Dongtan department store gomtang restaurant, herbal vs regular: Baekok

When you're shopping at Lotte Department Store Dongtan, the eternal question hits: "what should I eat for lunch today?" This time I was craving something warm but not too heavy, so I went to Baekok, one of the go-to Dongtan Lotte Department Store restaurants.

Baekok specializes in pork gomtang (pork bone soup). It's got a different charm than the milky, heavy pork gukbap (pork soup with rice) you might picture — clear, clean broth with plenty of meat. Definitely a spot worth recommending if you're looking for a Dongtan lunch place.

Where is Baekok Dongtan, and how much do you need to spend for free parking?

Baekok is located on the basement 1st floor Food Avenue of Lotte Department Store Dongtan branch. Hours and closed days are the same as the department store's.

Here's the parking info posted at the store.

• No purchase: 30 minutes free
• Purchase ₩20,000+: 1 hour free
• Purchase ₩50,000+: 2 hours free
• Purchase ₩80,000+: 3 hours free
• Purchase ₩100,000+: 4 hours free

Since the department store combines your meal and shopping totals for the day, pairing the two is a great way to rack up more free parking time. If you're planning to eat at Baekok and shop afterward, check the free parking tiers by purchase amount in advance.

Being inside the department store also means it's convenient to eat before or after shopping, and you don't have to worry much about weather. It's close to Dongtan Station too, so it's an accessible pick when you're hunting for a Dongtan Lotte Department Store restaurant.

Best of all, it works whether you're grabbing a simple solo meal or having a warm, comforting Korean meal with family.

Baekok Dongtan's menu, and why the gomtang set was the pick

Baekok's signature dishes are pork-based gomtang. Alongside the regular pork gomtang, there's a slightly different herbal pork gomtang, and there are sets that let you pair the gomtang with Baekok's signature cabbage dumplings.

So if it's your first visit, ordering the set to try the cabbage dumplings alongside the soup seemed like the better move rather than just ordering the gomtang alone.

What I ordered that day: ✔ herbal pork gomtang ✔ pork gomtang set (pork gomtang + 2 cabbage dumplings).

What kind of restaurant is Baekok Dongtan? Kids' gukbap and food court seating

Baekok is a gomtang specialty restaurant centered on clear, light pork gomtang. From the clean-broth pork gomtang to the herbal pork gomtang to the unique cabbage-wrapped dumplings, it felt different from a typical gukbap place.

In front of the store, alongside the menu, there was signage for kids' gukbap and a review event. Having a kids' gukbap option seemed like a nice touch for families looking for a Korean meal at Lotte Department Store Dongtan with a child in tow.

Baekok is located on the basement 1st floor Food Avenue of Lotte Department Store Dongtan branch. Rather than having its own dedicated dining seats, you take your order and eat comfortably at the shared food court seating, which I liked.

Tasting the pork gomtang set: a clear, mild broth

🍲 Clean and mild pork gomtang set

First up, Baekok's regular pork gomtang! When you think pork gomtang, you might picture a thick, greasy broth, but Baekok's version turned out to be clearer and cleaner than expected.

Taking a spoonful of the hot broth, I got a mild but lingering savory taste. It wasn't sharp or heavy at all, so my spoon kept going back for more.

There was plenty of thinly sliced pork in there, which made scooping up rice, meat, and broth together really satisfying. Filling but not overly heavy afterward — a good fit for a Dongtan lunch spot.

How does the herbal pork gomtang differ from the regular gomtang?

🌿 The herbal pork gomtang for a different take. Alongside the regular pork gomtang, I also ordered the herbal pork gomtang.

It had a different flavor profile from the clean charm of the regular gomtang, so ordering both and comparing them side by side was fun.

The warm broth and tender pork came together for a satisfying bowl on its own. If you're usually a fan of warm soups like gukbap or gomtang, this is worth trying at least once.

The 2 cabbage dumplings that come with the set

🥬 The cabbage dumplings I really wanted to try at Baekok. Personally, the dish that caught my eye at Baekok was the cabbage dumplings.

The unique look — cabbage leaves wrapping the filling instead of regular dumpling wrappers — grabbed my attention right away. Ordering the pork gomtang set gets you 2 of these dumplings, which paired nicely alongside the soup.

The soft texture of the cabbage worked well with the filling inside, giving a lighter charm than regular flour-wrapped dumplings. A spoonful of warm gomtang followed by a bite of cabbage dumpling turned out to be a pretty great combo.

Final verdict: when Baekok Dongtan is worth a stop

What stuck with me most about Baekok at Lotte Department Store Dongtan branch was getting to enjoy clear, mild pork gomtang alongside the unique cabbage dumplings.

The broth wasn't sharp at all, so it was easy to eat, and with plenty of meat, one bowl was enough to feel full. The regular pork gomtang and the herbal pork gomtang each had their own charm, so it was nice being able to choose based on preference, and adding the cabbage-wrapped dumplings made the meal even more complete.

Being inside Lotte Department Store makes it convenient to eat before or after shopping, and it's easy to get to from Dongtan Station, so it's a spot I'd recommend to anyone looking for a Dongtan Lotte Department Store restaurant.

• When you're craving a clean, mild broth
• When you need a filling Dongtan lunch
• When you're in the mood for pork gomtang or Korean food in Dongtan
• When you need somewhere to eat before or after shopping at Lotte Department Store Dongtan

A warm bowl of gomtang plus the unique cabbage dumplings — Baekok is a place I'd want to return to whenever I'm craving a clean, filling meal in Dongtan. :)