Celebration gopchang dinner near Wangsimni Station: Hyewon Sogopchang

Wangsimni's gopchang alley is famous, right? But the popular places have terrible waits, and sometimes you just want somewhere that isn't chaotic and overwhelming, where you can eat in peace. Hyewon Sogopchang, where I went this time, is exactly the place that came to mind for a day like that.

How far is Hyewon Sogopchang from Wangsimni Station?

Hyewon Sogopchang (혜원소곱창) is a 3-minute walk from Exit 6 of Wangsimni Station! It's really close, so I got there fast. There are tons of bars and good restaurants nearby, so planning a second or third round is easy too :)

What is the atmosphere like at Hyewon Sogopchang?

True to its name, the whole place felt like a neat, tidy gopchang restaurant. It wasn't crowded or greasy-feeling; it felt put together, which made eating there comfortable.

At some gopchang places the floors are slippery and the tables are a mess, but Hyewon Sogopchang has much less of that, which I liked. It's good for a relaxed meal with a friend, and it also looked like a nice spot for gopchang with a drink in the evening.

What we ordered at Hyewon Sogopchang: mixed grill for 2

This day we ordered the mixed grill for 2. You get gopchang (small intestine), daechang (large intestine) and makchang (abomasum) all at once, so when you can't decide what to eat, the mixed plate is always the safest choice and the most satisfying, right?

It looked appetizing right away, and each cut came cooked just right, so it was easy to pick up a piece and eat straight away. It also came with chives, potato, sweet pumpkin and tteok (rice cake), so the spread was more generous than I expected.

Free soup, ramen and sides at Hyewon Sogopchang

At Hyewon Sogopchang, kimchi bean sprout soup and ramen noodles come on the house. Before the main dish arrived, I was already craving something with broth, you know.

Luckily, kimchi bean sprout soup plus ramen noodles come as a freebie. Start off filling your stomach, hearty or spicy, however you like!

Something good had happened recently, so this was a get-together to celebrate. We had a light glass of beer alongside the meal too.

A variety of seasoned vegetables comes along too, and they go great with the gopchang!

Pickled onion sauce, wasabi, roasted soybean powder and sesame oil dip come out too, so it was fun to dip in different ways.

Do you have to grill your own gopchang at Hyewon Sogopchang?

At Hyewon Sogopchang the gopchang comes fully grilled, so you don't have to cook it yourself. Personally, this was the point I liked most. At gopchang places you sometimes end up grilling from start to finish, the conversation gets interrupted, you miss the timing and you get busy. Here there's none of that hassle; it arrives perfectly cooked, which was so convenient.

That's why I liked it even more: you worry less about splattering oil, there's no fear of botching the grilling, and you can eat it right at its tastiest. Gopchang handled by the pros is just easier and the flavor is more reliable, haha

How did the mixed gopchang grill taste?

The mixed gopchang platter had a slightly different flavor for each cut, so it was definitely fun to eat. The gopchang spreads a rich, nutty fat flavor the more you chew, but it isn't overly greasy and the chewy texture stays. The outside was golden and the inside moist, so with every bite the richness of the filling came through subtly.

The daechang had a richer, oilier charm, and the makchang was the kind you keep reaching for thanks to its springy chew. Eating the mix meant I wasn't stuck on one flavor; I could alternate between slightly different textures and tastes. Piling chives on top freshened up the richness of the gopchang, and the potato and sweet pumpkin were nice to eat in between.

Who should eat at Hyewon Sogopchang in Wangsimni?

• Anyone who wants to enjoy several cuts at once with a mixed grill
• Anyone who wants to eat comfortably without being busy grilling, since it all comes cooked
• Anyone who wants gopchang without any fuss in a tidy restaurant
• Anyone looking for rich gopchang where each cut has its own appeal

On days when you're craving gopchang and want to eat comfortably without being busy grilling, a place like this is really nice, haha. If you want a tidy gopchang meal in Wangsimni, Hyewon Sogopchang is worth a visit.