Spicy is the only one rated level 5, the top of the brand’s scale. Samyang describes it as “twice as hot as the Original Buldak.” Buldak’s blog chart also lists “Nuclear Buldak” at five chilies. Some other markets may sell flavors that are not on these lists.

How many Scoville units is Buldak?

Samyang does not list Scoville (SHU) numbers on the official Buldak product pages we checked for the US, UK, Australia and Korea. It uses a 1 to 5 chili rating instead. Numbers you see on blogs and social media could not be traced to those official pages, so treat them with caution and use the official chili level as your guide.

Is Buldak Carbonara less spicy than the Original?

Yes, according to Samyang. Carbonara is rated level 2 on Buldak.com, compared with level 4 for the Original. The brand describes it as “a flavor enjoyable for consumers who find the spiciness of Buldak Original too intense.” It still contains Buldak hot sauce, so it is milder, not mild. Check the label too, since the US version contains milk.

Sources

Last reviewed: October 12, 2026. Product recipes, prices and availability change by country; always check the package and the retailer.