Solo dining spicy gomtang set at Dongtan Lotte food court: Baekok

Clean and mild gomtang (pork bone soup) that's earned a loyal following, Baekok Dongtan.

Work stress has been piling up lately, and I could feel the toxic energy simmering inside me… 🤯 But as always, all the world's stress melts away once you eat something delicious. Here's my honest, satisfying review after finally getting to enjoy a great meal and clearing out all that pent-up stress!

Toxic stress, where are you off to now~ Let's go, review time!

Baekok Dongtan: location, parking, hours

Baekok Dongtan is located inside the food hall (food court) on basement level 1 of Lotte Department Store Dongtan.

You can park in the underground lot of Lotte Department Store Dongtan, with free parking time added up based on how much you spend.

• Free 1 hour for ₩20,000+ spent
• Free 2 hours for ₩50,000+ spent
• Free 3 hours for ₩80,000+ spent
• Free 4 hours for ₩100,000+ spent

Hours are 10:30–20:30, with last order at 20:00.

Good to know

• Add ₩5,000 to any main dish to upgrade to a great-value set that includes 2 cabbage dumplings and a soft drink!
• There's also a kids' gomtang menu, making this a solid pick for family visits.

Food court atmosphere and solo-dining seats

The restaurant sits inside the Lotte Department Store Dongtan food court. Right next to the shop there are a few small bar tables, which makes it really easy to drop in alone and enjoy a comfortable, no-pressure solo meal.

If you're visiting with a group or would rather use a regular square table, there's a large shared seating area nearby. That said, since this is such a well-known spot in the Lotte Department Store Dongtan food court, competition for seats can get pretty fierce on weekends or at peak meal times. If you want a smooth start to your meal, I strongly recommend grabbing a seat before you order!

Menu and prices

Having already won over office workers in Seongsu-dong before landing in Dongtan, this pork gomtang specialist has a really solid menu lineup.

There's the classic, clear and mild 'pork gomtang' (₩12,000), the spicy and punchy 'yeolgomtang' (₩13,000), and the deep, rich 'yakgomtang' (₩16,000). On top of that, there's a lineup of tempting sides including Baekok's signature 'cabbage dumplings' (4 pcs, ₩10,000), 'fire tail (bulggorangji),' and 'cabbage dumpling soup.'

Trying the yeolgomtang set and pork gomtang

Since we're both fans of spicy food, we ordered the 'yeolgomtang set' (₩18,000) and the classic 'pork gomtang' (₩12,000). The food came out quickly after ordering.

The first thing that caught my eye was the generous, blanket-like layer of pork toppings covering the soup.

Pork-based soups often come with a bit of gaminess or greasiness, but this one had none of that — clean and pleasant.

Baekok's gomtang comes with the rice already mixed into the broth, but the grains didn't turn mushy — each one stayed moist with soup while still keeping a fluffy, springy texture all the way to the end. The basic pork gomtang had a clear, deep broth that was wonderfully mild and settling for the stomach,

while the 'yeolgomtang,' made with a special seasoning paste, had a spicy, umami-packed kick reminiscent of jang-kalguksu (spicy noodle soup). As someone who loves spicy food, yeolgomtang was exactly my taste, but the mild pork gomtang was every bit as excellent.

And the combination with the gungchae (aster greens) and kkakdugi (radish kimchi) side dishes was simply amazing ✨ They gave a refreshing lift to what could otherwise feel like a heavy soup dish.

How were the cabbage dumplings?

The cabbage dumplings we tried as a side were also a standout — instead of a regular flour wrapper, fresh cabbage leaves wrapped the filling, giving a crunchy yet slightly sweet bite. The filling was packed with mild tofu, making them a light, healthy option.

They were so well made, and I noticed quite a few customers taking them to go, so next time I think I'll get some to enjoy comfortably at home.

Final thoughts

This is the perfect place to knock out shopping and a great meal in one trip, and it's backed by a clean, easy parking system too.

If you're looking for a hearty, warming meal in the middle of a busy day, this might just be the Dongtan restaurant for you. If you want to taste the deep, honest flavor of good ingredients rather than heavy seasoning, I highly recommend making Baekok — a lunch spot beloved by so many office workers — your next stop for a comforting, special bowl of gomtang!