Gangnam Korean restaurant: yukhoe bibimbap + kimchi stew, 1992 Deopbap

A solo weekend dinner at Gangnam Station: 1992 Deopbap & Jjageuli Gangnam Main Branch

1992 Deopbap & Jjageuli Gangnam Main Branch (1992 덮밥&짜글이 강남본점) is a Korean rice bowl and jjageuli restaurant about a one-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 3. I stopped by for dinner on a weekend after running some errands around Gangnam Station.

I'd heard it's easy to visit alone and that the Korean menu is varied, so I headed over without much deliberation. It's only about a one-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 3, so it was easy to find.

There's a menu board outside so you can look over the dishes before going in.

What's the atmosphere like at 1992 Deopbap & Jjageuli Gangnam?

The entrance is shaped like a hanok (traditional Korean house) tile roof, and there's a waterwheel that really turns, so you get a quiet, old-fashioned mood right in the middle of Gangnam. The tiled entrance was the first thing I saw, so it was easy to spot. The exterior feels more like a traditional Korean restaurant than an ordinary rice bowl place, so the mood was different even before I walked in.

Inside, I saw soft lighting and a folding screen painted in Korean style, with a waterwheel in the center.

The waterwheel in the middle of the room was the most eye-catching part of the decor. It was actually moving, so it was fun to watch.

There are several bar table seats that are good for eating alone, so I could eat without worrying about anyone around me. There are also tables for two and group seating, so it looks good for visiting with friends or coworkers too. With the painted screen and the waterwheel in view together, I got photos that look different from your average Korean restaurant.

I ordered myself at the kiosk by the entrance. The menu runs from jjageuli and rice bowls to gukbap (soup with rice), bibimbap and handmade porridge, so there's quite a wide range to choose from.

Seasoned yukhoe Jeonju bibimbap: price and what's in it

What I ordered that day was the seasoned yukhoe Jeonju bibimbap (양념 육회 전주비빔밥) at ₩15,000. Yukhoe is Korean-style seasoned raw beef. It comes with six kinds of namul (seasoned vegetables) and yukhoe, plus a special gochujang (red chili paste) sauce, which suited me well since I usually love bibimbap.

When ordering at the kiosk, you can choose either steamed egg or kimchi stew as a side. I was craving something with a spicy kick, so I went with the kimchi stew.

How does the seasoned yukhoe Jeonju bibimbap taste?

The bibimbap arrived in a big bowl, with colorful namul and glossy yukhoe piled on top looking very appetizing.

There's nutty sesame oil too.

The colors of the namul went nicely together and looked delicious.

I added the special gochujang sauce to my taste, mixed the rice, yukhoe and namul together evenly, and took a bite. The yukhoe had a better chewy texture than I expected, and the more I chewed, the softer and nuttier it got,

and there was almost no gamey smell, so even people who are wary of raw meat should be able to enjoy it without worry.

Each of the six namul kept its own texture, so I got both crunch and softness at once. The gochujang sauce wasn't too spicy or salty, so it let the natural flavors of the namul and yukhoe come through.

The kimchi stew I chose as a side

The kimchi stew that came with it also went better than I expected. The broth wasn't harsh, just a pleasant level of spice that wakes up your appetite, and taking a spoonful between bites of bibimbap left my mouth feeling clean.

After you finish eating, you just return your dishes.

Is it easy to eat alone near Gangnam Station?

There are plenty of bar tables for solo diners, and the kiosk ordering kept things low-pressure from start to finish. Food comes out fairly quickly, so it looked fine for office workers short on lunch time, and the atmosphere let me eat slowly on my own without feeling watched, so it was a comfortable meal.

Hours and location

• Hours: 10:30 a.m.–10 p.m.
• Last order: 9:20 p.m.
• Location: 6 Gangnam-daero 84-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (1st floor)
• About a 1-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 3, easy to reach by public transport

Wrapping up

If you're looking for a place to eat alone near Gangnam Station, 1992 Deopbap & Jjageuli Gangnam Main Branch is worth a visit. Seats that are easy to sit at alone, simple kiosk ordering and a wide range of Korean dishes made it convenient. The seasoned yukhoe Jeonju bibimbap I had was hearty, with chewy, fresh yukhoe and six kinds of namul, and adding a nicely spicy kimchi stew made the combination satisfying. Next time I'd like to try the bubbling, generous jjageuli or one of the other rice bowls.