Gwacheon Korean restaurant, comparing flounder and beef seaweed soup

Haenon Miyeok Gwacheon Direct Branch, a Korean restaurant in Gwacheon with a deep, rich seaweed soup (miyeok-guk) that really hits the spot. A great pick to bring your parents to.

I wanted to write up my visit to Haenon Miyeok Gwacheon Direct Branch, a Korean restaurant in Gwacheon. I assumed a seaweed soup specialty spot would just mean one simple bowl, but the place turned out to be spacious and clean, with neat side dishes and a piping-hot seaweed soup spread served in stone pots — it genuinely felt restorative!

What I liked most was getting to eat seaweed soup loaded with abalone, flounder, and beef, all served hot in stone pots — great when you want a hearty meal. And the parking space out front was generous too, making it a convenient Korean restaurant in Gwacheon to visit by car 😊

• ✨Clean yet rich-tasting seaweed soup broth
• ✨A wide range of banchan plus unlimited rice refills, no need to hold back
• ✨A newly opened, spacious, and comfortable parking lot

Location and hours of Haenon Miyeok Gwacheon Direct Branch

• 📍 Location: 67 Araetbaerangi-ro, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, 1F (Haenon Miyeok Gwacheon Direct Branch)
• ⏰ Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00 (break time 15:00–17:00, no break on weekends)
• 🚗 Parking: Dedicated on-site parking lot
• 📌 Free abalone piece for birthdays and pregnant guests
• 📌 Cake for birthday guests who book via Naver (book through Naver and get a cake!!)

Is parking easy?

There's plenty of parking space right in front of the restaurant, so it was easy to park even though I drove there. Parking can often be a hassle at restaurants in Gwacheon, but here I could park right in front, which made access really convenient. For those of us who drive, that's actually a pretty important perk.

Restaurant atmosphere

The exterior felt clean and tidy from the start. The large Haenon Miyeok sign out front made it easy to find even on a first visit, and there was ample parking space in front too, making it convenient to visit by car. The building itself has a decent size so it stands out from a distance, and the surroundings feel relaxed rather than crowded, making for a comfortable visit.

Apparently Haenon Miyeok Gwacheon Direct Branch is a new store that opened on March 18. That probably explains the clean exterior and that distinctive fresh, new-store feel.

After parking and walking in, the interior turned out to be quite spacious. It had a clean, modern Korean-restaurant feel along with a comfortable atmosphere. The tables weren't cramped, and everything — tables and chairs — was neatly arranged, making for a relaxed dining experience. Lots of families come to eat here too. At the table next to us there was a mom-and-kids gathering having a birthday party haha. It also seemed like a good spot for a couple's lunch date, like we were having 😊

On the wall, there was a clean write-up of Haenon Miyeok's philosophy and careful cooking process, which started in Busan in 2015. They cook the seaweed soup and side dishes in-house to preserve their signature flavor.

Each table has a table-order tablet, so I could take my time browsing the menu before ordering comfortably. Since you can check photos and prices while choosing, it seemed easy enough for first-time visitors to order.

On one side of the table, there were careful notes about handling the hot stone pot and allergy information. It covered allergy warnings for things like perilla powder, grains, and shellfish, as well as a note to watch out for fish bones — good to check before eating. Seeing this level of detail made me feel like they really care about their guests.

How's the self-serve banchan bar?

On one side of the restaurant there's a self-serve bar neatly stocked with 8 kinds of banchan (side dishes). There was a good variety, and everything was arranged tidily, so it looked clean too. It was nice being able to freely grab as much of whatever banchan I wanted. The area around the bar was kept clean as well, which added to the satisfaction.

What we ordered and how it tasted

• 🍴 Abalone flounder seaweed soup set: ₩26,000
• 🍴 Abalone beef seaweed soup set: ₩27,000

We ordered two kinds of seaweed soup that day. Since we ordered for two or more people, complimentary dishes came out along with it too — from the banchan to the service dishes, the whole spread was more generous than expected, and just looking at the table made us feel full before even starting haha.

