Fusion pub with unlimited popcorn in Suji, Yongin: Gorae Byeoljang

This is Suji. When it comes to recommending a good place to eat, sometimes a repeat visit is a more honest measure than the first one. You might go the first time out of curiosity, but heading back means something about the food and atmosphere genuinely stuck with you. This time I returned to Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch, on Seongbok 1-ro in Suji-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi — a place I'd enjoyed on a previous visit.

What is Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch? A retro fusion pub in Yongin

Gorae Byeoljang is less a standard chicken joint and more a fusion pub.

With a concept of "retro sensibility meets modern trends," it serves everything from old-style chicken to familiar Korean anju (drinking snacks) like Jeonju-style pork jeon and tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cakes). There's also a variety of dishes aimed at today's tastes, like seafood sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew), yuja cream shrimp, and cheese-waterfall odolppyeo (cartilage). The drink lineup is broad too — soju, beer, makgeolli, gaoliang, Suntory and Jim Beam highballs, Yantai highballs, and Byeolbit Cheonghaju.

Folding-door seats and the view outside

The outer wall is a folding door. Left wide open in summer it feels lovely and cool; now in the evenings it's chilly enough that they keep it closed, but you still get a great view of the tree-lined street outside.

For dishes where texture and freshness really matter — bone-in chicken, odolppyeo, rice, salmon, mussels — they source domestic or select premium origins, while for anju items and garnishes where cost and portion size matter more, they use imported global ingredients, striking a value-focused balance.

What comes in the Gorae Byeoljang Set for 38,000 won?

Once again I ordered the Gorae Byeoljang Set for ₩38,000, which comes with Eungdapharachicken, Gorae tteokbokki, and Jeonju-style pork jeon. Being able to try several anju at once is one reason I picked the same set again on this repeat visit. Chicken alone can feel like something's missing, and ordering only Korean anju can feel a bit heavy, but the three together create different flavors and textures.

I've attached the menu separately for reference.

Unlimited popcorn: the service that helps when you bring kids

There's a service I was especially glad about visiting with a child. After placing the first order, popcorn arrives while you wait — and it's unlimited refills.

I still have fond memories of grabbing popcorn refill after refill with my kid on our visit.

It's great for curbing hunger before the food arrives, and it's a small but thoughtful touch that puts guests at ease. Little things like this play a part in deciding whether you come back.

How does Eungdaphara Chicken taste? Old-school fried chicken

At the center of the Gorae Byeoljang Set is Eungdapharachicken. Even the name evokes old-fashioned chicken, and the flavor lives up to that — sticking to the basics rather than flashy seasoning.

The batter is crisp without being too thick, and the meat inside stays juicy. The first bite delivers a savory fried aroma, followed by the clean flavor of the chicken itself. It's a bit different from today's trend of pushing flavor with strong seasoning or punchy sauces — which actually makes it easy to keep eating piece after piece without getting tired of it. It's the kind of flavor that goes well with a slow beer, and dipping it lightly in the tteokbokki sauce adds another layer of fun. It reminded me exactly why I liked the place on my first visit.

The house soy-based special sauce served alongside was really lovely.

Gorae tteokbokki with fried sundae

Gorae tteokbokki plays the role of shifting the set's overall flavor direction. Chewy rice cakes are deeply coated in a sweet-spicy sauce. The sauce isn't watery — it clings to the rice cakes so every bite delivers a strong hit of seasoning. It pairs especially well with the Eungdapharachicken: after the crispy, savory chicken, a bite of the sweet-spicy tteokbokki resets your palate and pulls you right back to the chicken. It's a dish that shines more when eaten in rotation with the others in the set than on its own. Good as a drinking snack, but also solid as a light meal when you're peckish.

It also comes with fried sundae (blood sausage), which is a delicacy in its own right. Fried sundae is properly enjoyed dipped in the tteokbokki sauce.

Jeonju-style pork jeon, the dish to pair with makgeolli

Of the three dishes, Jeonju-style pork jeon feels most like a proper Korean anju. Thinly cut pork is coated in egg and pan-fried to a golden finish. The savoriness of the egg hits first, followed by the pork's clean, mild flavor underneath. While the chicken and tteokbokki are more familiar and leave a stronger impression, the jeon is comparatively calmer. It's tender to chew with a cozy, comforting flavor typical of jeon, so it's easy to keep eating without feeling weighed down. It pairs especially well with makgeolli, and it naturally ties into the retro pub concept, balancing out the whole set.

The combination of shredded green onion salad and the generous portion of green chili peppers on top was especially appealing.

Why Gorae Byeoljang works for group gatherings

The strength of Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch is that instead of pushing one signature dish, it offers a range of options for a group to enjoy together. Chicken lovers, tteokbokki lovers, and people who prefer jeon or stew-style anju can all pick something to their taste at the same table. Add the affordably priced set menus and the wide drink lineup, and it works well as a gathering spot too. It's good for a quick beer that turns into a full meal once you start adding dishes, or you can switch up the mood with makgeolli or a highball.

Since we were with kids, we mimicked the feeling of drinking beer using cola instead.

Worth a second visit, and already planning a third

What struck me most on this visit was that instead of feeling like "okay, I've been once, that's enough," I came away thinking "next time I should try other dishes too." Ordering the same dishes as last time was still satisfying, and looking at the menu, my eyes naturally drifted to other items like the seafood sundubu jjigae or yuja cream shrimp.

If you're looking for a comfortable spot for a drink in Seongbok-dong, Gorae Byeoljang is a pretty solid choice. There are days it gets busy enough to have a wait, and I can see why so many locals keep coming back. Taste, price, menu variety, and a relaxed atmosphere — none of it feels lopsided, and that's the strength of this place. I came the first time out of curiosity and ended up returning, and once again the Gorae Byeoljang Set made for a satisfying time. Next time, I'm planning to pick something I haven't tried yet. The power to make you want to come back to a place you've already visited — that, in the end, seems to be Gorae Byeoljang's charm.