Yongsan bunsik spot with a claw machine while waiting: Hyeonseonine

Where is Hyeonseonine Yongsan Main Branch, and what are its hours?

Hyeonseonine Yongsan Main Branch is at 2-13 Hangang-daero 39-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, a 3-minute walk from Sinyongsan Station Exit 6. It's open daily from 11:00 to 24:00.

• 📍 2-13 Hangang-daero 39-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• 🚉 3-minute walk from Sinyongsan Station Exit 6
• ⏰ Daily 11:00 – 24:00
• 🚫 No parking on site — paid parking available at Bareum Planning parking lot

Hyeonseonine is known as a Yongridan-gil favorite, a Yongsan tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) hotspot — some even call it a Seoul tteokbokki hotspot. I was out in Yongsan last weekend and, as a tteokbokki lover, I couldn't pass it by — the main branch was right nearby, so I stopped in.

A claw machine to play while you wait

It wasn't even quite dinnertime yet, but Hyeonseonine Yongsan Main Branch already had a long wait and lots of delivery orders going out — maybe that's why they have a claw machine too. Lots of families come here, so playing with the kids while waiting probably makes the time fly.

The place was packed inside, so I only got a shot of our own seats — true to a spot that also serves instant (cook-at-table) tteokbokki, there was an induction burner at every table.

What's on the menu at Hyeonseonine

▪️Set menus▪️ Hyeonseon Beer Set — tteokbokki + sundae + fritters + mini gimbap + 2 draft beers Hyeonseon Combo Set — tteokbokki + sundae + fritters + mini gimbap + fish cake Hyeonseon Set — tteokbokki + sundae + fritters + mini gimbap Sunny Set — tteokbokki + sundae + fritters Baby Set — half tteokbokki + half sundae + fritters + 2 pieces of gimbap ▪️À la carte▪️ Tteokbokki Handmade sundae / assorted fritters / mini gimbap Special curly fish cake skewers Spicy ramyeon / cheese ramyeon / ramyeon Tuna mayo rice ball / butter garlic fries ▪️Instant (cook-at-table) menu▪️ Instant for 1 (2+ people to order) Add-ins: ramyeon, jjolmyeon, rice cake, fish cake, vegetables, snowflake cheese 2 fried eggs, corn cheese fried rice, fried rice

Hyeonseonine, a Yongsan tteokbokki hotspot, also sells beer, so there's even a beer set — the combo of bunsik (Korean snack food) and beer is fantastic.

Three tteokbokki spice levels: how hot is medium?

Hyeonseonine's tteokbokki comes in Mild / Medium / Spicy. Mild is the sweet, school-gate-style flavor; Medium is a touch spicy — my spice-wimp boyfriend said even this was a little hot for him. Everyone around us seemed to struggle with the Spicy level, so I didn't even attempt it, haha.

How to order at the kiosk, plus the self-serve bar

At the Yongridan-gil favorite Hyeonseonine Main Branch, when it's busy you put your name down for a wait first, then once you're called in you grab a seat and order through the kiosk near the entrance. (It was too crowded for me to get a photo of the kiosk.)

At the self-serve bar you scoop pickled radish and fried batter flakes onto a plate yourself; salt and soy sauce come in disposable packets that you bring to the table and pour into small dishes.

The Hyeonseon Combo Set at medium spice

I ordered the Combo Set — tteokbokki + sundae + mini gimbap + fritters + fish cake — and chose medium spice for the tteokbokki.

Hyeonseonine's tteokbokki, a Yongsan favorite, is the broth-style kind made with wheat rice cakes — spooning it up straight is the best way to eat it.

If you find the tteokbokki too spicy, coating it in the fried batter flakes like this adds a nutty richness that makes it even tastier.

Assorted fritters in the combo set

The fritter plate has sweet potato, vegetable, mandu (dumpling), kimmari (seaweed noodle roll), and squid — the sweet potato was cooked through to the center, which made it especially good.

Handmade sundae: ask for extra organs

For the sundae (Korean blood sausage), if you ask for extra organs, they give you a generous amount.

Mini gimbap (bite-size seaweed rice rolls)

The mini gimbap (seaweed rice roll) doesn't look like it has much filling, but it's tasty on its own — and dipped in the tteokbokki sauce, it's a real treat.

Water rice cake hidden under the fish cake, and broth refills

The fish cake comes as 3 skewers, and as we ate we discovered a rice cake (mul-tteok) hiding underneath — it was delicious.

By the way, the fish cake broth is refillable, so once you finish it, go ahead and ask for a refill. We stirred in some fried batter flakes too, for an even richer bowl.

Is Hyeonseonine worth a return visit?

Hyeonseonine, a Yongridan-gil favorite that started as a street cart and grew into a franchise, is a tteokbokki spot where you can try both the instant and pre-made styles, with a choice of spice levels. I'm already planning my next visit 🩷