Handmade dumpling shop in Ilsan: year's first kongguksu at Auseong

I went to Auseong Gaeseong Sonmandu (아우성개성손만두) for Ilsan kongguksu! As the name says, it's known for handmade dumplings, and honestly it's one of my long-time favorite dumpling spots in Ilsan haha. I used to come here for the dumpling hotpot, but this time I came for the summer kongguksu (cold soybean noodle soup).

Where is Auseong Gaeseong Sonmandu in Ilsan, and is there parking?

Auseong Gaeseong Sonmandu is at 31-10 Jeongbalsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, 1st floor, and it's open 24 hours. You park in the building's parking lot, and you get 1 hour of free parking when you eat here.

It's close to Jeongbalsan Station and Western Dom, and not far from Ilsan Lake Park either, so it's a good spot to eat after a walk around the lake or when you're nearby running errands. If you're looking for kongguksu near Ilsan Lake Park, a cold bowl on a hot day like this seems like a fine reason to visit. Parking around central Ilsan can be a hassle, but you can park right in the building here, so it was easy to come by car haha.

Inside Auseong Gaeseong Sonmandu

Inside, it has the feel of a comfortable neighborhood restaurant. The interior isn't flashy or trendy, but it's a relaxed place to eat. It's famous for its dumpling hotpot and handmade dumplings, and it's also a pork belly spot haha. There were quite a few diners: some were eating steaming dumpling hotpot, others were having cold kongguksu, so you can enjoy the seasonal menu too!

Auseong Gaeseong Sonmandu menu and prices

The mains are Gaeseong handmade dumpling hotpot and handmade dumplings, and there are also dishes like pork belly and kimchi duruchigi (spicy stir-fried pork and kimchi).

• Gaeseong handmade dumpling hotpot, ₩12,000 per person
• Add beef shabu-shabu, ₩13,000
• Steamed Gaeseong dumplings, 6 pieces, ₩11,000
• Gaeseong handmade kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), unlimited refills, ₩10,000
• Raw pork belly, 200g per serving, ₩17,000
• Raw ogyeopsal (pork belly with skin), 200g per serving, ₩17,000
• Kimchi duruchigi, large ₩45,000 / medium ₩35,000

We came for the kongguksu, so we ordered two bowls of kongguksu (₩10,000 each) and 6 steamed dumplings (₩11,000).

Pickled radish and kimchi were set out, along with salt and sugar for the kongguksu. Add whichever you like haha. I'm team salt~

Paju Jangdan bean kongguksu: how thick is the broth?

They say the broth is ground fresh every day from Paju Jangdan beans, and it's not the thin, light style; it was rich and nutty. The kongguksu finally arrived, and it already looked thick and clean-tasting, and with the first sip I was like, oh...? This soybean broth is the real deal.

The texture especially wasn't just thick; it was smooth and silky like cream. The nutty bean flavor was strong, but it never felt gritty or chalky, so I kept going back with my spoon.. The kongguksu place near my home had closed and I was bummed, so eating my first kongguksu of the year at a place like this haha.

Badly made kongguksu can taste beany or be too watery, which is disappointing, but here the nutty flavor really comes through while the broth stays thick and goes down smoothly, so I enjoyed the whole bowl. When you lift the noodles, the thick broth clings to them, so even the noodles alone tasted richly nutty. I kept spooning up the broth and ended up nearly finishing the bowl lol.

If you usually like thick-style kongguksu, I think you'll be pretty happy with this. The biggest reason I'd recommend Auseong Gaeseong Sonmandu to anyone hunting for Ilsan kongguksu is exactly this rich, creamy broth! They sell the broth separately too, and I almost wanted to take some home haha.

Handmade Gaeseong dumplings: how generous is the filling?

The steamed Gaeseong dumplings are 6 for ₩11,000, and honestly they're something I really love here: handmade dumplings!

Each dumpling is quite big, and when you cut one in half, it's packed with filling. It's not the kind with a thick wrapper and little inside; the filling goes all the way through with no empty space, like a proper giant dumpling!

They came half meat dumplings and half kimchi dumplings, so you can try both, and each bite is full of vegetables and meat filling, so even one dumpling is pretty filling haha. I couldn't pick a winner between the kimchi and the meat. The seasoning isn't too strong, so they're clean-tasting and good as they are, and a light dip in soy sauce made them exactly twice as good.

Honestly, to me Auseong Gaeseong Sonmandu is a dumpling place before it's a kongguksu place haha. I love the hotpot too, but even ordering just the handmade dumplings on their own, the filling is generous and I'm always satisfied. Even if you come for kongguksu, definitely order a plate of handmade dumplings too!

Kongguksu and dumplings: the right amount for two?

Two bowls of kongguksu plus one plate of steamed Gaeseong dumplings was a pretty filling and satisfying amount for two people. Eating warm handmade dumplings between spoonfuls of cold, nutty kongguksu, this combo is just so good.

The kongguksu itself is so rich and hearty that even one bowl was quite filling, and adding the packed dumplings made it feel like I came for a summer specialty and walked out with a full, proper meal haha. Recommend this combo!

I cleaned out the kongguksu bowl.......haha proof shot

Verdict: is the kongguksu at Auseong Gaeseong Sonmandu worth a visit?

If you're looking for kongguksu in Ilsan, Auseong Gaeseong Sonmandu is worth a summer visit. The broth, made fresh every day from Paju Jangdan beans, was creamy and very thick, with plenty of nutty bean flavor and little of the rough or chalky feel, so I could happily finish the whole bowl.

It's fairly close to Ilsan Lake Park and Western Dom, and with 1 hour of free parking when you eat, it's easy to visit by car. The handmade dumplings were packed with filling and still delicious, and eating cold kongguksu with hot dumplings was a great combination! If you're searching for kongguksu near Ilsan Lake Park, or an Ilsan kongguksu place with rich, nutty broth, try the kongguksu with handmade dumplings at Auseong Gaeseong Sonmandu🩷