Sangam-dong sundae gukbap with ground perilla: Jeongbaekseon Sundae

Jeongbaekseon Sundae, a Sangam DMC lunch spot and a real find for sundae gukbap lovers

This weekend my partner and I were wondering what to eat, and we ended up craving a steaming bowl of sundae gukbap (blood sausage rice soup)! We were looking for lunch in Sangam and tried the newly opened Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam (정백선순대 상암점). Honestly, it was clean with no smell at all, you grind whole perilla seeds into the soup yourself, and the individual induction burner keeps it hot to the very end, so it was really delicious! Here's my review of this DMC lunch spot I'd recommend, and I'll put the parking info together too for anyone driving :)

Where is Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam, and what are the hours?

Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam is a 3-minute walk from Exit 9 of Digital Media City Station, and it's open 11:00 - 22:00. You can go for lunch or dinner.

It's really close to Digital Media City Station, so it's easy to reach by public transport, and it looked like a great lunch option in Sangam-dong. We went on the weekend right when it opened at 11, and going early meant the inside was quiet and comfortable.

My partner once went alone around 12 on a weekday, and said it was definitely crowded, probably because it's an office area. Since it's a popular DMC lunch place, I'd guess Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam gets a bit packed at weekday lunchtime.

Is there parking at Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam?

You can use the building's parking lot. That was honestly the best part: parking is possible!

Parking is always a worry in Sangam, so if you're looking for a DMC restaurant with parking, this is worth knowing. If you want a hearty meal near Digital Media City Station, the location and access are good, which makes it an easy recommendation for a Sangam DMC meal.

Inside Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam: is it okay for dining solo?

The interior feels clean and tidy, like a brand-new gukbap shop, and with both long bar seats and table seats, it's comfortable for dining solo or as a pair.

When you think of a sundae gukbap place you might picture something old-fashioned, but Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam felt like a fresh new spot, clean and pleasant.

The long bar seating looked easy for eating alone, and the tables are good for two like us. Sangam has lots of office workers, so many people probably look for places that welcome solo diners, and Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam was satisfying on that front too.

There's also a big screen inside, and with the World Cup on they were showing football. It looked like a nice place to have a drink with your sundae gukbap while watching football or other sports!!! It suits a hearty lunch, and in the evening it fits as a gukbap place to have a drink.

So it's good for an office lunch, and also fine for a weekend visit with a partner or friends. If you want a gukbap place with a clean atmosphere, put it on your DMC lunch list.

Jeongbaekseon sundae set: price and what's included

The Jeongbaekseon sundae set is ₩15,000 and comes with sundae gukbap plus suyuk (boiled pork slices) and sundae. Sundae-guk alone is ₩12,000. We ordered two Jeongbaekseon sundae sets.

The set was really filling as a meal. Considering what lunch costs these days, getting sundae gukbap, suyuk and sundae for ₩15,000 felt like good value.

The soup itself has plenty of meat and sundae, so I never felt it was lacking. It's not a soup that's all broth, but one with really substantial ingredients!!!

Sundae gukbap with freshly ground whole perilla seeds: how does it taste?

That day we ordered two Jeongbaekseon sundae sets!

The gat kimchi lived up to the hype

Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam serves kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and gat kimchi (mustard leaf kimchi) as side dishes, and the gat kimchi is amazing!!! Seriously, it was better than the gat kimchi I had in Yeosu!!! Everyone kept talking about the gat kimchi here, and since I don't like gat kimchi I just ignored it, but it totally hit my taste. JMT (insanely delicious)!!!

Whole perilla seeds ground in a mortar at the table

What impressed me most at Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam was the whole perilla seeds. They're set out on the table, and you crush them in a mortar right there and add them to your sundae gukbap. Maybe because they're freshly ground, the nutty aroma was really strong. People usually add perilla powder to sundae gukbap, but grinding whole seeds yourself gives a much better aroma and makes the broth taste richer.

Piping hot to the end with an individual induction burner

The broth itself was rich and deep, and with the nuttiness of the perilla seeds added, the flavor came alive with every spoonful. In hot weather with the air conditioning blasting, gukbap cools down fast, which is a pity, but Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam has individual induction burners, so you can eat your sundae gukbap warm all the way through.

I started it bubbling at level 5, then turned it down low while eating, and it stayed hot until the very last bite. Gukbap really tastes best hot, and this method turned out to be more satisfying than I expected.

And there's really a lot of meat!!! My partner is a true gukbap lover and admitted right away that this place is good. If a gukbap lover approves, isn't that all you need to know?

Is it okay if you're sensitive to sundae-guk smell?

The sundae-guk at Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam had almost none of that typical gamey smell, and the broth was rich yet clean. I think even people who are sensitive to smells would like it.

Not only sundae gukbap fans, but also anyone who has worried about gukbap smell should give it a try at least once.

Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam: overall verdict

If you want a clean gukbap place near Sangam, Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam is one I'm happy to recommend as a Sangam DMC restaurant. It also suits anyone looking for a hearty lunch in DMC!!!

• Clean broth with no smell at all
• Generous ingredients
• Whole perilla seeds you grind yourself
• Individual induction burner that keeps it hot to the end

For anyone looking for a clean gukbap place in Sangam, or who loves sundae gukbap, it'd make a really good DMC lunch! Keep the in-building parking info in mind when you visit.