Ulsan Korean restaurant for yukhoe mulhoe lunch: Boksan Haejang

Boksan Donkatsu is already famous as a pork cutlet spot in Jung-gu, Ulsan, and it turns out Boksan Haejang is run by the same family, sourcing beef directly through its own affiliated butcher, meat shop and pork cutlet shop to serve generous portions at reasonable prices — a well-known lunch spot near Gongeoptap in Ulsan. Since I have fond memories of Boksan Donkatsu, I decided to check out Boksan Haejang too.

Boksan Haejang: location, hours, parking

• 📍 Location: 476 Munsu-ro, Nam-gu, Ulsan, South Korea, 1st floor
• ⏰ Hours: 11:00–14:30 (closed Mondays)
• 🅿️ Parking: available right in front of Boksan Haejang

Boksan Haejang has parking for 2 cars right out front, but if those spots are taken, you'll need to park in the nearby alley.

Boksan Haejang is a Gongeoptap lunch spot you can only visit at midday — apparently the hours changed due to internal circumstances. Last order is at 14:00, so keep that in mind.

Interior, seating and waiting

If you're having the Boksan haejangguk (hangover soup), each table has salt, pepper, sancho pepper and perilla seeds so you can season it to taste. They even have hair ties on hand — a nice touch. Inside, the seating for 2 and 4 was spacious. There can be a wait, so I'd recommend checking Table Ling (a waitlist app) before you go.

Aprons and baby chairs are also available — just ask staff if you need them.

Side dishes and menu prices

The side dishes are radish salad, diced radish kimchi and pickled onion. These classic Korean staples paired well with everything, no complaints there.

• Boksan haejangguk ₩11,000 / ₩15,000
• Haejang kalguksu ₩13,000 / ₩17,000
• Yukhoe bibimbap ₩12,000 / ₩16,000
• Boksan yukhoe mulhoe ₩13,000 / ₩17,000
• Boksan pork bulgogi ₩5,000 / ₩10,000
• Yukhoe (raw beef) ₩15,000 / ₩25,000
• Boksan mungtigi ₩25,000 / ₩40,000

The signature menu items at Boksan Haejang seem to be the Boksan haejangguk, Boksan yukhoe mulhoe, and yukhoe bibimbap, so I ordered the yukhoe mulhoe and the yukhoe bibimbap.

How's the Boksan yukhoe mulhoe?

The Boksan yukhoe mulhoe came loaded with a spicy, tangy special broth and fresh, chewy raw beef. The ice slush was so cold it started freezing the thin wheat noodles solid.

The Boksan yukhoe mulhoe really shines through its fresh raw beef and special broth — a broth flavor I hadn't tasted at any other mulhoe place.

Yukhoe bibimbap comes with soup on the side

The yukhoe bibimbap comes with a special gochujang (red chili paste) sauce and a serving of the Boksan haejangguk broth on the side. It also comes loaded with a generous amount of raw beef — I'd recommend mixing it gently with chopsticks so the beef doesn't get mashed. The soup that comes with the yukhoe bibimbap is from the popular Boksan haejangguk, and it's absolutely perfect. It made me want to come back just to order the haejangguk itself.

True to its reputation as a Gongeoptap favorite, Boksan Haejang even nails its special gochujang sauce. Less salty than regular gochujang, this sauce is the real kick in the yukhoe bibimbap. I'd recommend mixing it in gradually to adjust the seasoning to your taste. With plenty of raw beef and fresh vegetables in every bite alongside the rice, I can't imagine a more satisfying lunch.

Grab a cup of coffee on your way out after the meal for the perfect finish.

Final thoughts on Boksan Haejang

Both the yukhoe bibimbap and the Boksan yukhoe mulhoe I chose for lunch lived up to the hype. The raw beef was fresh with no off-smell and generously portioned, making it feel like a proper lunch. Plenty of other customers were having the Boksan haejangguk too, and as it gets colder this fall, I'd love to come back just for the hangover soup. It's lunch-only, so you'll need to time your visit, but if you're looking for a great meal near Gongeoptap in Ulsan, this place is absolutely worth the trip.