Baby-friendly gopchang hot pot in Yongbong-dong, Gwangju: Kim Taeju

As the weather has been cooling down bit by bit, I've started craving hot soupy dishes I usually don't reach for. So it had been a while since I'd had gopchang (beef/pork intestine) hot pot, and I went to Kim Taeju Seonsan Gopchang in Yongbong-dong. Gopchang hot pot is one of those things I crave sometimes but never know where to go for — this time it was such a good spot that I had to come tell you about it right away!

If you're looking for a good gopchang hot pot spot in Yongbong-dong, this is a must-reference place — required reading if you love gopchang hot pot!!

Can you bring a baby? Floor seating at this Yongbong-dong gopchang hot pot restaurant

Kim Taeju Seonsan Gopchang, Yongbong Branch has a floor seating area, which made it comfortable to sit with our baby. When we pick a place to eat with our baby, whether there's floor seating is one of the things we care about most.

So if you're looking for a place in Yongbong-dong to eat gopchang hot pot with a baby, this was a pretty good spot to visit haha.

Big enough for group dinners and gatherings

For anyone in Yongbong-dong looking for a spot for a group meal or company dinner, Kim Taeju Seonsan Gopchang seemed like a great fit too. Lots of tables, and the space was quite spacious, so visiting with a group felt totally comfortable.

The atmosphere was great for a group to sit around one hot pot and eat heartily together.

Two servings of gopchang hot pot plus a noodle add-on

We ordered two servings of gopchang hot pot at Kim Taeju Seonsan Gopchang, and since just that felt like it might not be enough, we added noodles too haha.

The basic side dishes came out like this — though the catch is they disappear fast once the gopchang hot pot starts boiling.

Raw pork gopchang means waiting for the pot to boil

That's because this place only uses raw pork gopchang, so it takes a bit of time to boil! Since it's fresh, they properly boil it through for a better result, so waiting is mandatory haha. At first the wait felt a little tedious, but after eating... ah, I understood why the owner said she'd time everything for us haha.

As it started bubbling and the gopchang and various ingredients melded together in the broth, just watching it made me drool.

Partway through, they cut up kimchi and added it in, boiling everything down once more!!

How did the broth and the gopchang taste?

Once the owner told us it was ready to eat, I grabbed a piece of gopchang and honestly... words fail me. The broth is what matters most in gopchang hot pot, and this one was rich yet kept pulling you back for more. The chewy gopchang added great texture, and eating the broth and gopchang together, the pot emptied out before we knew it haha.

Even with the extra noodles, it was so good it somehow still felt like not enough. My husband later regretted only adding one noodle serving instead of two ;; We were so into it we lost track.

I'm someone who usually can't eat much at places that are too greasy or heavily seasoned when it comes to gopchang hot pot, but that day I truly felt like I hadn't eaten this well in a long while. This place really deserves the title of best gopchang hot pot in Yongbong-dong.

Finishing the pot with fried rice

After the two of us finished two servings plus the noodle add-on, we of course had to finish with fried rice haha. Fried rice cooked in the leftover hot pot broth is a menu item you absolutely cannot skip, right?

And this too had that magic where it just keeps going down.. clearly full, yet still wanting more.. that's how good it must have been for both my husband and me. I was so satisfied with the food that day I could even see myself coming back with friends sometime.

A free lottery ticket on the way out

One fun thing about Kim Taeju Seonsan Gopchang! On your way out after paying, the owner gives you a lottery ticket as a gift.

It was such an unexpected gift that we happily took it home, and well, life goes on the same as ever hahahahahaha.

Eating well and getting a lottery ticket on top of it made for a genuinely happier day. If you like gopchang hot pot or are looking for a good one in Yongbong-dong, definitely make a visit to Kim Taeju Seonsan Gopchang!