Seafood noodle soup in Hwaseong: Jedam Kalguksu

I was on a business trip around Hyangnam in Hwaseong and, while looking for somewhere to have lunch, ended up visiting Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch (제담칼국수 향남점), a popular kalguksu spot!

To get right to the point! The seafood was so fresh and there was tons of it, so the broth was spicy, clean, and just a whole thing! The noodles are house-made too, wonderfully chewy, and there are set menus if you come with a group for lunch, so it seems like great value!

Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch: Location and Menu

Jedam Kalguksu, a great Hyangnam lunch spot for kalguksu (hand-cut noodle soup), is near the Samsung Store Hyangnam Branch, and it has plenty of parking, making it good for lunch groups! There were quite a few taxi drivers there too—you know what that means, right? Places taxi drivers go are usually the good ones... And it really was delicious hahaha.

The restaurant is open from 10:30 AM to 9 PM, every day of the year with no break time, so you can come for a late lunch or an early dinner and have a satisfying meal.

We arrived almost right when it opened, around 11 AM? And it was obvious why this is a Hyangnam lunch favorite—customers started pouring in right then! Beyond the area you see here, there are also floor tables, so it seemed like a good place for group gatherings or a family dinner too!

The main dishes are seafood kalguksu and sujebi (hand-torn dough soup), plus clam kalguksu. The set menus cost a little less, so I recommend one if you come with a group! I did not get a photo of the set menu, but it is a good-value option where you can choose seafood pajeon (scallion pancake), dumplings, or fried shrimp as a side with the seafood kalguksu.

Trying the Seafood Hand-Cut Noodle Soup and Kimchi Dumplings

We ordered the two-person seafood hand-cut noodle soup with the kimchi dumpling set, and first they bring out a broth absolutely packed with seafood! Dip the squid, webfoot octopus, shrimp, clams, and more in chojang (sweet-tangy red chili dipping sauce) or wasabi first, then tell the owner when you want the kalguksu added and they will put the noodles in for you!

Even at seafood kalguksu restaurants, I have often been disappointed by seafood that was not fresh. But at Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch, I could tell even while cutting the squid that its flesh was springy, and the webfoot octopus looked fresh the instant I saw it. Before I had even tasted the broth, it looked so good that I naturally thought, “Oh? This is going to be tasty, right?”

There was so much seafood that more kept appearing no matter how much we shelled! So the broth was seriously sooooo refreshing!!! Ah! We chose the clear broth, and I recommend it—rather than going for the spicy version, the clear one is more than refreshing enough.

And they gave us so many noodles hahaha. Kimchi is important with kalguksu too, right?! The kimchi was perfectly ripened for eating with kalguksu, so it was delicious. But maybe because the broth was so good, or maybe because the noodles were, I could happily slurp them down even without eating them with kimchi!

Oh, and we ordered the kimchi dumplings. The freshly steamed giant kimchi dumplings gave a bold, punchy kick to the refreshing, spicy kalguksu!

If you are looking for a place for a group lunch in Hyangnam, Hwaseong, or a great seafood kalguksu restaurant in Hyangnam, I recommend giving Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch a visit! It has held its spot for 11 years, the food was delicious, the owner was kind, and above all, you could really tell the ingredients were fresh!