After-work buckwheat noodles in Wondang, Goyang: Bongpyeong Gohyang

Bongpyeong Gohyang Makguksu

Hours: 11:00–20:30 (closed Mondays) Address: 1128 Hoguk-ro, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Why Bongpyeong Gohyang Makguksu won the after-work vote in Wondang

A friend texted me around quitting time on a weekday asking for dinner. The weather had turned cool and we both wanted noodles — she was craving makguksu, I wanted something hot and soupy, so it took forever just to agree on a place haha. I searched for kalguksu restaurants in Goyang trying to find somewhere we'd both like, and Bongpyeong Gohyang Makguksu among the Wondang spots caught my eye right away. Self-milled makguksu AND perilla buckwheat kalguksu in one place? I grabbed my car keys immediately 🚗

Parking and opening hours at Bongpyeong Gohyang Makguksu

You can park right in front of Bongpyeong Gohyang Makguksu, so there was no need to circle around looking for a spot. It's open from 11am to 8:30pm, closed on Mondays.

We arrived right as the sun was going down. The sky was dyed a pretty sunset color, so I started snapping photos the moment I got out of the car 🌇 The yellow sign with "self-milled makguksu" and "perilla buckwheat kalguksu" printed in big letters was visible from far away. If you're driving around Deogyang-gu looking for good restaurants, this one's worth keeping in mind.

Above the entrance of Bongpyeong Gohyang Makguksu hangs the words "Nakta-gogae" and a logo shaped like a noodle bowl. Seeing the "open" neon sign glowing made me even hungrier haha. The sign on the door says it opens at 11am and closes at 8:30pm. It's closed on Mondays, so if you're planning to go after work, be sure to check the day and time first!

Inside the restaurant: seating and atmosphere

Inside was much more spacious than I expected. The ceiling is packed with lights so the whole dining room feels bright, and the tables are spaced out comfortably. True to a popular Wondang spot, there were quite a few diners in the evening, but it didn't feel loud — more like a relaxed place to eat. Brick walls with wooden tables gave it a clean, cozy overall feel.

Bongpyeong Gohyang Makguksu menu and prices

The menu is posted in big letters on the wall. Mul makguksu (cold water noodles) and bibim makguksu (spicy mixed noodles) are ₩11,000 each, and the warm dishes — warm makguksu and perilla buckwheat kalguksu — are also ₩11,000 each. Suyuk is ₩23,000, with a half plate sold separately for ₩12,000, perfect for sharing between two. A large portion costs an extra ₩1,000, but the sign says you can't add extra noodles, so if you eat a lot, order the large size from the start.

Since we'd come specifically for kalguksu in Goyang, the perilla buckwheat kalguksu was a must-order, and we added bibim makguksu and a half plate of suyuk. We were curious about the buckwheat pancake and mandu (dumplings) too, but saved those for next time haha.

There's a window in one wall where you can peek into the kitchen, and I could see the staff bustling around inside. Remembering the "self-milled" text on the sign made me even more excited. I also saw families with kids eating there, which made me think it's a comfortable spot for a casual meal out.

The in-store guide to eating buckwheat makguksu

There was also this poster on the wall. At the bottom it explains how to enjoy buckwheat makguksu properly — a surprisingly useful tip. Buckwheat noodles tend to break easily, so apparently you should eat them as-is instead of cutting them with scissors. Cutting them makes the noodles soggy faster and less chewy. So we skipped the scissors that day haha.

Once seated, a stainless kettle and cups are already set out like this. There's mustard and vinegar on every table too, so you can add them to your makguksu to taste. The tables were polished and shiny, which made me think this place takes cleaning seriously.

Barley rice served free with every order

While we waited, a small bowl of barley rice came out first. It's served as a default side, and topped with a bit of kimchi, one spoonful is honestly a delicacy on its own. The chewy barley with tangy kimchi really perked up my appetite. Not gonna lie, after eating this, waiting for the main dishes got even harder haha.

Pouring the broth into bibim makguksu for mul-bibim

Bibim makguksu at Bongpyeong Gohyang Makguksu is ₩11,000, served with a separate bowl of clear broth that you can pour in partway through to make it more like a water-based mix. We tried it half plain with sauce, half with broth poured in.

