Gimpo shabu kalguksu with beef mushroom radish rice bar: Homilwon

I've been to a lot of restaurants and tasted a lot of food, but the places that stay with me aren't always the ones with the best-tasting food. They're the places where you feel good from the moment you park until the moment you walk out after eating. Homilwon Shabu Kalguksu in Gimpo was that kind of place for me this time. I finished a delicious meal and, out of nowhere, thought of my family — and naturally thought, "I need to bring them here next time."

Is parking easy at Homilwon Shabu Kalguksu Gimpo Main Branch?

Homilwon Shabu Kalguksu Gimpo Main Branch is on the 1st floor of Ga-dong, 142-17 Geolpo-ro, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, and there's parking available, which made a good first impression from the moment I arrived. When hunting down a good restaurant, parking is quietly as much of a concern as the food itself. Especially at popular places, wearing yourself out just trying to park before you've even sat down can make you tired before the meal even starts.

From the moment I got out of the car and walked toward the entrance, I felt at ease. And then, stepping into the restaurant, I was greeted warmly. I don't think every place has to be friendly no matter what, but at places that welcome you warmly, the whole feel of the meal seems to change from the start.

Is Homilwon a good spot for a family meal in Gimpo?

There were a lot of customers inside Homilwon that day, and quite a few families in particular. Watching them gathered around warm food, chatting away, made the whole atmosphere feel relaxed too.

Shabu-shabu itself is a dish where several people sit around cooking meat and vegetables together bit by bit, so it seemed like a natural fit for a family meal out.

What comes with the Full Table Special agaricus shabu kalguksu?

This time I ordered the Full Table Special agaricus shabu kalguksu, which comes with onsuyuk and fire-flavored jjukkumi. Looking over the menu at the table, there was more than just shabu kalguksu — onsuyuk, fire-flavored jjukkumi, and other dishes you could pair with it. The agaricus mushroom broth and rye noodles are the heart of it, and you can add on other menu items depending on your taste.

This is how I tried a bit of everything. To cut to the conclusion: not a single dish fell short.

Heotgae water and neat tableware: the small details at Homilwon

The water served at Homilwon wasn't plain water — it was water brewed with heotgae. Even before the food arrived, small details on the table caught my eye. The bowls and tableware were also neatly prepared.

It might seem like a small thing, but I'm the type to form a strong impression of a restaurant from exactly these kinds of details. A single bowl, a single utensil, even a glass of water.

It felt like every single thing a guest directly drinks or uses had been prepared with care.

How much mushroom and vegetable comes with the agaricus shabu kalguksu?

Homilwon's agaricus mushroom shabu kalguksu came piled high with vegetables like bean sprouts and minari (water dropwort), along with plenty of enoki, king oyster, and oyster mushrooms. When the shabu kalguksu finally arrived, the first thing that caught my eye was, of course, the generous vegetables and mushrooms. Add the agaricus broth on top of that, and even before it started boiling I already felt like I was in for a proper meal.

The mushrooms weren't just a few pieces for decoration — even visually, it looked like a generous portion. As the broth started bubbling and the aroma of cooking vegetables and mushrooms filled the air, my appetite really kicked in.

The shabu beef that turns it into a filling spread

No shabu-shabu is complete without the meat. I dropped the thinly sliced meat into the boiling broth piece by piece and cooked it lightly before eating.

Cooking the meat in a broth already deepened by vegetables and mushrooms made the soup taste richer and richer. A bite of meat with vegetables, and some mushroom on the side — I kept reaching back in. Above all, being able to eat vegetables, mushrooms, and meat together made for a filling meal that never felt heavy.

After the shabu-shabu come the fresh rye noodles

Once you've had your fill of meat and vegetables, it's time for the noodles you've been waiting for. True to the restaurant's name, Homilwon ("rye garden"), fresh rye noodles are served after the shabu-shabu.

You cook the rye noodles in the broth that's already been fully infused with the flavor of vegetables, mushrooms, and meat. Even though I was already pretty full from the shabu-shabu, the noodles felt like a completely different dish. The chewy texture, different from regular kalguksu noodles, paired perfectly with the deeply infused broth. It made me feel like the meal wasn't truly complete unless you finished with the rye kalguksu, rather than stopping at the shabu-shabu.

Fried rice to finish the shabu kalguksu course

Finishing the rye kalguksu wasn't the end. Last came the fried rice. You leave a bit of broth in the pot and stir-fry it with the prepared ingredients.

Finely chopped minari and other vegetables plus a generous amount of dried seaweed flakes went in, and even before it was fried I was already looking forward to that savory finish. Shabu-shabu → rye kalguksu → fried rice — following the sequence in order, the flavors flow naturally from start to finish. The fried rice at the end especially had that taste that makes you take a few more spoonfuls even when you're full.

How were the onsuyuk and fire-grilled jjukkumi?

