Seomyeon Korean bar in Busan with makgeolli highballs: Bidangusul

What kind of bar is Bidangusul Seomyeon?

Every time I visit Seomyeon, there's a new bar that wasn't there before. Seriously, even after just a few months, the place that used to be there has vanished and something new has taken its spot. But honestly, a lot of the bars popping up lately have pretty interiors but you can't quite tell what they're actually going for — a bit of Korean food, a bit of Western food, highballs, soju, everything mixed together with no clear concept. I personally prefer places where the moment you walk in, you immediately think 'ah, this is what this place is about.' Bidangusul, which I visited this time, was a new Korean bar in Seomyeon that I quite liked in that sense. From the exterior, it fully leans into a hanok (traditional Korean house) look, and the food and drinks feel like Korean elements reinterpreted in a modern style — the concept was crystal clear.

How far is Bidangusul Seomyeon from Seomyeon Station?

Bidangusul is in a spot you can comfortably walk to from Seomyeon Station. When you're drinking in Seomyeon, catching the last train matters more than you'd think, and since it's not far from the station, you can still make a dash for it if you time things right. It's also located in an alley packed with bars, so it's easy to plan your route whether it's your first or second stop of the night. Compared to a typical Seomyeon Korean bar, the exterior is quite flashy — from the tiled roof to the warm lighting to the big Bidangusul sign, it catches your eye from a distance.

Hanok-style interior and seating at Bidangusul Seomyeon

Step inside and the mood from the exterior carries right through. Wood tones dominate throughout, and several round lights hang from the ceiling, giving the space a better atmosphere than I expected. There's a painting of a figure in hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) on the wall, and a corner has colors reminiscent of saekdong (traditional striped fabric). That said, it's not entirely heavy or old-fashioned like a traditional tavern — the tables and ordering system are clearly modern-bar territory. Seating ranged from regular tables to partitioned booths, and since the tables are spaced apart to some degree, it was more comfortable to drink here than I expected. The place is fairly large too, so it works fine for two people or for a bigger group without feeling cramped.

Once seated, we got simple crackers as a complimentary snack. Nothing fancy to describe — just plain crackers, but good for nibbling on before the drinks arrived. They're the familiar type that's crunchy and then instantly melts, so you keep reaching for more without really thinking about it.

Menu and prices at this Seomyeon Korean bar

The menu was quite extensive, ranging from set platters (hansangcharim) to yukhoe (raw beef), suyuk (boiled meat), jeon (pan-fried dishes), stews and hot pots, stir-fries, boneless fried chicken, makguksu (buckwheat noodles) and even pasta. Overall it's Korean-food-based and centered on dishes that pair well with drinks, and the set platters that let you try several things at once looked easy to order when visiting with a group. Prices for individual dishes were mostly in the high ₩10,000s to mid ₩20,000s, which isn't too heavy a hit for a Seomyeon Korean bar.

How do the ube and matcha makgeolli highballs taste?

Both the ube makgeolli highball and matcha makgeolli highball gave off a slight bubble tea vibe at first impression. The colors match that too — light purple for the ube, green for the matcha — so visually they look like café drinks, but the moment you take a sip, the distinct flavor of makgeolli (unfiltered rice wine) rises up quietly underneath. The ube one is a bit sweeter and smoother, while the matcha one has a slight bitterness mixed in, making it feel relatively less sweet. Both are a world apart from a typical heavily carbonated highball — it's like drinking a soft, sweet bubble tea that has makgeolli kick in at the finish, which was quite unique. If you want to try makgeolli in a different way, this is worth ordering at least once.

Charcoal-grilled chicken with bibim noodles, 21,900 won: how big is the portion?

The main dish we ordered was the charcoal-grilled chicken and bibim noodles (spicy mixed noodles), priced at ₩21,900. It's charcoal-smoked grilled chicken served alongside spicy-tangy mixed noodles, and when it arrived, the platter was bigger than I expected, which I liked. On one side sits a generous pile of richly grilled, golden-brown chicken, and on the other side, the red-sauced bibim noodles. The noodles are topped generously with perilla leaves and gim (seaweed flakes) and come with quail eggs on top, so nothing feels missing. Having noodles alongside the chicken rather than just the chicken alone makes it feel like you're covering both a drinking snack and a meal at once. Personally, at Seomyeon Korean bars I often end up ordering a second dish because the first one is too small, but this dish looked substantial enough for two people drinking together.

I tried the grilled chicken first. True to its name, the charcoal flavor comes through more strongly than expected. The surface is grilled quite deeply, with a few slightly charred spots here and there, which actually makes it taste better. The sweet-savory sauce is well soaked into the chicken, and a subtle charcoal aroma rises as you chew. The chicken was also cut into bite-sized pieces, so I could dig in right away without needing to cut anything myself. It's not too dry and keeps a nice chewy texture, making it a great match for drinks. The bibim noodles alongside weren't just an afterthought either — the sauce itself is spicy and tangy, and mixing in the gim and perilla leaves adds a nutty aroma on top.

A new Korean bar in Seomyeon with a clear concept

Who is Bidangusul Seomyeon right for?

Among the new Korean bars I've visited recently in Seomyeon, Bidangusul is a place that at least clearly knows what it's trying to show. Bars are springing up incredibly fast in Seomyeon these days, but honestly, a lot of them just tweak the interior slightly while serving similar-ish side dishes. This place, by contrast, felt like it was pointing in one consistent direction — from the hanok-style exterior to the saekdong colors and traditional paintings inside, to the makgeolli highball drinks, to the charcoal-based dishes. In particular, the ube and matcha makgeolli highballs are worth ordering out of curiosity even for people who think of makgeolli as heavy, and the charcoal-grilled chicken and bibim noodles paired well as a drinking snack too, with properly smoky chicken alongside tangy-spicy noodles. And practically speaking, being close to Seomyeon Station and easy for catching the last train after drinks is a real plus. This place will probably suit people who want Korean-food-based drinks and snacks with a slightly different twist, more than those looking strictly for traditional menus. If you're after a Seomyeon Korean bar with a different atmosphere than the usual izakaya or beer hall, it's worth a visit.