Hwaseong Korean restaurant for spicy pork: Naengmyeon Gajun

Naengmyeon and meat near Dongtan Lake Park

I was craving a refreshing bowl of naengmyeon (cold noodles) near Dongtan Lake Park, so I visited Naengmyeon Gajun Dongtan Main Branch. Just having mul naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon felt a little incomplete, so I was planning to add braised beef short ribs too.ㅠㅠ

But when we visited around 5 PM, they said the braised beef short ribs were out of stock that day, so we switched to spicy gochujang pork belly instead. ㅠㅠ I was a little disappointed because I had been looking forward to the ribs... but naengmyeon really needs meat with it, right? Haha

Hours, parking, and what we ordered

• Hours: Daily 10:00–21:00
• Location: 32 Dongtan-daero 5-gil, Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, Luna Gallery 2F, Units 207–208
• Parking: Available in the building
• Ordered: Bibim kudzu naengmyeon, kudzu naengmyeon in cold broth, spicy gochujang pork belly, Fanta Pineapple

At the entrance, there was a funny poster saying they would sell kudzu naengmyeon for ₩7,900 until the KOSPI rises above 10,000, haha. (The owner’s wish, perhaps...? Haha) Considering restaurant prices these days, it did not feel overly expensive for naengmyeon right in front of the lake park!

Photos of the signature dishes were displayed inside. Along with kudzu naengmyeon, they sell several dishes including braised beef short ribs, spicy gochujang pork belly, and webfoot octopus dumplings. It was kind of fascinating to find webfoot octopus dumplings at a naengmyeon restaurant, but we did not order them this time—next time, haha. The braised beef short ribs were sold out when we visited at 5 PM, so if you really want them, it seems best to check availability before visiting.

Dongtan Lake Park through the window

One of Naengmyeon Gajun’s charms is the view of Dongtan Lake Park through the window… ♥

Beyond the huge windows, the lake and walking trail stretch out, so it almost feels like being in a café with a great view, even though it is a restaurant! If you are looking for good naengmyeon near Dongtan Lake Park, it is even nicer that you can enjoy a meal and the lake view together -!!

After we ordered, a serving robot brought over the scissors and basic side dishes. More and more restaurants have serving robots these days, but when one actually rolls right up to your table carrying food, I still find myself looking at it one more time, haha.

The basic side dishes were neatly set out: shredded radish salad, seasoned fish cake, and fresh radish kimchi. Since both the naengmyeon and spicy gochujang pork belly were seasoned dishes, the sides were nice to nibble on in between.

Bibim kudzu naengmyeon and cold broth kudzu naengmyeon

First, two bowls of kudzu naengmyeon arrived. I chose the bibim kudzu naengmyeon with its delicious-looking seasoning, while my boyfriend went for the refreshing cold broth version, hehe.

With cucumber, radish, and egg on top, they looked every bit like bowls from a proper naengmyeon specialty restaurant! The egg was only a quarter piece, though, so I did briefly think, “Isn’t half an egg the standard for naengmyeon...?” Haha. Still, it was enough as a topping, so I just had a little laugh and moved on.. hehe.

Fanta Pineapple and the spicy gochujang pork belly came out next. It was a shame that we could not have the braised beef short ribs, but the pork belly was stir-fried in a sweet-and-spicy sauce, so it was familiar and delicious, like jeyuk bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork).

After cutting the meat into bite-size pieces with scissors, I placed a piece on top of the naengmyeon with each bite—really, you cannot resist the naengmyeon-and-meat combination..! It went well with the spicy seasoning of the bibim naengmyeon, and with the cool broth noodles, the broth neatly balanced the meat’s rich flavor.

A splash of vinegar~ mustard~ swish swish! Since it was kudzu naengmyeon from a specialty restaurant, the noodles loosened up nicely without clumping, which I loved!!

The bibim kudzu naengmyeon I had was coated beautifully in glossy red seasoning!! As you can see in the photo, the kudzu noodles were chewy and springy, so their bouncy texture really came through the more I chewed!! Adding a little of the separate broth to the sweet-and-spicy sauce made it insanely good!! The sauce did not taste too strongly of gochujang; it had a savory, nutty flavor, so I liked the bibim naengmyeon more than the broth version, haha.

On the way out after our meal, I also took a photo of the restroom-use notice!! ※※ The restroom password may change!! ※※

After filling up on naengmyeon and spicy gochujang pork belly, we went straight for a walk at Dongtan Lake Park right in front ~ ♥ It is just perfect for an evening date!!

It was a shame we could not have the braised beef short ribs, but I loved the chewy kudzu naengmyeon, the jeyuk-style spicy pork belly, and the refreshing lake park view!

If you are looking for good naengmyeon near Dongtan Lake Park or want to enjoy meat alongside your naengmyeon, give Naengmyeon Gajun Dongtan Main Branch a visit :)