Homilwon's onsuyuk was the kind of dish you enjoy for its softness, while the fire-flavored jjukkumi really woke up your appetite. This time I didn't just have the shabu kalguksu — I tried the onsuyuk and fire-flavored jjukkumi alongside it. If the shabu kalguksu is the warm, comforting part of the meal, these side dishes had a different kind of charm.

Each dish had its own character, which made it a good choice to order together and share when dining with others. Personally, I liked that no single dish stole the show — everything I tried this time was consistently satisfying overall. It was a spread with good savory flavor across the board, with nothing falling short.

What's at Homilwon's self-serve bar?

Homilwon's self-serve bar had beef mushroom radish rice made with Gimpo Geumssal rice, along with seasoning sauce, kimchi, and yeolmu kimchi, all neatly laid out. Partway through the meal, a separate section off to the side caught my eye — and it was more than just a spot to grab a few side dishes. The beef mushroom radish rice in particular stood out. Coming in for shabu kalguksu and finding rice prepared separately like this made the whole meal feel even heartier.

Rather than just scooping rice, you could also add seasoning sauce to taste, and the side dishes could be taken in whatever amount you wanted. I really liked this part. Instead of putting out a huge amount of side dishes from the start, letting people take just what they need means less food waste, and you can always go back for more if you need it.

I already felt full enough after the shabu-shabu leading into the kalguksu, but with the beef mushroom radish rice on top, "had a really hearty meal" felt like the right description. Above all, that same thoughtfulness I mentioned earlier — the heotgae-brewed water, the care in every piece of tableware — carried through to the self-serve bar as well. It's not anything flashy, but paying attention to these small details makes the whole experience feel more comfortable and pleasant for the person eating. So my impression of Homilwon wasn't just that the food is good, but that they've thought through how a guest experiences the whole meal, from start to finish.

Why Homilwon was featured on VJ Special Forces

At the entrance to Homilwon, there was a sign noting a past appearance on the TV show VJ Special Task Force.

To be honest, I don't automatically assume a place is great just because it's been on TV. What matters most, in the end, is trying the food yourself and forming your own impression. But this time, after finishing my meal, I could somewhat understand why it was featured.

Beyond the food itself — the agaricus broth, the rye noodles — what stuck with me more was the thoughtfulness I felt everywhere. The heotgae-brewed water, the neat tableware and bowls, the generously prepared mushrooms and vegetables, and the way guests were treated. I could feel the owner's hand in even the smallest details.

A meal at Homilwon that feels worth more than the price

When you go around trying different restaurants, some places feel like they fall a bit short for the price, while others leave you feeling satisfied as you pay the bill. Homilwon was the latter for me.

Watching each dish come to the table one by one, I didn't just feel like the portions were large — I felt like they'd "prepared it properly." After finishing the shabu-shabu, rye kalguksu, fried rice, onsuyuk, and fire-flavored jjukkumi, I felt like I'd been treated better than the price tag suggested.

The kind of food that makes you want to bring family

That day too, Homilwon was full of customers. Looking around, there were a lot of families, and it was nice watching them chat over warm food together. Seeing that, I suddenly thought of my own family.

It's strange, but that's what really good food does to you. "I want to bring my family here too." Rather than keeping it to myself, I wanted to come back and eat it with the people I love. That's the kind of place Homilwon was for me.

Why I'd return to Homilwon Shabu Kalguksu

I've been to a lot of restaurants and eaten a lot of food, but places that leave a good feeling even after the meal is over are rarer than you'd think. Homilwon wasn't a place I'll remember for the food alone. I felt good from the moment I parked, I liked being warmly welcomed the moment I walked in, and I could feel a small thoughtfulness even in a glass of heotgae-brewed water and a single utensil.

And then there was everything that came to the table — the agaricus shabu kalguksu, the rye noodles, the onsuyuk, the fire-flavored jjukkumi. Not a single thing fell short. Walking out full, one thought came naturally to mind.

"I'm glad I came here today." And right after that: "I need to come back with my family next time."

A place where I could walk away not just satisfied with a good meal, but carrying a pleasant memory with me too. That's why, for me, Homilwon in Gimpo isn't just a restaurant I visited once — it's a place I want to go back to.

Homilwon in one line

From the parking to the service to the heotgae-brewed water and tableware, thoughtfulness shows in every small detail — and with the agaricus shabu kalguksu, rye noodles, onsuyuk, and fire-flavored jjukkumi all satisfying, it's a Gimpo restaurant worth returning to with family.

Homilwon Shabu Kalguksu Gimpo Main Branch: hours, address and parking

• Name: Homilwon Shabu Kalguksu Gimpo Main Branch
• Address: 1st floor, Ga-dong, 142-17 Geolpo-ro, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00
• Last order: 20:10

※ Hours, menu, and prices may change depending on the restaurant's circumstances, so please check before visiting.