Family-friendly gamjatang in Jaesong-dong, Busan: Byeolhaebyeol

I was looking for somewhere to eat with the kids and ended up at Byeolhaebyeol Gamjatang since it's close to home. I'd been craving hot soup — fighting heat with heat, as they say — so this felt perfect for my family, since we all love soup dishes. We went without a reservation. If you're looking for a good restaurant in Jaesong-dong, you've probably heard the name before.

Basic info on Byeolhaebyeol Gamjatang Centum

Byeolhaebyeol Gamjatang Centum is located at 70-1 Jaeban-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan. It's open from 10:00 to 21:30, runs without a break time through the summer months, and is closed on Tuesdays.

Hours and closing day info

The restaurant is open every day from 10am to 9:30pm, with a break time from 3:30pm to 5pm. In summer, though, they run without a break, so if you're planning a summer visit, that's good to know. The regular closing day is Tuesday, but takeout and delivery are still available even then.

Parking and the overall atmosphere

Byeolhaebyeol Gamjatang Centum has its own dedicated parking lot, so I could walk in without worrying about where to park.

Vines planted out front gave a cozy first impression, and once inside, the interior felt clean and well-kept, which I liked.

The main hall was spacious, and there were quite a few separate room spaces too, so it looked like it would work well for group diners as well.

Why it's good to visit with kids

The tables were spaced generously, so it felt stress-free to bring the kids along, and the air conditioning kept things cool even on a hot day. Aprons were available too, so if you're worried about soup splashes, it's worth grabbing one. Kids' chairs were also on hand, which made things easy for anyone dining with little ones.

What we ordered: 2 mild bone soups, 1 spicy

That day we ordered bone soup (ppyeo-haejangguk, ₩10,000) — one spicy and two mild. Since the kids were with us, we mostly went mild, and thankfully everyone ate well.

Kimchi, diced radish kimchi, peppers and garlic came out as basic side dishes, and the kimchi and diced radish kimchi especially were so good I kept reaching for more.

True to being a solid Jaesong-dong restaurant, the side dishes were well put together and the cooking skill really showed. If you ran low, you could just grab more from the self-serve bar, which was convenient. There was even cheongyang chili (hot green chili) at the self-serve bar, so if you want it spicier, you can help yourself.

Mild bone soup — the kids ate it right up

The mild bone soup at Byeolhaebyeol Gamjatang Centum had a fairly rich broth, and it came with two large bones with plenty of meat on them. They were cooked through enough that the meat came off the bone easily.

I picked all the meat off first, put it back in the broth, and ate it with rice — much more filling that way. Adding in the soft-cooked siraegi (dried radish greens) made it so good I cleared a whole bowl of rice in no time, haha.

I also tried a bite of the spicy version, and it was definitely more fiery than the mild one, so if you like spicy food, the spicy option should be good too. The kids managed the mild one without any trouble, which was a relief.

What I liked

It's surprisingly rare to find a place that does gamjatang well, so I was glad to find a solid one today. The amount of meat for the price was generous too.

We finished everything without leaving any, and still felt just comfortably full, not overly stuffed.

Who I'd recommend this to

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a place to eat with kids, or anyone searching for a good Jaesong-dong restaurant that serves bone soup or gamjatang. If you like a clean, mild broth, go for the mild version — it's an easy, low-stress place to visit with kids.

From the dedicated parking to the side dish spread, this was an overall satisfying Jaesong-dong restaurant. Next time I'm thinking of trying the gamjatang with fried rice instead of the bone soup. If you're looking for a hearty family meal, give it a visit. Once the weather cools down a bit, this is somewhere I'd like to come back to with my family again.