Naengmyeon (냉면; 冷麵) is a Korean cold noodle dish that consists of long and thin handmade noodles made from the flour and starch of various ingredients, including buckwheat (메밀, memil), potatoes, sweet potatoes, arrowroot starch (darker color and chewier than buckwheat noodles), and kudzu (칡, chik). Buckwheat predominates (despite the name, it is not a wheat but rather is more closely related to sorrel). Other varieties of naengmyeon are made from ingredients such as seaweed and green tea.
The noodles are served in a chilled broth, which can be made from beef, chicken, or dongchimi (a type of kimchi made with radishes). The broth is typically seasoned with salt, vinegar, and sugar. Naengmyeon is often garnished with sliced cucumbers, boiled eggs, and red pickled radish (danmuji).
There are two main types of naengmyeon: mul naengmyeon (물냉면, “water cold noodles”) and bibim naengmyeon (비빔냉면, “mixed cold noodles”). Mul naengmyeon is served with a clear broth, while bibim naengmyeon is served with a spicy sauce made from gochujang (red chili paste).