Songpa gukbap restaurant for pork jowl set meals: Boseung Hoegwan

I wanted a warm bowl of gukbap (rice soup) for lunch near Jamsil Station, so I stopped by Boseung Hoegwan Bangi Branch (보승회관 방이점). I had been looking for a good place to eat in Bangi-dong, and this one looked great for a hearty meal with its wide range of gukbap options.

The address is 1F, 101 Ogeum-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea, and it is open 24 hours. Parking was available directly in front of the restaurant.

A spacious interior with plenty of seating options

Once inside, I found more seating options than I expected. There were tables for two and four, plus six-person group tables, so it was easy to choose a spot based on the size of your party.

There was also separate bar-style seating for solo diners. With gukbap restaurants, you naturally look for somewhere comfortable to eat alone, and these bar seats made a solo visit feel easy and low-pressure.

A pair of diners would be comfortable at a two-person table, while families or larger groups could use the four- or six-person tables. Overall, the range of seating suited everything from a solo meal to a family meal or a meal with a bigger group.

A varied menu, from gukbap to boiled pork

Boseung Hoegwan offers a wide selection of gukbap, including sundae gukbap, boiled-pork gukbap, and pork jowl boiled-pork gukbap. There is more than just gukbap, too: boiled pork, gamjatang (pork bone soup), and haejangguk (hangover soup) are also on the menu, making it easy to choose according to your taste.

We ordered the two-person sundae and pork jowl boiled-pork set that day. Since we could choose two gukbap bowls, we went with pork jowl boiled-pork gukbap and sundae gukbap. We upgraded the pork jowl option to a large size for an extra ₩3,000. If a bowl of gukbap alone feels a little lacking and you want boiled pork too, the set menu looked like a good choice.

Free drink event for writing a review

There were both a Google review event and a Naver receipt-review event underway. If you would like to participate, check the notice posted in the restaurant and confirm the details with a staff member once more.

The basic side dishes

Not long after we ordered, the side dishes arrived first. Kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and napa cabbage kimchi came as standard, along with chives and salted shrimp to add to the gukbap. There was also a special sauce for dipping the boiled pork.

Kimchi and kkakdugi are quietly important at a gukbap restaurant, aren't they? A bite of kkakdugi with a steaming bowl of gukbap is such a good match.

Pork jowl boiled pork and sundae served with the two-person set

The set menu is available for two or more people, and everyone does not have to order the same thing. We did not order matching bowls either, choosing one pork jowl gukbap and one sundae gukbap. Since each person can pick the gukbap they want, it would be convenient when dining with companions who have different preferences.

Having a piece of boiled pork alongside the gukbap made the meal feel a little more substantial than just one bowl of soup. I tried the boiled pork with the special sauce; since it comes separately, you can dip to your preference. It also paired nicely with kimchi or kkakdugi.

Ordering the pork jowl set in a large size

I started with the pork jowl boiled-pork set. This time, I upgraded it to a large size for an extra ₩3,000, and with both boiled pork and gukbap included, it suited a day when I wanted a proper, satisfying meal.

I dipped the pork jowl boiled pork in the special sauce. With the gukbap, I naturally found myself taking a spoonful of warm broth, then a piece of pork, then some kkakdugi. There was a difference between eating it plain and with the sauce, so it was fun to alternate between the two.

Steaming hot sundae gukbap

The other dish we ordered was sundae gukbap. The sundae soup arrived piping hot in a ttukbaegi (earthenware pot), and it really looked like a proper bowl of gukbap.

I scooped up the sundae and other ingredients together, adding a little chives here and there. I first tasted the broth as it came, then added salted shrimp later; it changed the seasoning slightly, so I could adjust it to my taste. Sundae soup is especially filling with rice, isn't it? The hot broth and rice made for a completely satisfying lunch.

How should you season Boseung Hoegwan's gukbap?

Boseung Hoegwan's gukbap comes already seasoned from the start. It includes seasoning paste and perilla seed powder, so the broth is not bland and is already seasoned to a certain degree. For that reason, it is best to taste the broth as it comes first, then add salted shrimp or chives to suit your preference.

Rather than adding everything right away, I tasted the basic broth first. A little salted shrimp lets you adjust the seasoning while bringing out the characteristic gukbap flavor, while chives add their aroma for a different feel. The restaurant also noted that sliced garlic and onion are available on request, though I did not ask for them that day. If you need them, it seems fine to request them.

A hearty gukbap lunch near Jamsil Station

If you are looking for a hearty lunch not far from Jamsil Station, it may be worth looking over the gukbap menu at Boseung Hoegwan Bangi Branch. Above all, because the gukbap arrives already seasoned, I recommend trying it as it comes first, then adding salted shrimp or chives to your taste. Keep it in mind when you are looking for gukbap in Bangi-dong or a lunch spot near Jamsil Station.