Poi-dong 24-hour gamjatang: spicy vs clear broth taste test, Chomu

How to get to Chomu Gamjatang in Poi-dong, and is there parking?

Chomu Gamjatang, a Seocho favorite, is about a 15-minute walk from Exit 2 of Yangjae Citizen's Forest Station. If you're driving, there's a parking lot right at the restaurant. It's the kind of place near Yangjaecheon stream that fills you up with hot, rich broth — perfect for a rainy day or when you're craving something spicy.

• 📍 59 Nonhyeon-ro, 1F, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• ⏰ Daily 11:00–22:00 (last order 21:30)

Chomu Gamjatang has a clean, eye-catching exterior. The straightforward sign reading '24-Hour Gamjatang · Bone Stew · Pork Cutlet' makes it easy to spot and a comfortable place near Yangjaecheon to drop by any time. With parking on site, it's also convenient if you're coming by car.

Side dishes and the self-serve bar: house-made kimchi and chili peppers

The basic side dishes at Chomu Gamjatang include the chunky seokbakji (cubed radish kimchi) that's essential with gamjatang, along with a spicy-sweet fresh kimchi (geotjeori) that gets your appetite going.

The self-serve bar is generously stocked with not just kimchi and kkakdugi but also crunchy, spicy cheongyang chili peppers and ssamjang, so you can help yourself to as much as you like. The heart of any gukbap (soup and rice) place is its kimchi, and since it seems to be homemade here, the kkakdugi was well-fermented and refreshing, and the kimchi had a seasoning that just clicked with me — I went back for seconds a few times.

Clear bone soup, 12,000 won: perilla leaf aroma and fall-off-the-bone meat

Chomu Gamjatang's ppyeohaejangguk (bone soup) is ₩12,000. It arrives topped generously with fresh perilla leaves and green onion, and the savory, fragrant smell hits you the moment it's set down.

Dipping the perilla leaf into the broth reveals a big pork bone filling the earthenware pot.

The meat clinging to the bone is really thick, and it was cooked so thoroughly that it slid right off with just a touch of chopsticks. The broth was deeply simmered, with the perilla leaf's aroma and the green onion's freshness blending beautifully, and the umami was incredible.

Spicy gamjatang, 13,000 won: how hot is it for a weak spice eater?

The spicy gamjatang is ₩13,000. It had a heavier depth of flavor, as if chili powder had been added to the regular gamjatang. I'm not great with spicy food, so I felt the heat clearly, but that very heat kept me from getting tired of it as I ate.

Pork cutlet, 12,000 won: specialty-shop quality at a gamjatang restaurant

The donkatsu (pork cutlet) is ₩12,000, and it's a hidden gem you shouldn't miss at Chomu Gamjatang! Two golden, crisply fried cutlets come drizzled with a savory sauce, served alongside cabbage salad, corn, and pickles. You usually don't expect much from the cutlet at a gamjatang restaurant, but Chomu Gamjatang's was as good as one from a specialty shop.

Crispy on the outside and packed with meat inside, it paired nicely with the spicy gamjatang in a sweet-and-savory combo, and it seemed like a good option for a family meal with kids too — though at ₩12,000, the portion felt a little small.

Is the full Chomu Gamjatang spread worth it?

Once the bone soup, spicy gamjatang, and pork cutlet all arrived, I took a shot of the whole table! Seeing the table fully loaded put me in a good mood even before eating. The savory basic bone soup, with its meat pulled off so smoothly, was clean and satisfying, while the red-broth spicy version kept that sharp heat alive, leaving me feeling like all my stress had melted away.