Gangnam Korean BBQ with patented herbal galbitang: Gungmin Hanwoo

Today I'm introducing a place where my stomach practically shed tears of joy, like it was finally being treated like a human being haha. It's Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch, well known as a Samseong Station meat restaurant! (Slightly riffing on that 'another famous place' cliché there.)

Whenever I have plans near Samseong Station, I usually end up eating something forgettable at COEX — whether it's actually good is anyone's guess haha. But this time the signage alone was different. A taegeuk (Korean flag) logo, and the name is literally 'Gungmin' (National) Hanwoo House. Putting 'national' in your name is basically a declaration that if the food isn't good, the whole nation will come for you, right?

Get ready, boss. Right at the entrance was a Gangnam-gu Model Restaurant plaque and a proud sign reading 'We only sell hanwoo!' A pure-blood hanwoo restaurant with zero room for imported beef sneaking in — my national pride was already swelling before I even walked in.

Is the patented galbitang at Gungmin Hanwoo House for real?

The real pride of Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch is its patented galbitang (beef short rib soup). A banner at the entrance and on the tables proudly displays 'Korean Intellectual Property Office registered galbitang manufacturing method patent.' Patent No. 10-2999310, officially titled 'Method for making galbitang.'

This is the first time in my life I've seen a patented galbitang. It feels like a PhD in the world of galbitang, haha. According to the banner, it's a deep, rich broth simmered for a long time, clear and clean, with a generous 900g portion of thick meat. On the menu, the 'hanbang (herbal medicine) galbitang' also carries the patent-registered mark, priced at ₩16,000.

I was too focused on the meat to try it this time, but it's my top priority for the next visit. Skipping the patented galbitang here is like going to a museum and only visiting the ticket booth 😎

What's in the 400g Gukdae assorted set, and what it costs

Today's star was the Gukdae (national team) assorted set 400g. It's a combination of top sirloin + flat iron + whole short rib meat, discounted from ₩86,400 to ₩78,000. Opening the menu, I was greeted with the line 'specializing in the top 1% hanwoo, grade 1++ No.9.' At 400g, it was just right for two people, roughly a two-serving portion.

The side dishes (banchan) were generous too — seasoned bean sprouts, spicy gungchae (aster stem) namul, geotjeori (fresh cabbage kimchi), chewy white wood ear mushroom namul, onion strips with dressing, and even tasty yukhoe (raw seasoned beef) laid on perilla leaves! Before the meat even arrived, the banchan alone had me ready for a full bowl of rice.

Then the Gukdae assorted platter finally appeared… the moment I saw the marbling laid out on the wooden cutting board, I let out an involuntary 'wow…' This wasn't meat, it was a work of art.

Grilling the three cuts over charcoal

Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch grills on a copper-colored grate over charcoal. The moment the meat hit the grill, the sizzle sounded like Olympic opening ceremony fanfare. My grilling skills aren't great so I was nervous, but cutting the thick top sirloin into cubes and rolling them around while grilling gave a crisp outside and juicy inside.

I dipped a piece lightly in salt and took a bite… the meat melted and disappeared in my mouth. It doesn't even give you time to chew.

The top sirloin exploded with savory fat, the flat iron was tender with a deep meaty aroma, and the whole short rib meat had a fantastic chewy texture — a standout. The three cuts felt like gold medalists in three different events. No wonder it's called 'Gukdae.' Grilled shishito peppers and king oyster mushrooms on the side kept it from ever feeling greasy. And a sip of zero-sugar cola kept my conscience clean(?)

Finishing with hanwoo brisket doenjang jjaguri, 10,000 won

Finishing with just meat wouldn't be very Korean of me. I ordered the hanwoo brisket doenjang jjigae (with rice), marked as a recommendation on the menu. Just ₩10,000! It comes out bubbling in a stone pot with rice mixed in, packed with beef brisket, zucchini, tofu, enoki mushrooms, and chives.

The moment I took a spoonful, the brisket fat met the doenjang and the savory flavor doubled. The broth soaked right into the rice grains, and my spoon wouldn't stop moving. Even full, I caught myself scraping the bottom of the stone pot. That wasn't my willpower — that was the jjigae's scheme.

Verdict on Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station

For anyone looking for a great beef restaurant near Samseong Station, or wanting to properly enjoy hanwoo in the area, I confidently recommend Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch. The trust of a hanwoo-only menu, the quality of top 1% No.9 grade beef, a reasonable set price, and a patented galbitang as their secret weapon! I'll definitely be back to try the patented galbitang next time.

• Recommended menu: grilled BBQ set, hanwoo brisket doenjang jjigae, patented ginseng galbitang