Gukbap set and extra sundae in Yeoksam: Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap

On days when I'm craving a hearty bowl of gukbap (rice soup), this Yeoksam restaurant is just the place, so I went to Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap (남도창평국밥). It's already a well-known lunch spot among office workers near Yeoksam Station, and I heard people love it as a hangover cure too, so I gave it a try. It's not only the gukbap, the whole set comes out really generous, which made it a great filling meal!

Where is Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap, and what's the atmosphere like?

Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap is at 528 Nonhyeon-ro, 1st floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea, a convenient spot near Yeoksam Station, so it was easy to find.

The exterior has a real long-running-local-favorite feel, so it catches your eye right away as you walk by. Very much a Yeoksam classic vibe!

One wall is covered with autographs from celebrities who have visited, which makes it feel like a guaranteed good place.

A spacious hall for company dinners and lunch gatherings in Yeoksam

The inside is much bigger than I expected. There are lots of tables, so it can handle groups of all sizes, and it looked like a good place for a company dinner or lunch gathering in Yeoksam.

A very fancy jagae-jang (mother-of-pearl inlaid cabinet) on the main wall caught my eye. The sheer size of it surprised me.. haha. Jagae is so trendy these days!

What comes with the Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap set?

This day I ordered the Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap set and a plate of sundae (Korean blood sausage).

Before the gukbap arrived, the sundae and suyuk (boiled pork slices) from the set and the side dishes were laid out first. The table was packed, so it looked super generous from the start.

Salted squid, seasoned chives and a perilla chili-vinegar sauce

The set's sides were really solid: salted squid, seasoned chives, salted shrimp and doenjang (soybean paste). It also came with a sauce made from a chili-vinegar base with perilla powder, and that sauce was the real kick.

The sundae and bossam in the set

The sundae and bossam (boiled pork) that came with the set looked great too. The sundae is the tightly stuffed kind, with a nice chew and a really generous filling. You could tell at a glance that it was quality sundae, at this Yeoksam gukbap spot!

The bossam had a moist shine and the meat wasn't dry at all, just really tender. It went perfectly with the seasoned chives.

How is the broth at Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap as a hangover meal?

The gukbap comes out boiling in a ttukbaegi (earthenware pot), and just the look of it sets off the hangover-cure craving. It was packed with ingredients, and the broth looked deep and rich from its color, so it was better than I expected.

When I stirred in the daedagi (seasoned chili paste), the spicy flavor came alive and the broth got much deeper. There were thin wheat noodles inside too, so the textures were varied. The broth is rich but not heavy, with a clean finish, so you keep spooning it up! It's good as a hangover cure and totally filling as a lunch. A Yeoksam spot with high satisfaction for proper gukbap.

Is an extra plate of sundae at Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap worth ordering?

The sundae in the set was so good that I ended up ordering an extra plate. I'm not usually a huge fan of this style of sundae, but the sundae here has almost no fishy smell and is really nutty. The filling is well balanced and clean with no off-odor, so I kept reaching for more.

I was so satisfied that it felt like the best sundae I've ever had! If you like sundae, I really recommend ordering extra at this Yeoksam gukbap spot.

Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap set: overall verdict

The Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap set comes with gukbap, suyuk and a variety of side dishes, so it was a very filling meal! The highlight of the gukbap is the deep, rich broth, and I loved the clean meat with no off-odor and the generous ingredients. The suyuk was both tender and chewy, which I liked, and the sides went well with the food.

The owner was friendly too, and I liked that the clear, deep gukbap flavor typical of the Namdo region (southwestern Korea) came through. Recommended for a hearty meal or an office lunch!