Father-son lunch at a Haeundae Chinese restaurant: BUUK jjajangmyeon

Day two in Busan, just my younger son and me

Day two of our Busan trip started off a little chaotic. My older kid suddenly felt unwell first thing in the morning, so we rushed to a hospital before breakfast. We got him checked out and back to the hotel fine, but he and my wife decided to rest there for the day.

So that left just my younger son and me to spend the day together. We usually move around as a whole family, so it had been a while since it was just the two of us. We went out to Haeundae beach, looked at the sea, talked about all sorts of things, and wandered around for a few hours — it was way more fun than I expected.

Spending one-on-one time with him meant we noticed and talked about things we probably would've just walked past otherwise. It felt like a proper date with my son, haha.

After all that walking and playing, we naturally got hungry haha. We went back to the hotel, cleaned up quickly, and while looking for somewhere to eat decided to try a place said to be good in Marine City.

The place we visited was Bueokgan Chinese Marine City Branch. It's close to Dongbaekseom too, and it's often mentioned as a spot in Haeundae that does Chinese food well and cleanly, so I was curious. Once we got there, not just the food but the atmosphere and the view won me over too.

Parking and the dining room at Bueokgan Chinese Marine City Branch

Bueokgan Chinese Marine City Branch sits on the 2nd floor of a building along the Marine City beach road. Parking was right there on the 1st floor, and it was free when we visited — which was a relief, since parking stress is a real thing when traveling around Busan.

After parking and heading up to the 2nd floor, the view through the window was really something. Marine City is famous for that mix of sea and high-rises, but seeing it from inside the restaurant gave it a different feel.

Especially since it was just my son and me that day, eating while looking out the window felt extra special. The place was also bigger than I expected once we walked in — window seats, and a nicely set-up private group room too. Good for a family meal like ours, but it also looked like it'd work well for bigger Haeundae gatherings, family get-togethers, or work dinners.

What we ordered: BUUK jjajangmyeon, beef brisket jjamppong, black vinegar tangsuyuk

Looking through the menu, there was a nice mix of standard Chinese restaurant dishes and Bueokgan's own fusion items, which made choosing kind of fun.

We ordered a jjajangmyeon for my younger son since he loves it, the beef brisket jjamppong I'd been wanting, and black vinegar tangsuyuk to share.

There were two jjajangmyeon options — BUUK jjajangmyeon and poached-egg ganjajang — and since my son doesn't really eat eggs, it was an easy call to go with the BUUK version.

Not long after ordering, the dishes started coming out one by one.

BUUK jjajangmyeon: a whole bowl finished by a picky eater

I set the jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) in front of my son and mixed it up well for him, and something I really didn't expect happened. My son, who's usually not a great eater, took one bite and suddenly gave a thumbs-up.

I couldn't help but laugh haha. I asked if it was good and he just kept nodding and eating — he really tore through it that day.

The noodles were a bit thicker and chewier than typical jjajangmyeon, which gave it good texture, and the sauce coated the noodles nicely — once I tried a bite myself, I got why he liked it so much.

More than the taste itself, honestly, seeing my usually picky kid eating so enthusiastically on his own was the best part for me as a dad.

Beef brisket jjamppong with a faint smoky char

Next up was the beef brisket jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup). The name suggested a lot of smoky flavor, and sure enough there was a subtle char to it, with a broth that was really tasty.

There was more meat and noodles than I expected, and the broth's seasoning wasn't too strong or harsh, so it was easy to eat without feeling overwhelmed. The noodles had that same chewy texture as the jjajangmyeon, which worked well with the broth.

Personally, when I'm traveling I prefer jjamppong that's moderately seasoned rather than overly intense, and this one hit exactly the right note for me.

Black vinegar tangsuyuk that was easy for a child to eat

Last was the black vinegar tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork). Tangsuyuk can be a miss with kids if the sauce is too sour, but this one leaned sweet, so it was easy for my son to enjoy too.

There was no gamey smell from the meat, and the batter was crispy, so it held up well even dipped in sauce. Usually with tangsuyuk our kids eat a few pieces and stop, but that day, after eating so much jjajangmyeon, my son kept reaching for the tangsuyuk too.

It was honestly surprising. I don't often see him finish almost a whole plate like that, but that day he polished off a bowl of jjajangmyeon and kept going on the tangsuyuk.

When I go around trying good restaurants, the food being tasty matters, but honestly the days when the kids actually eat well are the best ones.

Especially since it was just my younger son and me that day, while my older kid and wife rested at the hotel.

The morning had been a bit hectic, but walking along Haeundae beach with my son and then sharing such a good meal together — before I knew it, I'd forgotten how tired I was.

Marine City views and the group room: how it works for families

Talking with my son about this and that while looking out at the Marine City scenery was really nice. So that day ended up feeling less like just a meal and more like a proper wrap-up to our little father-son date. Bueokgan Chinese Marine City Branch was satisfying on food alone, but what I liked most was the atmosphere and the view.

The view from the Marine City beach road was great, and the restaurant was spacious enough to feel comfortable visiting with family. There's also a private group room, so it seemed like it would suit larger gatherings well too.

So I'd like to recommend this to anyone looking for good Chinese food near Dongbaekseom or around Haeundae.

Especially if you're traveling to Busan with kids and want good Chinese food, or want to eat somewhere relaxed with a nice view, this seems like a solid choice. This Busan trip could have been a bit disappointing since my older kid got sick, but spending one-on-one time with my younger son actually made it a memorable day instead.

And the thing that made me happiest that day was, of course, seeing my usually picky son clean an entire bowl of jjajangmyeon. He enjoyed it so much that we packed a poached-egg ganjajang to bring back for my older kid, who ate it happily too and, luckily, his cold cleared up fine as well.

If you're looking for a Marine City restaurant in Busan with a good view where the whole family can eat comfortably, Bueokgan Chinese Marine City Branch is one that stuck with our family, both for the food and the atmosphere.

Bueokgan Chinese Marine City Branch: hours, parking and address

• Address: 2F, Suchunchoego Pork Gukbap Building, 51 Marine City 3-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00–22:00 (break time 15:30–17:00, last order 20:30)
• Group seating available, baby chairs, reservations, takeout, parking