Chungmuro post-theater restaurant: bossam, lemon soba, Nagwon-ui Soba

After enjoying the play Over the Rainbow in Daehak-ro, we headed to Seoul Station on line 4, as we always do. The show started at 3pm and ended around 4:40pm. Riding the subway still soaking in the lingering mood of the performance, my partner suddenly spoke up, hungry.

Let's grab something to eat before we go home!

That got us off at Chungmuro Station right away to look for good restaurants nearby. Maybe because of the hot weather, we were craving something cool — something light and refreshing like naengmyeon (cold noodles). That's when we spotted Nagwon-ui Soba Bossam Kalguksu Chungmuro Station Main Branch, known as a buckwheat noodle spot near Chungmuro Station. Let me share the story of that day — a play followed by a delicious meal.

Where is Nagwon-ui Soba? 4 minutes from Chungmuro Station Exit 1

Nagwon-ui Soba Bossam Kalguksu Chungmuro Station Main Branch is about a 4-minute walk from Chungmuro Station Exit 1, so it was easy to find. It's located on the 2nd floor of the building.

The entrance is right off to the side, so even first-time visitors won't have trouble finding it — just take the stairs up to the 2nd floor and the restaurant is right there. Being close to Chungmuro Station made it an easy stop for a meal right after the show.

How the waiting system works at Nagwon-ui Soba

• Register at the waiting machine by the entrance
• Enter your phone number and wait (no need to line up — you'll get a KakaoTalk notification)
• If you don't enter within 5 minutes of being called, you move to the next number

What the restaurant looks like inside

Walking into Nagwon-ui Soba Bossam Kalguksu Chungmuro Station Main Branch, a well-known Chungmuro restaurant, the overall vibe was bright and clean. One whole wall was a large window with a view of green trees outside, which kept things from feeling cramped. The tables and chairs were done in a natural wood tone, giving it a warm, comfortable feel.

With a good mix of 2-seat and 4-seat tables, it seemed like an easy place to visit as a pair. The gaps between tables were spacious enough to move around comfortably, and everything felt neatly arranged. Coming right off a play, we were hungry and craving cool buckwheat noodles even more. We looked around the place slowly before taking our seats.

The review event at Nagwon-ui Soba

• 1 review → 1 guaranteed-win draw
• Naver + Google review → ramune or Melon soda
• 1 Naver + 2 Google reviews → Jeonju-style soba meal voucher
• Draw prizes: ₩100,000 / ₩30,000 / ₩20,000 meal vouchers, soba bowls, drinks
• 📌 Reviews must be 5 stars, include '충무로맛집' (Chungmuro restaurant), and be at least 3 lines long.
• The best reviewer each month gets a ₩50,000 meal voucher!

Paper cups, utensil holders, and condiment containers were neatly arranged on the table, which made things convenient during the meal. Each table had a tablet for ordering, which made browsing the menu easy, and an English menu QR code was also available for foreign customers, so anyone could check the menu without trouble. We ordered the bossam (small) set and half a portion of lemon soba with tonkatsu.

Maybe because it had just rained, the weather actually got hotter, so we ordered a cold bottle of Cass beer too.

Side dishes and wrap greens on the table

Here's the basic table setting. The yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi) was perfectly ripened, cool and crunchy, and really got our appetite going — we finished it before the main dishes even arrived. The jang-guk (savory broth) had big chunks of radish in it and had a clean, deep flavor.

Since we ordered the bossam set, wrap vegetables came out too — yellow napa cabbage, lettuce, perilla leaves, all cleanly trimmed and so fresh.

The foreign staff member serving us was really skilled, and above all, so kind. She took care of us thoughtfully with a bright smile, and it made the meal even more pleasant. I'd love to see her again next time — a genuinely kind staff member I'd recommend.

How was the bossam (small) set for two with 350g of pork?

The bossam (small) set for two comes with 350g of meat along with crunchy radish, pickled cabbage, kimchi, pollock hoe, garlic-chili, cabbage, perilla leaves, and soup. I was curious about the flavor after hearing they boil the meat three times a day — and after tasting it, I understood why.

The meat had no gamey smell and was tender, with a good balance of lean meat and fat that got nuttier the more you chewed. It wasn't too dry or tough, so it was easy to eat without feeling heavy.

