Sokcho restaurant near the bus terminal, 16-person room: Gwandongjip

Gwandongjip, a Joyang-dong gamjatang (pork bone soup) and ppyeojjim (braised pork bones) spot in Sokcho

• 📍 7-8 Seonsa-ro 2-gil, Sokcho, Gangwon, South Korea
• ⏰ 11:00–22:00 / break time 15:00–17:00
• Last order 21:00 / closed every Wednesday
• 🚗 Parking available in front

When I'm traveling in Sokcho or craving Korean food near Sokcho Express Bus Terminal, I always look for a good spot — and I found one that locals swear by: Gwandongjip in Joyang-dong, Sokcho.

This time I tried Gwandongjip's signature mukeunji-ppyeojjim (aged kimchi braised pork bones), and I fell for the tender meat and the spicy, savory broth. Here's my full review — location, parking, and the menu.

Where is Gwandongjip, and is there parking?

Gwandongjip is a 10-minute walk from Sokcho Express Bus Terminal. Just head down the alley below Jangsu Bathhouse and you'll find it easily.

There's parking space right in front of the restaurant — enough room for about 3–4 cars.

Inside Gwandongjip: a private room for up to 16

Walking into Gwandongjip, I noticed the cozy interior right away — it felt like visiting grandma's house. The tables are spaced generously and there are plenty of them, so it's a relaxed place to eat.

It has that warm, comfortable Korean restaurant feel — great for a family meal or gathering, and just as good for a drink with dinner. The place was clean too, which gave me confidence on the hygiene side.

There's a separate room space further inside, perfect for group dinners or gatherings. It can seat up to 16 people, so it looked private and easy to use without any pressure.

A baby chair is also available, so families with young kids can eat comfortably too.

The restroom is inside the restaurant, which was nice — no need to step outside.

A second-generation Sokcho kitchen

Gwandongjip started out as 'Jeopalgye Gamjatang' in Hwacheon in 2005, and the son has since carried on his parents' traditional recipe and settled in Sokcho. The deep, rich broth built on over 20 years of know-how and the tender meat are simply incomparable! You could feel the genuine care and dedication in every bite. ✨

They have photo menus set up, which really helped with picking. I agonized between gamjatang and mukeunji-ppyeojjim for a while, then went with the mukeunji-ppyeojjim — let's go!

How long does the mukeunji-ppyeojjim take to arrive?

Since Gwandongjip's mukeunji-ppyeojjim is served with thoroughly braised aged kimchi, it took about 10 minutes to come out. While waiting, read up on how to eat it right!

The side dishes at Gwandongjip

The basic side dishes were set out first, and I knew from the very first bite — this place is the real deal.

Even the bean sprouts were delicious, come on!!! The side dishes alone could clear a bowl of rice. The stir-fried fish cake especially was insanely good — still steaming hot like it had just been made, sweet and salty, an absolute rice thief 🤍

How does Gwandongjip's mukeunji-ppyeojjim taste?

The mukeunji-ppyeojjim arrives!! The look of it alone is overwhelming.

It comes already fully cooked, so after a quick simmer it was ready to eat. A whole head of well-braised aged kimchi is piled in, big and bold — spicy and tangy enough to wake up your appetite ㅠㅠㅠㅠ It cut through the richness of the meat perfectly and had such good savory depth.

You know you're not supposed to cut kimchi with scissors, right? Tear it lengthwise for the real flavor. Piled onto rice, one bowl disappears in no time.

The bones are big with thick, generous meat attached. It was braised so thoroughly that the meat fell right off with just a touch of the chopsticks. Even better dipped in the wasabi sauce!! A bite of rice topped with the tender meat and aged kimchi is a perfect combination. 🤍🤍🤍

I finished the meal with the candy served as dessert. If you're looking for a place that does real Korean food in Joyang-dong, Sokcho, I'd recommend giving Gwandongjip a visit!