Yangeun Naembi, the Retro-Icon of Korean Kitchens

As part of the Leo Gala Series to give wider publicity to Korean culture and promote its beauty beyond the facade, Asia Society Korea is here to present a coverage of the yangeun naembi, a traditional Korean pot that is both simple in its material and industrial in its everyday usage.
When asked what the key to preparing the best instant ramen is, a myriad of answers will flow out of a Korean’s mouth before even taking a breath. One of the reoccurring details of the passion-filled answers would be to cook the ramen at a high temperature. To accomplish the task, arguably, there is no better option than to cook ramen in the good old yangeun naembi.
Yangeun naembi, 양은(洋銀)냄비, can directly be translated as a nickel-silver pot or a German silver pot because the metal was first developed by German metal workers. However, interestingly, the pot that most people refer to as yangeun naembi is not actually made of nickel-silver. It is an aluminum pot with a yellow anodized surface. When this pot was first introduced in the 1960s, aluminum was unfamiliar to the public. So, the company branded the pot as ‘yang’ [洋, western] ‘eun’ [銀, silver] as a marketing strategy.
In the 1960s and 70s, Korea’s light-metal industry had just taken off and the shift from an agricultural to an industrial society was beginning. The common family structure was changing from extended families to nuclear families and Western influences were affecting kitchens as well. Large cast iron pots over fire pits was no longer the norm, nor were they appealing to smaller families. A more compact kitchen with holed charcoal briquettes replaced traditional kitchens and to complement the lower temperature of coal briquettes, yangeun naembi with their high thermal conductivity were convenient for cooking. Moreover, as an alternative to heavy traditional cast iron pots, gamasots, the light weight yangeun naembi quickly gained popularity among households. Various kitchen appliances made of aluminum were also sold before stainless steel and plastic were introduced into the market.
Yangeun naembi disappeared from many households after health concerns over high aluminum concentrations in food cooked in aluminum pots spread across the country. During this period, aluminum pots and appliances were replaced with stainless steel pots. The concerns were later answered by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety as an over precaution and the pots were deemed safe to use as long as the anodized surfaces weren’t severely damaged. However, an uneasiness on the use of aluminum pots still remains among the general public.
Despite the hygienic concerns, aluminum pots have been used in Korean ramen restaurants or old-fashioned restaurants as yangeun naembi continues to be a peculiar kitchen item that helps recall difficult but innovative times in Korea. Sometimes restaurants even purposefully deform aluminum pots to give them a rustic, old-timey look. With the impact of the retro wave, pots are returning to modern Korean kitchens and it can be found in almost every household. How about purchasing a yangeun naembi online and cooking instant ramen for a lazy day in? Try the infamous trick to preparing the best ramen guaranteed by Koreans!