Bongmyeong-dong tteokbokki with kids in Cheongju: Bubuduri Tteokbokki

Why a family chose Bubuduri Tteokbokki in Bongmyeong-dong, Cheongju

Bubuduri Tteokbokki Bongmyeong branch is a snack bar that has been in business in Bongmyeong-dong, Cheongju for 20 years. On a weekend evening when the family wasn't really craving a full meal but still wanted something tasty, we all agreed on snack food, so we headed to Bubuduri Tteokbokki Bongmyeong branch, a place I'd long heard was a top Cheongju snack bar tteokbokki spot.

Having run for a whopping 20 years, my expectations were sky-high before I even walked in — and after eating, I understood exactly why it's kept drawing loyal customers for so long. Let me show you.

Where is Bubuduri Tteokbokki in Bongmyeong-dong, and where do you park?

Bubuduri Tteokbokki Bongmyeong branch sits right in front of the Bongmyeong-dong bus stop, on the main road, so it was very easy to find. The cute orange sign really catches your eye. It's on the 1st floor of Bongmyeong Ttonggwang Karaoke, across the street from Saemaul Geumgo. You'll need to use the surrounding alleys to park — we parked in the side alley.

Inside Bubuduri Tteokbokki: snack food and beer in one room

The interior was bigger than I expected. Bubuduri Tteokbokki, a Cheongju snack bar tteokbokki favorite, has a distinctive twist: it sells snack food alongside alcohol. There's a good range of cool options too, from draft beer to Saero soju to yogurt sherbet.

Duri Tteokbokki started out as a food truck and has grown into the current storefront, plus a Geumcheon branch.

Have you ever seen a tteokbokki place with a lunch special? It was a first for me, haha. The set with a main dish, rice and a plate of tteokbokki looked seriously filling.

If you need more fish cake broth or a side plate of pickled radish, you can help yourself.

What the family ordered at Bubuduri Tteokbokki and what it cost

Bubuduri Tteokbokki Bongmyeong branch has everything from set menus to à la carte dishes, plus a good lineup of cool drinks — draft beer, bottled beer, Saero soju, yogurt sherbet. Here's what I ordered.

• Duri tteokbokki — ₩6,000
• Water fish cake, 3 pieces — ₩3,000
• Spicy fish cake, 3 pieces — ₩3,000
• Giant pepper fritters, 2 pieces — ₩4,000
• Squid fritters, 3 pieces — ₩4,000
• Draft beer, 500cc — ₩5,000

Duri tteokbokki, 6,000 won: sweet-spicy enough for a grade-schooler

For the main dish, I went with duri tteokbokki. Since it was our first visit, I ordered it plain to try the basics. The plate was a bit deep so the portion was decent, and unlike a lot of tteokbokki these days that's overly aggressive or just spicy for the sake of it, this sauce hit a perfectly pleasant spiciness balanced with savory sweetness. Seriously addictive! My elementary-school kid alternated bites with the water fish cake and ate it just fine despite the spice, haha.

Water fish cake, 3 pieces for 3,000 won: the kid ate all three

You can't skip fish cake at a snack bar. I didn't even get a taste — my kid polished off all three pieces of water fish cake. It must be that good! Watching them alternate bites of tteokbokki and fish cake was so cute, haha. I also tried the fish cake broth on the side, and it was rich and deep — excellent.

Giant pepper fritters, 2 for 4,000 won: bigger than expected

I ordered two right away for my husband, who loves pepper fritters, and when they arrived on the plate I was genuinely startled by how much bigger they were than expected. They looked as good as anything from a dedicated fritter shop, +_+

Before long, everything was served. The squid fritters aren't in this photo since we ordered them partway through — I'll show those at the end.

Even in the photo you can tell how crispy it is. The crunch is top-tier! For a snack bar, the filling inside was seriously generous and it was genuinely delicious.

How spicy is Bubuduri's tteokbokki?

The spice level of Bubuduri's duri tteokbokki is milder than or about on par with Shin Ramyun. My husband and I both loved the sauce from the very first bite. Slightly spicy and sweet at once — the seasoning is genuinely on point. We even said this would be our go-to tteokbokki spot from now on, and we've been snack bar nomads around here for a while, so that's saying something.

Every time I dipped into the pepper fritters between bites, you could see how freshly fried they were — crispy batter packed with filling! No greasy aftertaste at all, just clean and genuinely delicious.

The fritters here are seriously crispy. Dunk them into the sweet-spicy tteokbokki sauce and the flavor doubles. They also went really well with the draft beer. Pepper fritters aren't optional here, they're mandatory — which is exactly why we ended up adding squid fritters later.

Spicy fish cake, 3 pieces for 3,000 won: fine even for weak spice tolerance

The spicy fish cake has a moderate kick — spicy enough to feel lively without being overwhelming, so it's easy to enjoy. I was worried it might be too much, but it turned out fine, haha. It was my spice-averse husband's pick and he ate it happily. What a relief! I tried one too, and it wasn't harsh at all, so it seems like a good option if you just want a few pieces of spicy fish cake.

Squid fritters, 3 pieces for 4,000 won: the extra order nobody regretted

A few sips into the beer, I wanted more fritters, so we ordered squid fritters on top. As expected, the fritters didn't disappoint — super crispy and piping hot! And the squid pieces were plump and amazing!

Is Bubuduri Tteokbokki worth a weekend dinner with kids?

Bubuduri Tteokbokki Bongmyeong branch, a top pick for Cheongju snack bar tteokbokki, gave us a meal everyone enjoyed. It's a Bongmyeong-dong favorite that's kept its consistently great food and warm service going for 20 years.

If you're anywhere near Bongmyeong-dong, I'd recommend stopping by. Our family has already made it our new regular spot, so we'll be back soon.