Jemulpo soup restaurant dinner: 24-Hour Sopuri Yangpyeong Haejangguk

Warm soup on a day my stomach felt off

I went to 24-Hour Sopuri Yangpyeong Haejangguk, Yeonan Pier General Fish Market Branch with Mom for dinner. Honestly, my stomach was not feeling great that day. I wasn't sure what to eat, but I didn't want to go hungry either… When my stomach feels off, greasy or strongly seasoned food feels like too much, so Mom and I debated dinner before deciding to have some nice hot soup and heading in.

Once inside, the restaurant was more spacious and tidy than I expected. There were quite a few tables, and each one had an ordering machine, so we could take our time looking through the menu.

Ordering Yangpyeong haejangguk and beef head soup

I got Yangpyeong haejangguk (hangover soup), while Mom ordered Korean beef head soup and rice. The Yangpyeong haejangguk was ₩10,000 and the beef head soup and rice was ₩12,000. That seems fairly reasonable for a bowl of gukbap (rice soup).

As I set out the utensils, the gold-colored spoon and chopsticks were shining so brightly that I laughed for no reason. It somehow put me in a better mood. Haha.

Soon after we ordered, the side dishes came out first. Looking at the photos, a gukbap place really does feel incomplete without kimchi and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), haha. Kimchi, kkakdugi, and sides to enjoy with the soup were prepared, and there was a separate self-serve station too.

A clean self-serve station and unlimited refills

The self-serve station had side dishes ready, and it was incredibly clean, as though the owner looks after it constantly. The restaurant looked hygienic, and the self-serve station was this clean too, so it felt like a Yangpyeong haejangguk place I could trust.

The seonji (congealed ox blood) and rice at the self-serve station come with unlimited refills, so definitely keep that in mind!

Bubbling Yangpyeong haejangguk

Then the Yangpyeong haejangguk I had been waiting for arrived bubbling away in a ttukbaegi (earthenware pot). The broth kept bubbling in the hot pot, and just looking at it made my stomach feel a little better. It had bean sprouts and plenty of green onion on top, giving the broth a refreshing feel.

I usually like to mix rice into the broth when I eat haejangguk or gukbap, and because I especially wanted warm soup that day, I mixed in rice a little at a time. At first, I wondered whether I would be able to eat much because my stomach felt bad. But spoonful by spoonful of warm broth, I was better than I expected.

Even the condiment containers were clean.

Rather than cold food or a bit of this and that, having this hot soup made my body gradually loosen up. I had been feeling drained because my stomach was uncomfortable, but as I ate the warm broth, my body warmed up and even my mind felt more at ease. Maybe that is why hot soup suddenly sounds so good when you are not feeling well.

Sharing Mom’s beef head soup and rice

I photographed Mom’s Korean beef head soup and rice too, and it had a good amount of meat in it. Mom enjoyed hers, and I had a spoonful or two as well. When two people order different dishes like this, it is nice to be able to share a little of each.

The atmosphere was not especially flashy or anything, but that actually made it a comfortable place to eat. Lots of people come to Yeonan Pier to fish or to take an Incheon boat-fishing trip, so it seems like a decent place for a warm meal before getting on a boat or after returning.

Yeonan Pier Fish Market and the Incheon Port Coastal Passenger Terminal are nearby, so it also seemed like a good place to stop if you have errands in the area or are passing through and looking for a meal. Personally, I did not go there that day specifically seeking out something delicious; I went for a bowl of warm soup while my stomach felt off. Maybe that is why it stayed with me even more.

At first, I thought I would barely be able to eat, but as I had the hot broth, I ended up eating a fair amount of rice too. When I left after the meal, my body felt much more comfortable than when I came in. If you are looking for a Yeonan Pier restaurant and want a filling meal that does not feel too heavy, or if you are craving hot soup, Yangpyeong haejangguk or Korean beef head soup and rice could be a good choice. For someone whose stomach was not feeling great like mine that day, the warm broth was especially welcome. It was one of those nice, satisfying days: dinner with Mom for the first time in a while, plus warm soup. 😊

On the way out after the meal, snacks like these keep stopping me in my tracks. Haha. Next time I visit, I am definitely buying the tofu crackers..

Free bottled water is always available, and the washbasin, coffee machine, and water dispenser all showed thoughtful consideration.

As Mom and I ate dinner, we talked about this and that. Walking out after each having a warm bowl of gukbap, it felt like we had ended the day well.