Dongdaemun Korean restaurant for Sunday day drinking: Sunhuine

The weather's been so nice lately that I went on a Seoul trip over the weekend, did you? This country girl from Chuncheon made her way up to the big city..!🥹 I had such a full day of sightseeing, and today I want to share the Dongdaemun Market restaurant where I had a solid, satisfying lunch!

Apparently the bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) at Gwangjang Market is super famous, right? (Especially Sunhuine..?) But turns out you can enjoy that same famous Sunhuine without even going all the way to Gwangjang — you can get it right in Dongdaemun. How could I not go check it out?😎

Where Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dongdaemun is and when it opens

Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dak Hanmari Dongdaemun is located at 20 Jongno40ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 1st and 2nd floors, and is open daily from 10:30 to 22:30. It's well equipped with amenities too — group seating, a waiting area, takeout/delivery, pet-friendly, high chairs, separate men's/women's restrooms, and Wi-Fi.

You can even make a reservation for Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dak Hanmari through Naver! Plus, they run a perk where writing a review gets you a choice of makgeolli, draft beer, or a soft drink! I went around 2pm on a Sunday without a reservation, and luckily there was no wait!

Where to park near Sunhuine Bindaetteok

Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dak Hanmari Dongdaemun doesn't have its own parking lot, given it's tucked in an alley. For those driving, I did a little research on nearby parking spots🚗✨

• 1️⃣ Cheonggye 6 street public parking lot (about 5 min walk)
• 2️⃣ Hyundai City Outlet Dongdaemun parking lot (about 10 min walk)

Whichever's more convenient for you should be an easy walk!👍

This whole area is basically the dak hanmari alley, so finding it might be a little confusing. But don't worry — Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dak Hanmari is right next to Gongneung Dak Hanmari!! And it has a bright red sign, so it's easy to spot!

Inside the two floors — does Sunhuine Bindaetteok take groups?

Here's the inside! Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dak Hanmari Dongdaemun spans two spacious floors, so it seems perfect for anyone looking for a group spot in Dongdaemun Market for a work dinner or gathering!

Look at all the traces customers have left, covering the wall! It seems to be globally famous too, since I saw a lot of foreign tourists coming in as well!

What's on the menu at Sunhuine Bindaetteok

The menu starts with the classic dak hanmari, then goes on to yukhoe (raw beef tartare), nakji tangtang-i yukhoe bibimbap (mixed rice with tenderized octopus and beef tartare), galbitang (short rib soup), seafood/meat mung bean pancakes, and even samgyeopsal (pork belly)!😲

There's even a half-portion dak hanmari add-on menu, which I think is such a smart touch!👍

The table setting and side dishes

They first bring out the basic side dishes along with a bowl for chicken bones plus tongs and a ladle!

The side dishes are simple — pickled onion and chili, and kimchi. But that pickled onion is seriously so good... it's a must-refill. When eating dak hanmari, make sure you pair it with the onion and chili every time, ha.

And then minced garlic plus a chive-and-cabbage mix come out, which are the essential ingredients for making the magic sauce — the real star of dak hanmari!

How to mix the dak hanmari dipping sauce

After a short wait, a staff member brings over a big board(?), which very kindly has instructions on how to make the sauce written on it~😎

Ta-da! Here's the magic sauce I mixed up exactly following the guide on the board!

Just give it a good shake-shake and you're done! If you run out of the chive salad mix while eating, just add more and keep mixing, keep eating, haha. This makes the dak hanmari taste ten times better😆

Dak hanmari, from the tableside chicken carving on

Alright..! Drumroll..!🎉 Our main order finally arrived! Can you see the size of that massive basin? They wheel this huge basin over on a cart, and then put on a dazzling dak hanmari carving show right in front of our table🤩 Seriously, they slice it up so neatly and skillfully with such flashy knife work..✂️ Look at how generous the portion is every time they stir it!

Ta-da! The dak hanmari, sliced up nicely and ready to eat~ Now onto the burner you go~!🔥

Bubble bubble, cook up nicely~~! Just look at that milky broth coming together, so good ㅠㅠ This kind of perfect dish is exactly right for a hearty Dongdaemun dak hanmari lunch course..!

I grabbed a plump chicken leg for a proof shot~📸 Look how meaty that is?

Inside the dak hanmari there's chicken, potato, napa cabbage, jujube, mushroom, green onion, carrot, and more!

And you guys, the rice cake in here is honestly unfair... it's insanely chewy. You know you have to fish out the rice cake first for that killer texture, right?😋 Then dip the well-cooked cabbage and chicken into the magic sauce — absolutely addictive.

Seafood mung bean pancake with chestnut makgeolli

Now, the moment we've been waiting for — the seafood mung bean pancake. Why did I order seafood? Because the chicken's already meat, so I compromised for the sake of my conscience😉 But it turned out to have a surprising amount of squid inside, so it was worth picking! Neck-craning good.

They slice it up neatly into pieces almost like a pizza~🍕 You can probably tell from the photo, but it's seriously thick, so thick. And the truly surprising part? Even after finishing the dak hanmari, once the pancake had already gone cold... it was still amazingly good😭 The mung bean pancake here isn't optional, it's mandatory. No wonder 'bindaetteok' comes first in the restaurant's name👏

And you can't have this pancake without makgeolli, that would be a shame. When else would I get to day-drink like this if not now~!😆 The nutty, sweet chestnut makgeolli pairs incredibly well with it.

Yes,, I finished it all haha🤫 Is it even okay to be this satisfied starting from lunch?

Is Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dongdaemun worth it?

• ✔️ A hearty Dongdaemun Market Korean restaurant course with rich broth and nutritious ingredients, great for a good body-boosting meal
• ✔️ Spacious and comfortable, perfect as a Dongdaemun Market group spot for gatherings or work dinners
• ✔️ The combo of dak hanmari with thick, crispy-outside-chewy-inside bindaetteok isn't optional, it's a must!

A Cheonggyecheon Stream walk after lunch

Oh right! You know that after filling up at Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dak Hanmari Dongdaemun, you have to complete the perfect Seoul outing with a walk right nearby along Cheonggyecheon Stream, don't you? It was actually my first time going to Cheonggyecheon.. and it was so lovely..? Cheonggyecheon, you're way too charming..!

Eating something delicious and then walking a pretty path — these small pleasures might just be what gives us the strength to get through our busy everyday lives🤭