Late-night bossam and soju at Yukdaejang, a Wonju Korean restaurant

With the weather turning chilly, I found myself craving a spicy, hot soup with a glass of soju, so I headed to Yukdaejang in Dangye-dong.

Yukdaejang, famous as a Wonju City Hall-area favorite, is open 24 hours, which meant I could drop by anytime for a hearty, delicious bowl of guk-bap (soup with rice) without worrying about the clock.

A 24-hour yukgaejang restaurant near Wonju Bus Terminal

Yukdaejang Dangye Musil-jeom sits right near Wonju Bus Terminal, so it's easy to get to, and there's a spacious private parking lot right out front. It seemed like a perfect option for travelers using the terminal, or for anyone who wants to park easily and eat in the busy Dangye-dong area.

We took public transit to get there that day, ready for a spicy, rich bowl of yukgaejang and a light soju session.

Ordering cha-dol yukgaejang and medium hanbang bossam

True to a yukgaejang specialty restaurant, there were several types of yukgaejang on the menu, along with dishes that work well as both meals and drinking snacks — spicy braised beef short ribs, bossam, and hot pots. After some deliberation, we ordered a medium hanbang bossam, cha-dol yukgaejang, and of course a bottle of soju to go with it.

There was a neatly kept self-serve bar off to the side, so we could easily grab more side dishes if we ran out.

As soon as we ordered, side dishes that pair perfectly with yukgaejang and hanbang bossam were set out quickly.

Next came the hot cha-dol yukgaejang, loaded with brisket and green onion, followed by the tender hanbang bossam.

The wide table filled up with delicious food, and just looking at it made me feel satisfied and happy.

How the hot, rich brisket broth goes with soju

With the table full, we poured soju and toasted — cheers! I'm not usually much of a soju drinker, but with chilly weather and a hot, spicy soup dish in front of me, soju just felt right.

The yukgaejang, deep and rich with plenty of brisket and green onion.

Ladling the rich cha-dol yukgaejang broth and its generous fillings over the warm white rice that came with it filled me right up.

The soft, savory hanbang bossam was kept gently warm so it stayed hot down to the very last piece — the perfect combo of meal and drinking snack, all in one.

I topped a piece of the soft hanbang bossam pork with bossam-kimchi — the classic best-friend pairing for bossam — and got the drinking snack ready before downing my soju in one shot!

A bite of the rich broth with tender brisket and green onion on top, followed by the hearty hanbang bossam, felt like drinking and getting over a hangover at the same time — the soju just kept going down easy.

The warm tofu served alongside the hanbang bossam was a real treat too — piling the mild tofu and kimchi on top of the tender bossam meat made for an even tastier bossam samhap (three-way combo).

Couldn't help it — ordered one more bottle of soju!

Is the medium hanbang bossam enough for a late-night meal?

Even though it was the 'medium' size, the hanbang bossam was so generous it could easily feed 3–4 people.

The meat was thick-cut and mild, with no gamey smell, so it was great dipped lightly in salted shrimp on its own, or wrapped up in big lettuce bundles with the fresh side dishes.

Since it's open 24 hours, this is a great spot for an early breakfast or a late-night bite when you're hungry, and it would work just as well for a hearty late-night drink with food. On top of that, with its location near Wonju City Hall and the bus terminal, Yukdaejang Dangye Musil-jeom is a Wonju guk-bap spot with excellent accessibility. If you're craving a hearty, generous bowl of guk-bap in Wonju, or just looking for a reliable place you can drop into anytime, I highly recommend giving it a try!