₩70,000 hot pot shared by four at Haepumgye, a Pocheon restaurant

The haesintang spot in Songwoo-ri, Pocheon — 'Haepumgye'

Where is Haepumgye in Songwoo-ri, Pocheon, and what are its hours?

I was out for a day trip to Pocheon. While scouting for somewhere to have dinner, I came across this unusual place whose food photos looked absolutely irresistible, so I decided to check it out. A specialty restaurant for boyangsik (health-boosting food), Pocheon's haesintang spot 'Haepumgye.'

• Address: 경기 포천시 소흘읍 솔모루로 164 A동 1층
• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:30
• Parking: Dedicated lot in front of the restaurant

It was around 7pm. Walking inside, I found quite a few customers eating despite it being a weekday. This place... smells like it might be a real find~

One 70,000 won pot of haesintang, served after booking ahead

Since we'd reserved ahead, they brought out this generous haesintang faster than the speed of light. The moment we saw it, our eyes went wide... whoa, it's huge... haha

The basic side dishes are set at the table, but if you run out, you can refill them at this self-serve bar.

Look at this gorgeous haesintang! Honestly, it earns a 90 out of 100 on looks alone... I can't wait to boil it up hot and take my first bite.

The pot is packed with chicken and seafood, and they also serve this huge basket bowl separately, filled with fish cakes and various vegetables. It's for shabu-shabu-style dipping once you've eaten your way through the seafood.

And now our haesintang is starting to boil~ Bubbling away!

Giant octopus, small octopus and slow-simmered chicken in the pot

A giant octopus that really grabs your attention! Let's fish it out and see.

A really plump, chunky one, right there in the pot.

Octopus gets tough if you overcook it, so a quick dip and straight into the mouth! Oh~ so tender... T_T

After eating the octopus and small octopus first, I dug out the slow-simmered chicken that was sitting at the bottom. It was already cooked through so thoroughly that even the breast meat was tender — a properly boyangsik chicken.

The shrimp were also really fresh. Being a haesintang specialty restaurant, they seem to use good seafood.

The broth of this haesintang beautifully combines the savoriness of the slow-cooked chicken with the refreshing taste of the seafood. It's already delicious now, but I imagine I'll be craving Haepumgye's haesintang even more once the cold wind picks up.

Fish cake and vegetable shabu-shabu: exactly four fish cakes for four diners

Now it's time to drop in the fish cakes and vegetables. Give the napa cabbage and bean sprouts just a light blanch so they stay crunchy!

There were four adult women in our group, and somehow the fish cakes came out in exactly four pieces. Chewy fish cake, cooked to each person's own timing and taste!

This... is a flavor that calls for beer. At this point we couldn't help but order some. The only unlucky ones were the two of us who drove.

Haepumgye's kids' playroom and free vending machine coffee and plum tea

After finishing the meal, I looked around the restaurant and noticed a playroom tucked into one corner — a thoughtful touch for customers visiting with kids.

For dessert, there's vending machine coffee ready,

and plum tea, which helps with digestion, is also available.

Autographs from celebrities who've visited Haepumgye. Truly living up to its reputation as a Pocheon local favorite.

Is Haepumgye's 70,000 won haesintang enough for four people?

My honest review from my first visit to Haepumgye today. There were four adult women in our group, and the portion of haesintang was so generous it was almost a shame we couldn't order the extra calguksu (noodles) or porridge. The haesintang costs ₩70,000, and considering that four adults can share this precious boyangsik dish for that price, it's an incredibly good value spot.

All the seafood felt genuinely fresh, and the chicken had absolutely no gamey smell — the flavor was clean and light. If I ever come back to Pocheon for another day trip, this is a place I'd happily revisit!