Paju Korean restaurant for janchi guksu and gangdoenjang: Cheonje Guksu

If you want truly home-style Korean food near Heyri, I’d love to recommend Cheonje Guksu (천제국수). The three of us visited with Hato, and even on a weekday evening there were quite a few diners. I’d heard it was busy during the day too, and once I went, I could see why.

Parking and the atmosphere at Cheonje Guksu

Cheonje Guksu (천제국수)

Parking information

The last time I came at lunchtime, there was nowhere to park, so I simply turned around and left. This time, I tried again in the evening. During the day—especially at lunch—visitors to nearby Heyri seem to arrive all at once, so the parking fills up quickly. If you’re looking for a good Korean restaurant near Heyri, I’d recommend coming in the evening; if you go during the day, it’s probably best to arrive with some extra time to spare.

Comfortable floor seating for visiting with children

There are floor-seating tables inside, so I don’t think you’d need to worry too much about finding a seat when visiting with children. The owner was so kind too, checking throughout the meal whether we needed anything. Overall, it was a very comfortable place to eat.

What we ordered and the prices

• Janchi guksu (banquet noodles) ₩7,000
• Bibim guksu (spicy mixed noodles) ₩9,000
• Ureong gangdoenjang rice (rice with thick soybean paste stew and freshwater snails) ₩12,000
• Suyuk (boiled pork), 1 serving ₩8,000 — available only with a noodle order

The reason we ordered two kinds of noodles was that I wanted one to share with Hato and another to share with my husband, haha.

From janchi guksu to ureong gangdoenjang rice

The first side dish to arrive was handmade tofu. It had that nutty, just-like-home flavor, so my expectations shot right up from the banchan (side dishes), haha.

After a short wait, the food came out quickly.

The janchi guksu had a clear anchovy broth and a gently seasoned flavor, so it was clean and not overpowering.

The weather had suddenly turned cold that day, so the hot broth was especially welcome. This janchi guksu was Hato’s best-loved dish of the day. Watching Hato slurp it up so happily made the janchi guksu, which I hadn’t had in a while, taste even better.

The bibim guksu had a savory seasoning with a slight sweetness—just like the home-style bibim guksu my mom used to make!

Having both noodle dishes made me realize that they really know how to cook noodles here. The thickness and doneness were exactly right, so I had no choice but to give them full credit as a noodle lover, haha. The bibim guksu also came with a doenjang broth. I was curious about the doenjang noodles too, so it was nice to at least get a taste of the broth.

I love ureong gangdoenjang so much that ordering the ureong gangdoenjang rice was non-negotiable, and the accompanying wrap vegetables and banchan selection were really generous.

There were shishito peppers, seasoned bellflower root, and braised aged kimchi too. The braised aged kimchi in particular tasted exactly like a side dish my mom makes, which honestly caught me by surprise.

Wrap rice and gangdoenjang in a cabbage leaf, and it’s the kind of food that makes you keep reaching for more. Most of the diners were older locals, and seeing them all order the gangdoenjang rice made me think, yep, this must be the locals’ pick.

The suyuk portion was quite generous for one serving, and paired with the thin chive salad, it was so good I kept reaching for it even without a drink.

So tender—suyuk really does belong alongside noodles.

We ate every last bit.

Recommended for a home-style meal near Heyri

If you’re looking for a great Korean restaurant near Heyri, I definitely recommend Cheonje Guksu—especially the noodle dishes and ureong gangdoenjang rice. Thanks to the floor seating, it was a place where we could comfortably enjoy a meal even with a child.