Uijeongbu sundaeguk with garlic pickle self-bar: Yetnal Gyeongseong

After moving to Yangju, I searched forever for a good regular sundaeguk (blood sausage soup) spot and finally found my dream gukbap place: Yetnal Gyeongseong Sundaeguk in Nokyang-dong, Uijeongbu.

It's newly opened, so the space feels clean, plus there's a banchan self-bar, and the set menu with head meat and sundae included is really generous and great value.

It's easy for solo dining too, and I fell hard for the deep broth of the sesame sundaeguk, where you grind whole sesame yourself in a mini mortar — let me tell you about this Uijeongbu sundaeguk lunch spot I finished down to the last drop!

Why a couple who moved to Yangju drives to this Nokyang-dong gukbap restaurant

Steaming sundaeguk is one of my husband's and my favorite soul foods!

So after moving to Yangju, the most urgent task was finding a real go-to sundaeguk place. But sadly we couldn't find one we loved, and we wandered around for ages ㅠㅠ

Then finally! We found our dream Nokyang-dong restaurant that perfectly matches our taste, and I'm excited to introduce it — the newly opened Yetnal Gyeongseong Sundaeguk!

Inside Yetnal Gyeongseong Sundaeguk and the Jeongseong Chanmaru self-bar

Since Yetnal Gyeongseong Sundaeguk Nokyang Branch is newly opened, both the exterior and interior are really clean and pleasant.

Unlike the shabby or smelly atmosphere you'd usually expect from a gukbap restaurant, it's calmly arranged in wood tones, so you can eat comfortably!

They're also giving out chapssal sundae (glutinous rice sausage) for free to mark the opening, so we were touched before we'd even eaten haha.

We got to start the meal happily with the chewy chapssal sundae.

On one side of the restaurant there's a neatly stocked self-bar called Jeongseong Chanmaru, where you can freely help yourself to napa cabbage kimchi, cubed radish kimchi, onion, chili, and even the spicy, pungent garlic pickle — I loved that.

What comes with the head meat, sundae and pyeonyuk set

At most sundaeguk places, if you want a bit more head meat or sundae, you have to order a separate side dish, which can get pricey and feel like too much, right?

But Yetnal Gyeongseong Sundaeguk has a dedicated set menu where head meat, sundae, and pyeonyuk (sliced boiled meat) are all generously added to the soup — such a relief!

Dipping the freshly boiled, tender head meat and chewy chapssal sundae into spicy salted shrimp sauce, the table just filled up so satisfyingly haha.

You get to properly taste a variety of cuts without it being overpriced, so I really recommend going for the set here!

Sesame sundaeguk you pound yourself in a mini mortar

But this place's most special, standout point is none other than the sesame sundaeguk!

I've often seen sundaeguk restaurants with perilla powder on the table, but this was the first time I'd ever seen a place with whole sesame seeds and a mini mortar ready to go haha.

Before the food arrives, they grind roasted sesame in the mini mortar right there, and the nutty sesame aroma hits your nose and builds up the anticipation!

When you pile the freshly ground, nutty sesame into the bubbling sundaeguk broth...

You can't imagine how nutty and deep it tastes, right? It really is a nutty, soul-stirring flavor haha.

Of course, perilla powder is also fully stocked if that's more your style!

Is the milky broth good enough to skip the chili paste?

The bubbling stone bowl is loaded with chives on top, plump native-style sundae, and plenty of head meat, so it's a lot of fun fishing pieces out.

You can order comfortably via the tablet at every table, and the restaurant is so clean and pleasant that it seemed just as easy to stop by alone for an Uijeongbu sundaeguk lunch as it was for the two of us.

Actually, my usual gukbap style is to stir in a bit of dadaegi (spicy chili paste) and chili oil for a spicy kick, right?

But this time the rich, nutty pale broth was so good that I completely forgot to even add dadaegi, and I scraped the bowl clean and finished every last drop haha!

Next time I'll definitely have to go back and try it my usual way, with a bit of dadaegi and chili oil for a spicier bowl.

Candy and hair ties by the exit, plus parking at Yetnal Gyeongseong Sundaeguk

After a satisfying, fully finished meal, on the way out I noticed a dessert corner that really showed off the owner's thoughtfulness!

Along with sweet candy for a palate cleanser, there were even hair ties so you could tie your hair back and focus on eating — such a thoughtful touch that it left me smiling even on the way out haha.

Honestly, parking is hard to find in a lot of areas around Uijeongbu too ㅠ

But between the wide private parking lot, the clean restaurant, the generous set menu, and how easy it is to dine solo,

plus the sesame sundaeguk that makes you finish it all — everything about Yetnal Gyeongseong Sundaeguk was satisfying!

If you've been searching for a good gukbap place in Uijeongbu, or if you're craving hot, rich broth, don't hesitate to visit!

You'll become a regular in one visit, just like we did ❤️