Let me show you the bibim makguksu first. Whoa, look at this presentation! A generous layer of sesame powder covers the red sauce, topped with half a boiled egg. Underneath there's julienned cucumber and lettuce, with roasted seaweed flakes sprinkled on top. That's a pass for a Wondang makguksu's looks, right? haha

The bibim makguksu comes with a separate bowl of broth. It's a clear golden color, so I first thought it was a soup meant to be drunk on its own. Turns out it's meant to be poured in partway through mixing, to enjoy like a water-bibim style. To fully taste the sauce first, we set the broth aside for a bit haha.

Mixing it up with chopsticks turns it into this. Can you see the noodles' deep grayish-brown color with dark specks? One bite in, a subtle buckwheat aroma comes through, and the noodles are thin but smooth going down. The sauce is spicy with a hint of sweetness, not overly harsh, so it kept us reaching for more 😋

When we were about halfway through, we finally poured in the broth. As the sauce dissolves into the broth, a refreshing soup forms. It feels like eating bibim and mul makguksu together in one bowl. My friend said this way was way better and pulled the bowl entirely over to her side haha. If you go for makguksu in Wondang, definitely try this method.

Perilla buckwheat kalguksu: why even the noodles are buckwheat

Bongpyeong Gohyang Makguksu's perilla buckwheat kalguksu is ₩11,000, featuring thick, flat buckwheat noodles in a thick perilla broth. Usually you'd picture white wheat noodles in a perilla kalguksu, but here even the noodles are buckwheat, so the color is different from the start.

Now for today's main event... drumroll... the perilla buckwheat kalguksu! Perilla powder is piled up generously over the pale, creamy perilla broth. Dark buckwheat noodles peek through here and there. One spoonful of the broth and I knew I'd made the right call picking this place for kalguksu in Goyang.

Up close, the perilla powder looks like this. It's got real texture with intact grains, so once it dissolves into the broth, a strong nutty aroma bursts out. The broth isn't watery — it's thick, so even one spoonful fills your mouth with nuttiness. Among kalguksu spots in Wondang, this was my first time trying this particular style 🥣

Lifting up the noodles, you can see they're these flat, thick buckwheat kalguksu noodles. Unlike chewy wheat noodles that hold firm, these have a softer texture that breaks apart easily. The thick perilla broth clings to the noodles, so it comes up with them every time you slurp. Following the poster's advice and not cutting the noodles, they held together without going mushy the whole way through. If you're looking for kalguksu in Goyang, I'd recommend this perilla buckwheat kalguksu first. It was my top pick of everything we ate that day.

Is a half plate of suyuk enough for two people?

A half plate of suyuk at Bongpyeong Gohyang Makguksu is ₩12,000, and it comes with nearly ten thick slices of boiled pork. Two bowls of noodles plus a half plate of suyuk was just right for two people.

The half plate of suyuk we ordered came out like this. Whoa, I expected a small portion since it's called "half," but there were nearly ten thickly sliced pieces of suyuk arranged neatly. Thin fat clung to the lean meat, and the texture looked moist, so my chopsticks went straight for it.

Three side items come with it. Salted shrimp and red sauce each in their own dish, plus raw garlic and peppers together on one plate. If you love suyuk, you can probably already picture how you'd wrap it up haha.

I'm a salted shrimp person, so I dipped a piece right in. No off smell, soft, with the fatty part chewy in a good way — it paired well with the salty shrimp. A bite of perilla kalguksu, a piece of suyuk, a bite of bibim makguksu, another piece of suyuk... taking turns like this, the plate emptied in no time haha. Two bowls of noodles and a half plate of suyuk was just right for two of us.

Buckwheat chips and self-serve buckwheat tea

On the way out after finishing, I spotted buckwheat chips too. They're ₩5,000 a bag, and next to them was Bongpyeong Nonghyup buckwheat flour also on display. I was way too full to try it that day, but next time I'll grab a bag to snack on haha.

The self-serve corner has warm buckwheat tea ready. They serve the noodle water as buckwheat tea, and did you notice the sign warning it's hot has two exclamation points? haha There are both stainless cups and paper cups, so it's nice to have a cup afterward to cleanse your palate.

The verdict on Bongpyeong Gohyang Makguksu

By the time we walked out full, it had already gone dark and the sign was glowing brightly. This was a satisfying visit to Bongpyeong Gohyang Makguksu, with hot perilla buckwheat kalguksu, bibim makguksu, and suyuk. If you're looking for kalguksu in Goyang, it's worth a visit at least once. My friend and I already agreed to come back once it gets colder!