Yongin Korean restaurant for borigulbi sets: Sotbap Hansang

Visiting Sotbap Hansang in Cheoin-gu, Yongin with My Parents

I took my parents there for a relaxed weekday afternoon visit. It had been a while since I had wanted a neat, home-style table that would be just right for their tastes, so I looked for somewhere serving thoughtfully prepared Korean food. Since it had filling, easy-on-the-stomach pot rice, I was really looking forward to it even before we went :)

A Spacious Garden Yard and Plenty of Parking

The place we visited this time was Sotbap Hansang in Cheoin-gu, Yongin. It is open every day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. year-round, making it easy to stop by whenever. A broad, lush green garden yard spread out beautifully in front of the restaurant, and I felt so refreshed from the moment we arrived.

There was plenty of parking, too. With golf courses such as Haesolia CC, Sehyun CC, and Korea CC nearby, it looked like quite a few people came by before or after a round. Its clean, pleasant facilities also made it a solid choice for a family gathering.

Ordering Charcoal-Grilled Pork and Borigulbi Set Meals

• Charcoal-grilled pork set meal ₩19,000 × 2
• Borigulbi set meal ₩25,000

Once we were seated, we ordered two charcoal-grilled pork set meals and one borigulbi set meal.

A Generous Table of Seasonal Side Dishes

Before long, the table was generously filled with seasonal side dishes.

It was really nice that we could comfortably get more of any side dishes we needed from the self-service corner.

The Borigulbi My Parents Loved

The borigulbi (barley-dried yellow corvina) had no fishy smell and a pleasantly chewy, clean savory flavor, so my parents really enjoyed it.

Charcoal-Grilled Pork with a Gentle Smoky Aroma

The charcoal-grilled pork also had a gentle smoky aroma. The meat was wonderfully tender, and the seasoning was just right.

The fried flounder served as a side dish was delicious, too—the coating was crisp while the flesh inside was soft and mild. Haha.

Warm Nurungji Made from Chewy Pot Rice

I think the biggest appeal of this Cheoin-gu, Yongin restaurant is the rice itself. The pot rice is made with premium Sindongjin rice, glutinous rice, and corn rice, so it had a beautiful sheen and a satisfyingly chewy texture. I first transferred the rice to a bowl, then poured warm water into the pot to make fragrant nurungji (scorched rice tea). Enjoying the nurungji after finishing all the delicious side dishes and rice made my stomach feel so warm and settled.

A Restful Break with the Self-Service Coffee Machine

After our satisfying meal, we moved to the lounge area inside the restaurant. There was a self-service coffee machine for diners to use comfortably. We each made an iced coffee and chatted away while looking out at the garden through the window. I was happy that we could enjoy such a relaxed moment without having to go somewhere else to find a café, haha.

This was a Korean set-meal restaurant with all the right things: neat side dishes, deliciously chewy rice, and a friendly atmosphere. I especially thought it was an excellent place for a family meal with older relatives. With its spacious yard and comfortable lounge area, it is somewhere I would love to visit again with my parents.