Mapo Station gukbap: summer sundaeguk with bibim naengmyeon, Bosseung

A 24-hour gukbap place near Mapo Station!

So many 24-hour restaurants around Mapo Station have disappeared, which was a shame, so I was happy that a good place like Bosseung Hoegwan (보승회관) is open around the clock and went straight there. Bosseung Hoegwan Mapo Branch has a rich broth, a wide menu, and works both as a place to drink and a place to eat.

Where is Bosseung Hoegwan Mapo Branch? Location, parking and hours

For your GPS, the address is 44 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul (1st floor). By public transport, it's within walking distance of Exit 3 of Mapo Station on Line 5. If you park behind the building, the restaurant covers 30 minutes.

Hours are daily 00:00–24:00, open 24 hours, all year round.

Bosseung Hoegwan Mapo Branch menu and how to order

Beyond gukbap, there are summer lunch dishes, dishes that work as drinking snacks, and sides to add on. Every table has a menu, and with table ordering you can look at photos and order on a tablet, which makes both ordering and adding more easy.

There are meals like sundae gukbap, suyuk gukbap and offal gukbap, plus drinking snacks like mung bean pancake (nokdujeon) and seafood scallion pancake (haemul pajeon). Looking at the menu, Bosseung Hoegwan works as both a rice restaurant and a pub.

There are also main dishes like beef tripe hot pot (gopchang jeongol) and pork bone stew (gamjatang), which suit a drink with dinner or late-night drinking.

Is Bosseung Hoegwan Mapo Branch good for solo diners and group dinners?

Bosseung Hoegwan Mapo Branch works for solo diners, pairs and groups. Best of all, it's open 24 hours, so it's good for a meal before an early-morning commute or a late-night snack. It can host groups, yet there are various table types for eating alone or as a pair, and even though it's open 24 hours, there's no break time.

The place has an open layout, and the tables are spaced generously enough for chatting over a meal or drinks. According to Naver Place, it can seat up to about 40 people, so it takes group dinner reservations too.

The interior is clean overall, and the staff were quick and friendly, so I felt comfortable throughout the meal.

Bibim naengmyeon with gukbap at Bosseung Hoegwan: does it work?

The bibim naengmyeon comes with plenty of sauce, and it's spicy-sweet with a cool, savory depth. The noodles are boiled springy with a great texture, so it's easy to alternate: a bite of warm gukbap, then a bite of cold, spicy-sweet naengmyeon.

Eating bibim naengmyeon like a side dish while having gukbap made for a hearty meal.

How does the sundaeguk at Bosseung Hoegwan Mapo Branch taste?

The sundaeguk at Bosseung Hoegwan Mapo Branch has an appealing heavy, rich broth. It arrives at the table still bubbling in the earthenware pot. The broth looks rich, and for my first sip I tasted it plain, before mixing in the seasoning paste (dadaegi), and it was delicious.

According to the detail page, the broth is simmered for over 6 hours, and it has almost no gamey smell, just a deep, rich flavor.

Maybe because it's gukbap, but the kimchi is great too and goes well with it.

I have a kid's palate, so I can only eat pork if the gamey smell is well handled, and Bosseung Hoegwan's sundaeguk has a flavor even first-timers to gukbap can take without hesitation.

It's generously filled with ingredients, and you can season it with salted shrimp (saeujeot) and adjust the chives and seasoning paste, so it's easy to eat to your own taste.

Suyuk gukbap and takeout at Bosseung Hoegwan Mapo Branch

The suyuk gukbap was the one I debated over. Reviews say it's a popular pick among women, and if you like clean cuts of meat, I'd guess it's clean-tasting too. Bosseung Hoegwan Mapo Branch offers takeout for every menu item.