Before the main seaweed soup arrived, the basic banchan were set out one by one. Kimchi, seasoned scallop, gungchae namul (a leafy green side dish), seasoned mung bean jelly, and fried eggplant — a variety of dishes all neatly plated. Overall the seasoning wasn't too strong, leaning mild, which paired well with the seaweed soup. Each dish was plated carefully, so the whole spread felt clean and put-together 😊

Among the banchan, a couple stood out as a bit unusual — the seasoned scallop and the fried eggplant. The seasoned scallop was tangy with a strong umami kick, and honestly my personal favorite of the bunch 😍 It went well with the seaweed soup and also tasted great over rice, so we ended up refilling it from the bar several times haha.

The fried eggplant was interesting too — the piece that first came with the spread was a bit soggy since it sat in sauce. But when I grabbed a fresh piece straight from the self-serve bar, it was noticeably crispier and warmer, a clearly different experience. If you like fried eggplant, I'd recommend grabbing a fresh one from the bar 😊

The rice that comes standard is refillable for free, which is great if you want to eat plenty of rice. When you mix rice into seaweed soup, it somehow disappears fast, so it was nice knowing I could just ask for more if I ran low.

Complimentary dishes for 2+ orders

Ordering for two or more comes with complimentary seasoned grilled flounder and chicken breast salad. I tried the seasoned flounder first — the flounder was grilled to a nice golden brown and coated in a sweet-and-spicy seasoning that went really well with rice. It was quite substantial for a complimentary dish, and it was fun trying a bit of everything even before the main seaweed soup arrived haha.

The chicken breast salad that came with it had a clean flavor too. The mild chicken breast was mixed with onion and a tangy-sweet dressing that woke up the palate. Since the seaweed soup is a warm, mild dish, pairing it with this tangy side in between bites worked out nicely.

The salad had a generous amount of nutty black sesame dressing on top, and eating it with the crisp vegetables felt refreshing in between bites. Overall the side dish lineup was varied without being overly strong in flavor, so it was easy to eat without feeling overwhelmed.

Abalone flounder seaweed soup — clean, refreshing broth

I ordered the abalone flounder seaweed soup. The stone pot was generously packed with whole abalone and flounder, and it looked pretty appetizing just from the visual.

Taking a spoonful of the broth, I could taste that distinctive clean, refreshing seafood flavor.

There were two plump whole abalones inside too! Since the abalone came in whole pieces, eating a spoonful along with the broth felt filling. If you like a clean, refreshing seaweed soup broth, the abalone flounder version might be right up your alley.

The seaweed was simmered enough to be nice and tender, and the flounder flesh came apart easily, making it easy to slurp down. Notably there was no fishy taste in the broth — just a clean yet deep umami flavor that kept me reaching for more with rice.

Abalone beef seaweed soup — savory, rich broth

This is the abalone beef seaweed soup my boyfriend ordered. Even though it's the same category of seaweed soup, it had a clearly different character from the abalone flounder version. With the beef in it, the broth itself felt a bit richer and more savory. Since it's served in a stone pot, it stayed warm throughout the meal, which was nice.

Inside the pot were two big whole abalones, along with plenty of beef and seaweed.

Scooping up the seaweed and beef together in one spoonful gave a nutty, deep flavor that paired really well with rice. I'd assumed the seaweed soup base would taste the same and only the ingredients would differ, but that wasn't the case at all. Where the abalone flounder soup was clean and refreshing, the abalone beef soup's charm was its rich, savory depth. Ordering both and sharing with my boyfriend meant we got to compare the two different flavors, which was fun in itself. With such a rich broth to go with rice, it felt extra filling, and after finishing a bowl I felt like I'd had a proper lunch.

Final thoughts

Haenon Miyeok Gwacheon Direct Branch, a Korean restaurant in Gwacheon, was a great seaweed soup specialty spot for enjoying a clean, well put-together spread that still fills you up. The abalone flounder seaweed soup had a clean, refreshing broth, while the abalone beef seaweed soup's rich, savory broth was its own draw. The seasoned flounder and chicken breast salad were also generously portioned for complimentary dishes, which was satisfying 😊

With unlimited refills on the main banchan and rice, it should suit anyone wanting a filling meal. The restaurant is spacious and clean, and parking is convenient too, so it's a good pick if you're looking for a place in Gwacheon to eat with your parents or want a hearty lunch date. If you're craving a warm, filling Korean meal in Gwacheon, it's worth a visit 😊