Seongnam Korean noodle restaurant late lunch: Gangnam Gyoja

I was in Bundang for a skin Juvelook treatment for the first time in ages. Hahaha, I had no appetite, but after it hurt so much that I teared up a little, I got hungry! I wanted something warm and comforting in my stomach, so after debating, I went to Gangnam Gyoja.

Daily 11:00–21:00 / Break time 15:00–16:30 Last order: 14:30, 20:30

Kalguksu: ₩10,000

Gangnam Gyoja near Seohyeon Station Exit 5

Gangnam Gyoja is about a one-minute walk out of Seohyeon Station Exit 5—a go-to spot for Bundang office workers! Maybe because Bundang-gu Office is nearby, the area gets absolutely packed with office workers at lunchtime... And this place in particular is really bursting at the seams then.

Oh! For parking, Bundang-gu Office is free for up to one hour. I parked there too!

Surely there’s no one who doesn’t know Gangnam Gyoja? It has already expanded into a chain with several branches (feat. the Bundang Seohyeon branch), and it’s one of those truly great places that has appeared in all kinds of media. Maybe it’s because of the Gangnam name, but every branch seems to have great food and service.

A spacious dining room for a solo meal away from lunch rush

Since Gangnam Gyoja Bundang Seohyeon Branch is such a haven for office workers, I avoided visiting at lunchtime. I’m an introvert who feels overwhelmed by crowded places...

When I actually visited, the restaurant was clean and the staff were kind, so my first impression was quite good. I arrived after 2 p.m., and there were hardly any people! The dining room is really big, with tons of tables, and fitting for a Bundang spot that’s good for eating alone, there are lots of two-person tables too. I ate solo as well, haha.

By the register, they had Febreze, dental floss, toothpicks, and even candy! There was also dental floss, toothpicks, candy, and wet wipes above the water dispenser! Haha, I love it when restaurants with lots of office workers have things like this. They have everything ready without you even having to ask!!!

As a place that has been loved near Seohyeon Station for a long time, it was clean overall and had all the basics of a pleasant atmosphere. I could kind of see why so many office workers come here!

Free rice, a high chair, and disposable aprons

For the review event, you can get tteokgalbi (Korean grilled short-rib patty) or a drink, but the review-event tteokgalbi was sold out when I visited at 2 p.m. on a weekday... So I had the free rice instead, haha. And the free rice is usually available!

There are lots of newlywed couples living in Bundang too, right? They have high chairs ready, so I think it would be nice for families visiting with children. The aprons are disposable, of course. I know reusable ones are better for the environment, but so many places don’t manage them properly... so I can’t help preferring disposable ones.

The spoons and chopsticks were kept very hygienically, and each table had chili oil, pepper, and chili powder.

My best tip: mix rice into the kalguksu

Then my kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and Zero Coke both arrived! I went back and forth over whether to get tteok mandu-guk (rice-cake and dumpling soup) for the first time in a while, but I chose the signature dish instead. It was, of course, the right decision.

The noodles are thin, so they soak up the broth beautifully and are really delicious... And here’s my best tip: try not to eat too much of the meat topping.

Because... it’s amazing when you mix in rice, hahaha. The broth itself has a fairly strong pepper flavor, but when you eat the meat topping inside (+ it seems to be stir-fried with onions) with the rice, it may sound simple but it’s seriously delicious!!! And Gangnam Gyoja’s garlic kimchi—need I say more? They even sell it separately for ₩2,000 to take away! That just shows what a kimchi gem this place is... 🙌