Seomyeon galbijjim restaurant with an annex for full weekends: Sinchon

Hello haha, I visited Sinchon Yangpuni Seomyeon Main Branch, a spicy pork galbijjim (braised ribs) restaurant in Seomyeon, Busan.

What is Sinchon Yangpuni Seomyeon Main Branch?

Sinchon Yangpuni Seomyeon Main Branch has apparently run in the same spot for 20 years as a Korean restaurant in Seomyeon. Shops in Seomyeon change so often, so 20 years is impressive!

Weekend evening wait and what the annex is like

I visited on a weekend evening and there were so many people that I ended up at the annex. The annex isn't far from the main building.

This is the inside of the annex at Sinchon Yangpuni Seomyeon Main Branch. I barely managed to grab a seat, so I took a photo. It was fully packed on the weekend evening.

You order using the QR code on the table.

The menu and choosing a spice level

Here's the menu at Sinchon Yangpuni Seomyeon Main Branch. I ordered galbijjim for two, Jeolla aged kimchi, and rice balls.

You can also choose your spice level. Since I can't handle spicy food well, I ordered level 1.

There are recommended galbijjim combinations too, take a look haha.

While waiting for the food, I read the sign. It said they don't use gochujang, making it instead with sea salt, soy sauce, and salted shrimp — I figured it would have a kind of clean spicy taste.

Side dishes and the rice balls

The side dishes came out first: seasoned acorn jelly, corn salad, pickled onion, perilla leaves, and garlic dipping sauce.

Then the rice balls came out, rolled up nice and round.

Staff debone the braised ribs at your table

The galbijjim arrived piled high with bean sprouts and green onion. A staff member deboned the pork ribs and cut them into easy-to-eat pieces.

The Jeolla aged kimchi was also cut into bite-sized pieces for us.

The staff had prepped everything to be easy to eat. Time to dig in haha.

How spicy is level 1 galbijjim?

First I tried a perilla leaf wrap. The fragrance of the perilla leaf, the spiciness of the galbijjim, and the garlic sauce all came together in harmony. Adding the corn salad in for that popping texture was fun and delicious too. Being someone who can't handle spice well, I chose level 1, and it wasn't very spicy while still tasting really clean!

I think adding the aged kimchi was a stroke of genius. That sharp yet clean spicy flavor was so delicious. I hadn't even had a drink, but it felt like it cleared my stomach.

You also get to enjoy glass noodles and rice cake together. The rice cake was whole garae-tteok (cylindrical rice cake), so it was nice and chewy.

A bite of meat on top of the rice ball, yum. How is the meat this tender and not tough at all? T_T It's so soft, nothing gets stuck in your teeth. It paired amazingly with the salty rice ball too. Eating that and then taking a sip of the broth — I nearly passed out 🥵.

Before I knew it, the bowl was completely empty... It was so good I devoured it in a hurry. Ate well, thank you ^0^

Oh, and if you make a Naver reservation, you get a free seafood potato pancake, so make sure to reserve before you visit 🫶🏻

Final verdict on Sinchon Yangpuni Seomyeon

Sinchon Yangpuni Seomyeon Main Branch, a spicy galbijjim restaurant in Seomyeon, Busan! The moment I tasted the galbijjim, I understood why this Korean restaurant has held its ground in Seomyeon for 20 years. Maybe because it skips the gochujang, it was cleanly spicy and easy on the stomach in a good way.

I can't handle spicy food well so I ordered level 1, and it was just the right amount of spicy, which I loved. They said most people order level 2. Adding the aged kimchi was a stroke of genius for me — that refreshing yet sharp flavor was artistry. The meat in the galbijjim was incredibly tender.

Next time I want to try it with different toppings. My intent to revisit is 10000000 percent ❤️ This was the best Korean food I've had in a while. If you're looking for a Korean restaurant in Seomyeon, a galbijjim restaurant in Seomyeon, or a spicy braised rib restaurant in Seomyeon, I highly recommend Sinchon Yangpuni Seomyeon Main Branch!!