Aged kimchi pork stew in Hwaseong: Yangpuni Korean restaurant

Yangpuni Kimchi Jjigae & Samgyeopsal in Hwaseong

I was seriously craving that spicy, punchy broth, so off I went haha. It was perfect as a hearty meal or something to have with drinks after work!

A retro yet spotless interior

As soon as you open the door, you are greeted by a warm dining room that has a slightly timeworn, retro feel but is kept wonderfully clean!

With generously spaced tables and an overall cozy atmosphere, it is an absolutely great place to stop by comfortably for a glass of soju after work or a hearty weekend meal. 👍👍

The shelf above the refrigerator was neatly packed with utensils such as spoons, cups, and tongs, so it looked hygienic and pleasing too!! The containers of side dishes below were tightly covered as well, which made me feel at ease haha.

Ordering the value kimchi jjigae set for 3

Here is a video of the kiosk menu! Have a look if it helps!

The samgyeopsal (pork belly) was calling my name too, but today we completed our order for the kimchi jjigae value set for 3, which nailed both value and flavor!!

First, I picked up a satisfying selection of basic side dishes to enjoy with the stew. See how neatly they are arranged in stainless-steel dishes? That red seasoned side dish is crisp dried radish strips!! Put them over the thick meat in the stew and the sweet-spicy seasoning makes the savory flavor explode!

A giant rolled omelet as big as my forearm

While the main dish was coming to a boil, the giant rolled omelet included in the set arrived first!! I was shocked by its size the moment I saw it… 👏👏 It is not just called giant—it really is an incredible, forearm-sized omelet!

It is tightly rolled in layer upon layer, giving it an exceptionally fluffy, soft texture!!

It comes with plenty of ketchup drizzled alongside, making it sweet and nutty. It is the best partner for balancing the spicy kimchi jjigae broth to come with that perfect sweet-spicy-sweet-spicy combo. 💓

Kimchi jjigae packed with whole aged kimchi and fresh pork

The kimchi jjigae, served in a big old-fashioned metal basin that carries traces of time, already passed the visual test. 👍👍👍 As it started bubbling away, the aroma of kimchi was already so, so good.

You can tell it is delicious just by looking at all the generous additions haha. There were big pieces of green onion and onion to brighten the broth, plus fluffy tofu, with nothing held back—you could practically get full just eating the ingredients. ✨

The whole aged kimchi is such fun to snip up yourself with scissors! It is nicely fermented with just the right tang, so you get both a crisp bite and tenderness at once haha.

Just look at the size of those thick pieces of fresh pork!!! This is not thinly sliced meat; big, chunky cuts of fresh pork covered the bottom of the pot! I thought I had eaten it all, but more just kept appearing hahaha. 👏👏 (Honestly, even better.)

The longer it boiled, the richer meat stock seeped out and made the broth incredibly deep haha. The pork itself was chewy and savory too, with none of that unpleasant porky smell!

Scoop up lots of that deepened broth over white rice and mix it through, then top it with a piece of aged kimchi and a thick piece of pork for one mouth-filling bite… It is such a familiar flavor that my mouth is watering as I write this. 😭💗

The fat-to-lean ratio was just right, so as the stew boiled, the pork fat infused the broth and made it incredibly rich and thick!!! The meat was not dry at all; the more you chewed, the more nutty and springy it was!!!

Soak a spoonful of rice in that richly brewed, spicy broth, then pile on aged kimchi and pork—what a total rice thief! 🔥🔥 It had been so long since I had a proper bowl of kimchi jjigae that made me sweat like this! Thick fresh pork, deeply cooked whole aged kimchi, and that punchy, weighty broth are an impossible-to-fail combination!!! The stew alone could easily take care of two bowls of rice, and with the fluffy giant rolled omelet bundled into the set, I was completely satisfied with both the value and the taste haha. Totally satisfied!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I am 200% coming back—this is the real deal. 👍