Cheonan budae-jjigae after work, ramyeon boiled twice: Cheongwon

Why Cheongwon is the budae-jjigae name in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan

Today I want to introduce a neighborhood favorite that I visit really often.

Honestly, when you look around Dujeong-dong for a meal, it's surprisingly hard to find a proper budae-jjigae (army stew) specialist ㅠㅠ But this place solved that problem for me completely — Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae, Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch, haha. It's such a good spot.

It's well known among locals too — a neighborhood favorite that's always crowded whenever I go lol. That day too, I was craving that spicy, rich broth, so I rushed over for budae-jjigae!

I dashed over right after work, and as expected, as dinner time approached the place was already fu~ll of customers.

If you know, you know — this is THE budae-jjigae spot in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan.

Cheongwon's location, opening hours and parking

• Name: Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae, Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch
• Address: 32-4 Dujeongsangga 4-gil, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea
• Hours: Monday–Saturday 11:00–21:00 (last order 20:30)
• Closed: Every Sunday
• Parking: Nearby public parking lots and street parking available
• Transit access: About 10 minutes on foot from Exit 1 of Dujeong Station on Line 1 (about 5 minutes by car); by bus, get off at Dujeong Commercial District stop and walk 3 minutes

It's close to Dujeong Station too, so it's really convenient to reach by public transit! The interior is pleasant and the owner and staff are so friendly and welcoming — every visit puts me in a good mood lol.

The menu: Songtan budae-jjigae and Cheongwon budae-jjigae

Cheongwon's signature dishes are Songtan budae-jjigae, which shows off the rich, deep flavor of classic budae-jjigae, and Cheongwon budae-jjigae, spiked with cheongyang chili for a fiery kick that's perfect with drinks! For sides, there's also pork loin cutlet that everyone, young and old, loves.

Unlimited rice and ramyeon refills, plus the lunchtime egg roll

And there are a few genuinely great value points that are unique to Cheongwon!

• Unlimited rice & ramyeon refills: order a base budae-jjigae and rice and ramyeon noodles come unlimited! Total heaven for big eaters or anyone wanting a hearty meal, hehe
• Lunchtime visit event: guests who arrive before 11:30am get a free warm egg roll on the house — early birds, don't miss it!
• 100% domestic ground meat: thanks to the special broth simmered carefully for a full day, 100% domestic ground meat, and only fresh ingredients, the broth is seriously rich

The basic banchan (side dishes) come out first~ and you can refill them at the self-serve bar — just ask staff for the eomuk (fish cake)!

Songtan budae-jjigae for two with extra ham

That day, we ordered Songtan budae-jjigae for two with my favorite add-on, ham! I always order it this way whenever I come here — packed generously with ham, it's perfect for me when I want to really eat a full meal, lol.

See how it came out piled high in a huge hot pot, practically overflowing with ingredients?!?! Right in the center sits a heap of ground beef, and around it, fresh scallions, several kinds of sausage, and various types of ham are piled on generously. Adding ham is love~

Cheongwon, the Dujeong-dong go-to in Cheonan, doesn't actually sell egg rolls! You can only get them through the review event. I made sure not to forget that egg roll either, hehe...

How does the broth taste?

Just look at this visual... as the broth starts boiling away, that delicious smell drifts up. One sip of the broth and yep, that's the taste — the taste I know. A familiar taste is a scary thing. So good!!!!

It's not harsh or just an unpleasant MSG taste — thanks to the special broth simmered carefully for a whole day, it's genuinely rich and deep. You can even add more broth, so you can adjust the concentration to your taste! Adding the ham doubled the savoriness, and honestly it's a total rice thief lol.

Ladle the broth, ham, and sausage generously over the plain white rice that comes standard, mix it all up, and before you know it, you've wiped out a whole bowl of rice. Ah~ it's been a while since I came, and it tastes even better now, haha~~~

Cutting the ramyeon in half and boiling it in two rounds

Can you skip the ramyeon noodle bag in budae-jjigae? No you can not!!! And it's free! Drop one in partway through and simmer it down until it's nice and thick — the perfect finish. My not-quite-secret tip: I split it in half and boil it in two rounds, once early and once later, haha.

If you boil it all at once, it gets soggy, so I recommend this method for anyone who likes firm noodles. Looks delicious, right?!?!??! Seriously so good... I was happy...

Where to go in Cheonan when you want budae-jjigae

I love good food and finding good restaurants, but there's no other budae-jjigae place in Cheonan that comes to mind — only Cheongwon. Since it's close to home, it's my go-to whenever I'm craving budae-jjigae, and every single time I leave full and completely satisfied.

If you live nearby or are looking for a good budae-jjigae spot around Dujeong-dong, definitely stop by for a satisfying meal.

The place that does the basics best is the best. That's just how I see it.