Gumi restaurant with beef seaweed soup instead of loach soup: Irojeong

What kind of restaurant is Irojeong Gumi Geumosan Direct Branch?

We went to Gumi on a family trip and stopped by Irojeong Gumi Geumosan Direct Branch because parking looked easy and the place looked clean. It's known as one of the best loach soup (chueotang) restaurants in Gumi, so I was curious — and it turned out to be big and tidy, great for a family meal.

We arrived right at the 5pm opening time. Even so, the private rooms were already fully booked, and while we waited for our food, the tables filled up fast too. There were tons of families with older parents in tow — clearly a popular spot for family meals.

We ordered sanghwang loach soup, beef seaweed soup, and one plate of boiled pork (onsuyuk).

Sanghwang loach soup: how strong is the aroma?

Honestly, I don't usually eat loach soup. But since we were at a place known for it, I figured I should try the signature dish, so I ordered the sanghwang loach soup. The typical muddy-fish smell was barely there, but I picked up a spice-like scent that felt a bit strong to me. I'm pretty sensitive to smells in general — I can't even handle mala tang or pho — so personally I couldn't eat much of it. :(

That said, I think this is more about my own sensitivity than any problem with the food. The family members who normally like loach soup enjoyed it a lot.

The surprise favourite: Korean beef seaweed soup

The dish that impressed me most, unexpectedly, was the beef seaweed soup (miyeokguk). It was my first time ordering seaweed soup as a restaurant dish, and it was clearly different from the version I make at home. With beef in it, the broth felt hearty and rich — a different flavor entirely from the usual home-cooked seaweed soup, in a good way.

We also ordered the boiled pork, which was great for sharing as a family. Overall the menu had enough variety that even someone who can't do loach soup still had plenty of options.

Turmeric rice and self-serve watermelon at Irojeong

The rice wasn't plain white rice but turmeric rice — golden and appetizing, and it made the meal feel a bit healthier somehow. After eating, I checked the self-serve bar and found watermelon waiting there too. Nice to have fruit ready to go after the meal.

The waiting area doubles as a café with takeout iced coffee

There was one space here I genuinely loved. The restaurant has a waiting area that works like a mini café, stocked with sikhye (sweet rice drink), other beverages, barley crackers, and coffee.

What I thought was amazing was the iced cups — you could get a takeout cup already filled with ice and pour coffee into it to bring along. We had a long car ride ahead of us on our trip, so being able to grab coffee for the road was really convenient. That kind of thoughtful touch stuck with me.

Parking at Irojeong and what to see nearby

The restaurant itself was spacious and clean, and the parking lot was big enough to make parking easy. It seemed like a good pick for family visits or meals with older parents.

Best of all, President Park Chung-hee's birthplace is right next door, so it's easy to combine a walk-around before or after the meal. There's also a large park nearby, so this could work well as part of a Gumi trip itinerary.

If you're looking for a place to eat with family in Gumi, give Irojeong Gumi Geumosan Direct Branch a try. If you love loach soup, it's worth the visit as a well-known Gumi chueotang spot, and even if you're sensitive to the smell like me, there's beef seaweed soup and boiled pork as other options — I left fully satisfied 👍👍