Gopchang hot pot in Buk-gu, Gwangju: Kim Taeju Seonsan Gopchang

Yongbong-dong gopchang hot pot restaurant and parking

The neat storefront right on the road is impossible to miss! Even first-time visitors should be able to find it straight away without getting lost, haha. You can park in a nearby alley!

Inside the restaurant

I arrived before lunch, when they were just getting ready to open! Once inside, I was so pleased by the first impression—the restaurant was very clean and well kept +.+ The tables are nicely spaced too, so you can eat comfortably without feeling cramped.

There are plenty of clean seats, so it looked perfect for getting together with close friends or coworkers! They also accommodate groups, takeout, and reservations, so it would be a good idea to ask ahead before visiting!!

Ordering gopchang hot pot and how to simmer it

I liked how simple the menu was!! There is one main dish, gopchang jeongol (beef intestine hot pot), plus bowl rice, fried rice, and ramen noodles as add-ons. We ordered the signature two-person gopchang hot pot, then properly added a bowl of rice and fried rice too! I also loved that the individual dishes are so clear-cut—you can order without agonizing over it 💖

• When it starts bubbling, cut the vegetables, gopchang, and kimchi in that order.
• After simmering for 10 minutes, add more broth.
• Turn it down to medium heat and keep simmering.
• If the broth runs low, add another serving of broth.
• For even tastier fried rice, cut up the gopchang before stir-frying it.

Fresh kimchi and boiled dumplings served as side dishes

Once you order, the side dishes arrive in a neat spread! Their signature fresh kimchi, packed with savory flavor, comes along with them. It is crisp and delicious even on its own as a side dish, but adding it when the hot pot begins to boil and letting it reduce with the broth makes the flavor twice as deep.

And I really, really love this pink sausage. It was pan-fried in egg batter, so nutty and delicious. I could eat this every single day and never get tired of it, hehe.

They even gave us boiled dumplings?? You might wonder, boiled dumplings at a gopchang place? But they went surprisingly well with the spicy, peppery gopchang hot pot broth.

Gopchang hot pot simmered with fresh kimchi

At last, today’s star—the gopchang hot pot—is here! Chewy gopchang, chunky-cut green onion and onion, and milky broth filled the pot, and it looked promising from the very first glance >.<

Just top it with the kimchi we got earlier and bring it to a rolling boil. When it starts bubbling, cut the gopchang and kimchi into bite-sized pieces, then let it simmer well until the broth reduces—that is the key tip for making it extra delicious!

I took a spoonful of broth first and… wow, it just made me say, “This is crazy” 🔥 The rich, deep broth had soaked right into the gopchang, so every bite burst with nutty flavor and heat! There was absolutely no off smell, and the texture was wonderfully chewy. No wonder it is known for gopchang hot pot in Yongbong-dong!

As you keep simmering the hot pot, the broth reduces. Add more broth at that point and keep it going—the soup gets even deeper, while the gopchang becomes even more tender!!

Finishing with fried rice in the remaining hot pot sauce

And then, the ultimate K-dessert! We wrapped things up perfectly with fried rice! They stir-fried it right in the remaining hot pot sauce, sprinkling in seaweed flakes and sesame oil!!

No matter how full Koreans are, it is basically a rule that we scrape up every last bit of fried rice. I had such a delicious meal.

The generous portion, deep broth, and chewy gopchang texture all came together perfectly. Enjoying the chewy gopchang hot pot followed by fried rice as a full course felt like all my stress had melted away 🔥