Spicy vs. original sundaeguk in Gorim-dong, Yongin: Yetnal Gyeongseong

How crowded was Yetnal Gyeongseong Sundaeguk Gorim Branch at 5:30 pm on a weekend?

Around 5:30 pm on a weekend, before the dinner peak, the restaurant was almost completely full. I'd been wondering what to have for dinner, felt like something warm and brothy, and ended up at Yetnal Gyeongseong Sundaeguk Gorim Branch (옛날경성순대국 고림본점) in Gorim-dong.

Families, friends and couples were all eating, and more customers kept coming in while we ate.

Is it easy to get to, and is there parking?

The restaurant sits right on the Hanteo-ro roadside, and you can park in front, so it was easy to visit by car. The sign is big and catches your eye as you drive past, so it's not hard to find.

Cars kept pulling in on that weekend evening, but there was still room to park, so it was no stress at all.

Atmosphere and seating

Inside, the mood was much livelier than I expected, and the tables aren't packed tightly together, so it looked fine for eating in a group. Plenty of families were there for dinner, and some people came with friends or alone for a bowl of gukbap (rice soup).

Tables seemed to turn over fast, so the food came out quickly, and the place was kept neat and clean overall.

The menu and what we ordered

The menu runs from original sundaeguk to spicy sundaeguk, bone hangover soup and set meals. I first thought about just having the soup, but I wanted to try the pyeonyuk (sliced boiled pork) and chal-sundae (glutinous sundae) too, so I ordered the pyeonyuk chal-sundae set as well.

They're also running an event where you get a free chal-sundae if you write a Naver review, so join in and enjoy a hearty meal.

What's at the self-serve bar and on the table?

At the self-serve bar you can grab aprons, bowls and kids' tableware, plus kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), napa cabbage kimchi, chili peppers, ssamjang (dipping paste), onions and more. The kimchi was so good that I went back for more.

On the table there's salted shrimp, cheongyang chili and dadaegi (seasoned chili paste) to season to taste, and sesame seeds you can grind yourself. While waiting for the sundaeguk, I ground the sesame finely and added it to the soup, and it was so nutty and delicious!

Even the basic side dishes come neatly plated, and it doesn't feel like your average sundaeguk place. A tidy spot like this is great for visiting with kids too.

Is the spicy sundaeguk very hot?

From the color of the broth alone I thought the spicy sundaeguk would be quite hot, but when I tried it, the flavor was more kalkal (sharp and clean-hot) and refreshing than harshly spicy. I started with the spicy bowl.

After one spoonful of broth, my stomach felt settled. There was plenty of sundae, meat and offal, so picking through the ingredients was fun, and with no gamey smell it stayed tasty to the very end. Adding a little perilla seed powder brought a nutty richness for yet another flavor.

How is the original sundaeguk different from the spicy one?

The original sundaeguk has a rich yet mild broth, so it has its own charm compared with the spicy bowl, and it's easy to eat. If you usually like the original style, I think you'll be satisfied.

It had plenty of sundae and generous meat too, so even one bowl was filling.

Seasoning it a little with salted shrimp made the broth's flavor come alive even more.

Should you add the sesame from the start?

At Yetnal Gyeongseong, try grinding the sesame from the table and adding a big heap right from the start. I added mine midway because I wanted to compare, and it was so nutty and good that I was practically face-down in the broth, honestly! That toasty flavor went so well with the sundaeguk.

The pyeonyuk and chal-sundae in the set meal

The pyeonyuk in the pyeonyuk chal-sundae set was boiled tender with a good texture and hardly any gamey smell. The chal-sundae was packed full and got nuttier the more I chewed, and I liked that sundaeguk came with it so you can sample a bit of everything.

The verdict, after dessert too

To finish, they bring out gangjeong and sikhye, which made for a great dessert. I was really satisfied with this Gorim-dong favorite, and I think from now on, sundaeguk will make me think of this place first.