Korean restaurant date in Gyeongju: the 46,000-won Goyu set for two

Today I want to introduce Goyu, a restaurant I visited on Hwangnidan-gil during my Gyeongju trip! It's a place where the quiet atmosphere of a hanok meets modern Korean food, so I'd had my eye on it even before the trip 🤎 Visiting in person, the vibe was great and the food was so delicious! I really wanted to share it with you all, so here it is!

Goyu in Gyeongju: location, hours, break time, last order and closing days

• Location: 49 Sajeong-ro, Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk
• Hours: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
• Break time: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
• Last order: 8:00 PM
• Closed days: no fixed closed days!

They apparently announce closed days in advance through Naver or Instagram, so please check before visiting!!!

Goyu (古由): 'originating from the old' — Goyu is described as a Hwangnidan-gil Korean restaurant that adds a modern sensibility to the deep flavors of traditional Korean food! True to its name, the restaurant itself is a hanok, so I could really feel Gyeongju's unique atmosphere! 🤎

Especially from the entrance, the quiet hanok atmosphere made me kind of excited!

Goyu waiting and reservations: is there really no wait at opening?

Goyu has a Tabling kiosk in front of the restaurant, so you can register for waiting the moment you arrive!

I did an open-run, so I got in without waiting, but Hwangnidan-gil is always crowded, so if you're planning a visit, keep the waiting time in mind!!

For reservations, you can use Naver Reservations! ✨✨

Inside Goyu: seating, high chairs and the restroom

The restaurant Goyu got a lot of natural light overall, so it felt bright and cheerful ☀️ The interior was done in clean white and light beige tones, and the ceiling was high, so it felt much more open than I expected! On top of that, the wood-toned tables made the whole space feel warm and comfortable 🤎

There were tables ranging from 2-person to 4-person seating, and there were also separate single seats for solo diners! With such a variety of seating arranged by party size, it seems like a great spot whether you're visiting alone, as a couple, or in a group!!!

And there were high chairs prepared for those visiting with kids! If you need one, you can just ask a staff member, so keep that in mind!

The restroom was inside the restaurant! Maybe because they manage it themselves, it was really kept clean, and there was no smell at all...! Very satisfying on the hygiene front too!!!

How to order at Goyu

Ordering is simply done via the tablet placed at each table!!! ✔️✔️✔️

Goyu menu and prices

Please refer to the photos for the menu and prices ✨✨✨

What comes with the meal at Goyu: geotjeori and beef radish soup

Once you sit down, the basic tableware — small plates, spoon, chopsticks, water cup and so on — is neatly set out! And a staff member brings cold water right away 🥤

The default side dishes are geotjeori (freshly tossed spicy cabbage salad) made that very day, and warm beef radish soup! 👍

The geotjeori that came out as a default side, maybe because it was just tossed, was crisp and fresh! The color was pretty too, and the seasoning wasn't overdone, so it went perfectly alongside the main dishes I ordered! Since it wasn't too strong in flavor and was light to eat, I kept reaching for it even while waiting for the main food!!! 🤎🤎🤎

The beef radish soup that came with it had a clean, deliciously fuss-free flavor! Not overly strong or heavy — clean and light!

But wait, is this really just a free side dish...? The amount of beef in it was actually quite substantial...!!! Plus the texture was tender, not tough — the best!👍 It was such a contrast to a beef soup restaurant I once paid good money for, where the meat portion was disappointing in comparison ^ ^...!

Honest review of the 46,000-won Goyu set

We ordered the Goyu set (₩46,000): hanwoo yukhoe buckwheat noodles + doenjang ssambap + crispy bulgogi + 1 drink!

Before the main dishes came out, they first brought the drink we ordered! They also gave us a cup of ice along with the drink, so we could enjoy it cold 🧊🥤

After the drink came out, all the main dishes we ordered arrived at once! 🍽️ My boyfriend said this was especially nice. Usually when you order several dishes or a set menu, the food often comes out one item at a time, but at Goyu everything came out together, so we could enjoy all the dishes together from the start!!! 🤎

Hanwoo yukhoe memil-myeon (beef tartare buckwheat noodles)

The hanwoo yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) buckwheat noodles caught the eye right away with its bright red look! ❤️ The yukhoe was seasoned with a hint of spicy-sweet flavor, and the buckwheat noodles were well coated in that same spicy-sweet sauce, making for exactly the right spicy noodle dish!!!! 🤎

Plus the shredded perilla leaf on top went really well with it! 🌿 The nuttiness of the yukhoe combined with the fragrant perilla leaf was such a great pairing!!!!

I took a bite with plenty of yukhoe piled on top of the mixed buckwheat noodles 🤤 The spicy-sweet buckwheat noodles combined with the nutty flavor of the yukhoe in one bite ~ ~ ~ yum yum yum

Gang-doenjang ssambap (soybean paste with rice and lettuce wraps)

The doenjang (fermented soybean paste) ssambap was the dish both my boyfriend and I picked as our top choice! 💚 Since it's a dish made with doenjang, the moment you take a bite you really feel like 'ah, this is proper Korean food!' Even though it's called 'kang-doenjang' (thick doenjang stew), it wasn't salty or overpowering in a way that makes you keep reaching for water — it was soft and not overwhelming, which made it truly delicious!

The egg strips and carrots inside the ssambap didn't overpower each other and blended naturally with the thick doenjang! 🤎

And the cold jeyuk (pork) on top! Chewy with a good bite to it, so eating it together with the ssambap added great texture — top tier! Seriously a must-order dish!!!!! 👍👍👍

Crispy bulgogi at Goyu

The last dish to introduce is the crispy bulgogi! 🥩 It came out sizzling on a heated iron plate so you could enjoy it warm to the very end 🔥 True to its name, the bulgogi was cooked until crispy, so the outside had a slight crunch while staying moist inside!

Above all, since the bulgogi was sweetly seasoned, the salty-sweet balance worked really well, and it seemed like it would go great with rice too!!! 🤎

Another combination worth ordering: cold jeyuk with bibim memil-myeon

As a bonus, I tried eating the cold jeyuk from the doenjang ssambap together with the mixed buckwheat noodles from the hanwoo yukhoe noodles!🤤🤤 This turned out to be a pretty good combination too!!! Eating the spicy-sweet mixed buckwheat noodles together with the chewy cold jeyuk proved once again that meat with mixed noodles never disappoints 🤤 Each dish is delicious on its own, but I'd also recommend trying this kind of unusual combination!

This was a great place to visit if you want a special Korean meal during a Gyeongju trip 🤎 From the doenjang ssambap that was our shared favorite, to the hanwoo yukhoe buckwheat noodles where the nuttiness of the yukhoe blended so well with the spicy-sweet mixed noodles, to the crispy bulgogi that stayed warm until the end — every single dish was satisfying!

If you want to feel the hanok atmosphere while enjoying delicious modern Korean food on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, I think Goyu is well worth a visit!