We tried each of the sides that came with the bossam. Crunchy radish, kimchi, and pickled cabbage came as standard, along with pollock hoe, so there were several ways to enjoy the bossam. Wrapping a piece of meat in pickled cabbage with pollock hoe and garlic worked really well together, and wrapping crunchy radish and kimchi in perilla leaves was delicious too. Adding salted shrimp or chili let us enjoy it in yet another way.

Lemon soba: fresh lemon juice broth with house-made buckwheat noodles

The tangy lemon soba, loaded with whole fresh lemon juice, arrived next.

Hearing that the buckwheat noodles are hand-kneaded and made fresh every morning built up my anticipation even before eating. The moment I saw the soba's beautiful presentation, topped neatly with yellow lemon slices, it looked so refreshing I felt cooler just looking at it.

Taking a sip of the broth with its floating ice slush, the whole fresh lemon juice gave it a bright, tangy flavor that spread through my whole mouth. The fresh lemon scent blended with what could otherwise be a plain tsuyu-style broth, doubling the freshness and giving it an outstanding depth of flavor.

Above all, since the buckwheat noodles were made that same day, the chewiness of the noodles was on another level. Unlike ordinary buckwheat noodles that snap easily, these had a nutty yet springy, chewy texture that made every bite fun to chew. The clean, nutty aroma of the buckwheat soaked up the tangy broth, and every bite with the chopsticks washed the heat away.

Mixing in a little of the wasabi served on the side of the bowl added a spicy kick to the finish, so I cleanly finished it down to the last bite without ever getting tired of it. It paired really well with the crispy fried tonkatsu, too — I thought there was no better choice for a light, cool lunch. Tasting the depth of care that went into the noodles and broth, I understood why people keep coming back.

Half portion of tonkatsu: a thick-cut pork loin

The tonkatsu we enjoyed as part of the set with the soba was better than expected, too. Served neatly on a brass plate, you could tell it was crispy just by looking at it — the breading was thick, with a really satisfying crunch in the mouth.

The cross-section showed the loin meat with a slight pink tinge, moist and alive — I loved that. The thick cut also made for a really satisfying chew. The outside was crispy, and the inside was packed with juice, going down smoothly without any dryness.

Mixing a little mustard into the accompanying sauce added a spicy edge to the sweetness that kept it from getting boring, and the cabbage salad topped with a nutty dressing gave a refreshing contrast. Pairing a bite of the cool buckwheat soba with a thick piece of this tonkatsu doubled the flavor.

A walk to Namsangol Hanok Village after the meal

Nagwon-ui Soba Bossam Kalguksu Chungmuro Station Main Branch, a well-known spot near Dongguk University, apparently started at Seoul National University Station in 2018 and has since expanded to Chungmuro. Visiting in person, I saw plenty of office workers and students in the area stopping by in the evening. After eating there myself, I could understand why it's such a popular meal spot. After finishing our meal, we walked over to nearby Namsangol Hanok Village. It made for a nice course — a light stroll around the hanok village after eating.

Parking near Nagwon-ui Soba

• Starbucks building lot: ₩1,000 per 10 minutes
• Jung-gu Office lot: ₩1,000 per 30 minutes, then ₩1,000 per 10 minutes (₩4,000 for 1 hour)

My partner, who'd been hungry after the play, felt so much better once we'd filled up properly. From Chungmuro Station we transferred to line 1 and headed back to Yeokgok Station. Between the play in Daehak-ro and the delicious buckwheat noodles in Chungmuro, it turned into a satisfying full day out combining a show and a meal. If you're looking for lunch around Chungmuro Station, Euljiro, or Dongguk University, give Nagwon-ui Soba Chungmuro Station Main Branch a try. There's a good variety of menu items to pick from depending on your taste.

Why I left a kindness sticker

While eating at Nagwon-ui Soba Bossam Kalguksu Chungmuro Station Main Branch, I gave a kindness sticker to a foreign staff member who really stood out to me. Quick on her feet, quick to notice what customers needed, and above all, kind! Thanks to a staff member with all three — quick action, sharp sense, and kindness — the meal was that much more pleasant.

There was also a little episode. I thought some candy was for customers and asked for a piece, but it turned out to be candy meant just for the staff. Even so, she happily gave me one anyway, and I was grateful. I got scolded by my partner about it on the way home, haha. To the staff member whose small act of kindness meant so much, I give this kindness sticker. Thanks to her, the meal ended on a great note.

Nagwon-ui Soba: address, hours and contact

• Address: 2nd floor, 2 Seoae-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Mon–Fri 10:45–22:00 (break 15:00–16:30)
• Sat–Sun 10:45–21:00 (no break)