Sokcho Korean restaurant feast for four: Gwandongjip

Gwandongjip in Joyang-dong, Sokcho: location and parking

Gwandongjip (관동집), a great spot for aged-kimchi braised pork bones in Sokcho, is across from Sokcho Dasi-o, diagonally opposite Sokcho E-Mart, and in front of the GS convenience store after the children's playground behind Hyundai Oilbank. Just search “Gwandongjip Sokcho” in your navigation app for an easy trip :)

You can park in front of the restaurant, so come by comfortably without worrying about parking.

Gwandongjip, continuing the legacy of Jeopalgye Gamjatang

This Korean restaurant in Joyang-dong, Sokcho began with Jeopalgye Gamjatang, which opened in Hwacheon, Gangwon in 2022. I heard it has long been loved by locals for its clean yet deeply flavorful taste. Gwandongjip carries on the culinary tradition of the owner’s parents’ restaurant in the son-owner’s own way. Its carefully boiled meat and broth are wonderfully deep and rich.

Seating that works for big family meals and company dinners

Gwandongjip has plenty of tables for four. There are also many seating areas where two four-person tables are joined together, making it just right for a big family meal or a company dinner.

Ordering the large aged-kimchi pork bone dish and add-ins

Gwandongjip offers specialties including gamjatang (pork bone soup), muk-eunji ppyeo-jjim (aged-kimchi braised pork bones), and dak maeuntang (spicy chicken stew), along with meals such as ppyeo-haejangguk (pork bone hangover soup), budae-jjigae (army stew), and dubu-jeongol (tofu hot pot). For specialties or budae-jjigae, you can choose from extra add-ins including ramen noodles, udon noodles, glass noodles, sujebi (hand-torn dough flakes), dried radish greens, and more, so you can make it even tastier to your liking :)

I came with my boyfriend and my younger sibling’s couple, so the four of us ordered the large aged-kimchi pork bone dish and added udon noodles and sujebi.

How to enjoy it even more

There was also a guide on the wall for enjoying the dishes deliciously. It said the aged-kimchi pork bone dish is amazing with kimchi and meat over white rice. The spicy chicken stew is served fully cooked, so once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat. Dip the meat in the broth, and eat the onions and green onions while they still have their crunch for the best flavor 👍🏻

The complimentary side dishes were delicious before the main even arrived

Before the main dish arrived, they set out seasoned mung bean sprouts, cucumber kimchi, roasted seaweed, stir-fried fish cake, kimchi, and pickled garlic. They brought bowls of rice right away too, and every single side dish at Gwandongjip was so good that I nearly finished all my rice before the main came out hahaha.

Aged-kimchi pork bones so tender they fell apart

I was eating the sides and rice and felt like I might finish the rice, so I had to use all my willpower to wait for the main dish... About 20 minutes after ordering, our aged-kimchi pork bone dish arrived! I was honestly shocked by the enormous portion hahaha. Owner, are you sure this is large and not extra-large...?

The aged-kimchi pork bone dish also arrives fully cooked, so you can eat it as soon as it starts bubbling a little. My boyfriend served me the meat first, and it just fell apart... That’s how tender it wasㅠ My mouth was watering like crazy hahaha.

And then there was the mountain of aged kimchi... With aged-kimchi stew alone, we could each easily finish a bowl of rice, right?! After cutting it into bite-size pieces,

I piled the added udon, sujebi, and meat onto my plate, spooned over some broth, then took a spoonful of rice and topped it with kimchi followed by the braised pork bones. It was so delicious 🤤 And then I repeated that endlessly 🫶🏻

The four of us cleared it all, right down to fried rice

The large size was absolutely enough to make four of us stuffed, and there were so many bones that we kept saying, “Wait, there’s still more?” as we ate. Then came the Korean dessert: fried rice.

We scraped up every last bit ✨ The aged-kimchi pork bone dish was absolutely perfect for lunch!! It was delicious, easy on the stomach, and we left feeling like we were about to burst.