Yeouido tteokbokki restaurant with chewy glass noodles: Hyeonseonine

My sister and I stopped by Yeouido for the first time in a while and ended up having delicious tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), too. I normally love tteokbokki, so that day I asked her, “Shall we have tteokbokki?” and started looking around. We found Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch in the underground passage connecting Yeouido Station to The Hyundai Seoul, so we went.

When I visited once before, I had regular tteokbokki. This time, I ordered instant tteokbokki, and it felt different from what I had before, so I’ll honestly focus on the instant tteokbokki this time.

Location and visitor information for Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch

• Location: B2, IFC Mall, 10 Gukjegeumyung-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 10:00–22:00
• Parking: IFC Mall parking is available; free parking applies according to purchase amount

The official IFC Mall guide also lists Hyeonseonine Premium as a store in the IFC STREET SHOP.

The restaurant atmosphere on the way from The Hyundai Seoul

I met my sister at The Hyundai Seoul and we were shopping when we got a craving for tteokbokki, so we headed toward IFC Mall. Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch is in the underground passage leading from Yeouido Station toward The Hyundai Seoul, so it was not difficult to find.

There is a convenience store at the front of the restaurant, and the space in front of it opens up quite widely. There were lots of people eating when we visited, and I especially saw quite a few larger groups. The tables were arranged with relatively generous spacing, so it looked like a decent spot for friends or families to come and have tteokbokki together.

The restaurant walls have old Hyeonseonine photos along with tteokbokki-related phrases, so you can tell it is a long-established tteokbokki place. It is described as one of Seoul’s three great tteokbokki spots and a Yeouido tteokbokki favorite.

Ordering was easy: you just use the kiosk.

Instant set for two: what came with it and the price

What we ordered was simple.

• Instant set for 2: ₩22,000
• 1 can of cider: ₩2,000
• Total paid: ₩24,000

The instant set for two came with tteokbokki, eomuk (fish cake), vegetables, jjolmyeon (chewy wheat noodles), yakki mandu (fried dumplings), and two eggs. It was quite a substantial spread for two people.

Medium-spicy instant tteokbokki: how we cooked the rice cakes and glass noodles

I usually love tteokbokki, and I care not only about the sauce but also about the texture of the rice cakes. After trying it this time, the rice cakes were definitely nice and chewy, probably because it was instant tteokbokki. I have had regular tteokbokki here before, but personally, I think the instant tteokbokki I had this time was tastier.

We chose the medium spice level. I am not someone who handles very spicy food particularly well, but medium felt a little less spicy than Shin Ramyun. It was not overwhelmingly spicy, with just the right sweet heat, so I kept reaching for more as I ate.

The eomuk, not just the rice cakes, had soaked up the sauce well, so it was good to scoop up and eat together.

You are supposed to lightly dip the yakki mandu on top into the tteokbokki broth, but we had been letting it cook right through. It was still delicious.

I especially liked the glass noodles. They can go soft if they boil too long, so I took them out when they were just cooked, and their chewy texture was still there—so good. There were two eggs as well, so my sister and I nicely shared one each.

More than anything, I think the best thing about instant tteokbokki is being able to cook the noodles or rice cakes exactly how you want. You can take them out early if you want them a little less cooked, or eat after the broth has reduced a little more, which makes it fun to eat.

Things to remember when visiting

Choose medium for the spice level

If you are not someone who handles spicy food very well, the medium level will still feel plenty spicy. It is a little less spicy than Shin Ramyun, so it was easy to enjoy without feeling overwhelmed.

Cook the noodles to your preferred doneness

Since it is instant tteokbokki, it was best not to boil the jjolmyeon or glass noodles for too long and to take them out at the doneness you prefer. The glass noodles in particular had a great texture when eaten just cooked.

Use IFC Mall parking

If you are visiting by car, you can use IFC Mall parking. IFC Mall’s free parking time varies by purchase amount: purchases over ₩20,000 receive one hour, and purchases over ₩40,000 receive two hours, among other parking benefits.

Instant tteokbokki after shopping at The Hyundai Seoul

That day, I met my sister at The Hyundai Seoul and shopped, then suddenly wanted tteokbokki and found this place. It was more delicious than I expected. Compared with the regular tteokbokki I had before, the chewy texture of the rice cakes stood out especially this time, perhaps because we had instant tteokbokki.

With eomuk, yakki mandu, glass noodles, and eggs all included, it was more than enough for a meal for two. Above all, I think the appeal of instant tteokbokki is being able to cook the ingredients to the exact doneness I want. If you are planning to look around both The Hyundai Seoul and IFC Mall, it could be a nice place to stop for a meal. I think I will stop by for instant tteokbokki again the next time I am in Yeouido.

Good places to visit after your meal

The Hyundai Seoul is close to Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch, so after tteokbokki it is nice to shop or browse pop-up stores. If the weather is good, it is also a nice route to head to Yeouido Hangang Park for a walk after your meal.