Aewol pork noodle restaurant locals recommend, two sizes: Handam Guksu

A restaurant we visited while traveling around the Aewol and Hallim area of Jeju! Let me introduce Jeju Handam Guksu. Everyone getting excited for their Jeju trip? There are so many local specialties that come to mind when you think of Jeju — black pork, seafood hot pot, and so much more, to the point where deciding what to eat every meal becomes a happy dilemma. We actually got this recommendation from locals, and it turned out to be both good value and delicious, so we had a really satisfying meal.

Where Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch is, plus hours and parking

Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch is located at 33 Aewol-ro, 1st floor, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju. Hours are 10:00–20:30, with a break time from 15:30–17:30 and last order at 19:50.

• Address: 33 Aewol-ro, 1st floor, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju, South Korea
• Hours: 10:00–20:30 (Break time 15:30–17:30 / Last order 19:50)
• Parking: 1 hour free with parking at Aewol Handam Parking Lot (Randy's Donuts parking) or Handam Trail Parking Lot

We got a spot right in front of the restaurant, but if it's crowded on weekends, you can also park at the parking lots mentioned above!

Ocean-view seats looking out over the Aewol coast

Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch is an ocean-view spot with a full view of the Aewol sea. You get the emerald-blue water in sight the whole time you're eating! 🩵🩵🩵

When planning a route for west Jeju, Aewol Handam Beach is basically a must-visit, and since Handam Guksu sits right on Aewol-ro, it's easy to reach from the coastal walking path or the café street nearby!

We got to eat while looking out at the wide-open Jeju sea through the glass window. It was a win-win moment for both the eyes and the mouth. We went almost right at opening, and there were already a lot of customers there.

Self-serve bar: kimchi and ssam peppers

At the self-serve bar you can grab kimchi, ssam (wrap) peppers, and more — kimchi is exactly my type, so I went back for it a few times haha.

Regular vs extra-large gogi-guksu: how big is the difference?

My husband and I ordered two bowls of gogi-guksu (pork noodle soup) at Handam Guksu — I got the regular, and my husband got the extra-large! But the regular turned out to be so filling that my husband, who usually eats a lot, was like... maybe I should've just gotten the regular too.

Gogi-guksu (Regular ₩10,000 / Extra-large ₩11,000) is a dish made with deeply simmered bone broth. I'm usually someone who worries about the gamey smell with pork, but this broth was clean with no gamey taste at all, and rich in flavor — the noodles were also nicely chewy and paired really well with the long-simmered broth. The thick-cut boiled pork slices on top were tender too, and went great with the broth!!

I love the crisp, refreshing scent of bean sprouts, and they paired really nicely with the pork — I could really taste that cool yet rich broth flavor, and eating it with the ocean view made it taste even better, somehow?

Not only was the rich broth and noodle combo really good, but when picking a lunch spot while traveling, I want something that isn't too heavy while still feeling distinctly Jeju. And most importantly, it needs to fit well with your route. Handam Guksu checked every one of those boxes.

Why Handam Guksu is worth it for lunch in Aewol

Why would I recommend Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch, a restaurant in the Aewol-Hallim area of Jeju? The clean, deep broth suits everyone's taste, with basically no one who wouldn't like it, and the location makes it really convenient if you're traveling the west side of the island. Plus, the pork protein leaves you satisfyingly full. Jeju prices are already high as it is, so having a good-value restaurant like this in your back pocket definitely helps. There's really no reason not to go!

If you're visiting Aewol this weekend or on your upcoming Jeju trip, definitely stop by for lunch! 💓💓💓 That's my honest review~~ I'd go again next time too~ The gogi-guksu is delicious, but I noticed a lot of people also ordering the dongchimi bibim guksu (cold noodles in radish water kimchi broth) and the handmade tteokgalbi (short rib patties). It's good to bring kids along too, and seems like it'd work well for a family trip!