Accidentally spicy solo gukbap in Gangdong, Seoul: Boseung Hoegwan

Why Boseung Hoegwan near Cheonho Station was the first meal of the day

Today I'm bringing you a story about my first meal — a really important one for me, since I only eat two meals a day haha. Now that I'm controlling my portions with two meals a day, if I skimp on the first one I have no energy all day long. I had somewhere to be near Cheonho Station today, so I told myself, at least let's get the first meal right! I searched around for a while and finally settled on a gukbap (Korean soup with rice) restaurant.

Boseung Hoegwan, a sundae and suyuk gukbap specialist

It did feel a bit like a chain, but chains have this reliability where they at least nail the basics — and that actually drew me in more lol. So that's how I ended up at Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch.

Let me now share my honest review from eating there solo!

Inside Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch: solo seats and the room

When you walk into Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch, a waiting area greets you first. There are even outlets there — such thoughtful touches.

I'll admit I was a little worried going alone. Even though I avoided peak mealtimes, I wondered if it might still be crowded.

But the moment I walked in, I spotted seating clearly meant for solo diners and felt relieved.

The whole place was spacious with generous gaps between tables, so I didn't feel self-conscious eating alone.

Looking at the menu, I saw there was a separate one-person menu. It's designed so you can comfortably enjoy a bowl of gukbap solo without feeling awkward.

An apron offered first, and how the kiosk ordering works

What stuck with me most was the staff's service. Before the food even arrived, they asked if I'd like an apron — I happened to be wearing a white blouse! That kind of detail made me feel somehow more taken care of.

You know how some people find kiosks difficult these days? Under the kiosk there was a sign that said, 'If ordering is difficult, please press the bell.' Every little thoughtful detail stood out — I think this is exactly the kind of thing that makes you want to come back.

Solo special pork-jowl gukbap: spice levels and the chili paste I forgot to skip

I ordered the solo special pork-jowl gukbap. Being able to choose your own spice level to taste is another advantage unique to this place.

Even for someone who can't handle spice like me, there was a level I could eat without worry, which made choosing kind of fun.

The basic side dishes, sundae, and suyuk were set down first, and then the gukbap arrived hot, still bubbling. There was plenty of meat in the soup too!!

The broth came out red, and I thought 'did I order the wrong thing?' — but I'd just forgotten to ask them to leave out the chili paste (dadegi) when picking my order lol.

The portion was just right and hearty enough for one person, making it a perfect choice for a first meal.

How the sundae, suyuk and broth tasted

I ate the sundae as it came, separately from the basic side dishes, one piece at a time. If I'd dropped it straight into the gukbap it would have fallen apart, so this turned out to be a genius move.

Thanks to that, I got to enjoy its chewy, springy texture all the way through. The more I chewed, the more savory flavor kept coming through. The suyuk was also cooked tender along the grain, so it went down clean without any greasiness. I worried it might have a gamey smell, but that turned out to be needless worry lol.

I topped the broth with just chives and took a spoonful — even without adding salted shrimp, the seasoning was already spot on.

I knew from the very first spoonful. This place didn't become a gukbap specialist for nothing. Officially a Cheonho Station gukbap gem!

The kimchi really impressed me too. Its cool, crisp flavor kept pulling me back for more, and it paired perfectly with the gukbap.

Between a spoonful of gukbap and a bite of kimchi, my whole bowl of rice disappeared before I knew it.

I seriously considered ordering another bowl, but I was already too full, so I regretfully gave up on the idea haha.

Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch: location, parking and hours

• 📍 654 Olympic-ro, 1st floor, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• ⏰ Open 24 hours daily
• 🚘 Parking available behind the building
• 🚇 Within a 5-minute walk of Cheonho Station Exit 3

It's within a five-minute walk of Cheonho Station Exit 3, and

there's a bus stop right out front, so getting there by public transit was really convenient.

With parking available and 24-hour hours, it's a Cheonho Station restaurant you can drop into anytime without worrying about the clock.

Whether it's early morning or late at night, whenever you want to fill your stomach properly, this seems like a great place to head to. It really has everything covered, whether you're going alone or with others.

Is Boseung Hoegwan worth it for solo diners?

Having a hearty, delicious meal after a while left me in an even better mood for the rest of the day. I went in without high expectations since it's a chain, but it went above and beyond the basics, which made it stick in my memory even more.

Solo seating, a one-person menu, and thoughtful service — all three lined up, making this a Cheonho Station restaurant I'll keep thinking about. If you're looking for a good restaurant near Cheonho Station, or a gukbap place where you can comfortably eat alone, I confidently recommend Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch. Next time, I'll try the sundae gukbap or something else on the menu~