Jongno Korean restaurant set with tripe hot pot: Wongiok Gwanghwamun

I went to Wongiok Gwanghwamun (원기옥 광화문점) because I wanted a proper Korean table spread in Gwanghwamun! They have a range of Korean beef dishes, from individual items to set menus, so it looked like a great place for a family meal or for taking your parents out. That day, we ordered the Generous Set for ₩110,000, which lets you try several dishes at once! I had high expectations from the name alone, and it really did keep bringing out one thing after another—such a nice setup for a group visit :)

Wongiok Gwanghwamun location and parking

Wongiok Gwanghwamun is on B1 at 10 Saemunan-ro 2-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. It is open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 to 22:00, with a break time from 15:00 to 17:00. It is regularly closed every Sunday, so keep that in mind before visiting! Parking is available on B3 of the building for up to two hours. However, parking is unavailable before 6 PM on weekdays, so if you visit then, you can use the nearby Concordian Building parking lot.

Refreshing mustard salad

Then there was the mustard salad, which refreshed my palate along the way. It is made by topping thinly sliced meat with crisp vegetables. When you roll up the meat and vegetables together, you get the sharp kick of mustard alongside that crunchy texture. After several meat dishes, things can start to feel a little rich, but a bite of this in between was just perfect. There were especially plenty of vegetables, so it was nice to pick up a generous bite with the meat.

Wongiok Generous Set, ₩110,000

What we ordered was the Generous Set! It begins with a hot pot and comes with several dishes, so it looked like a good choice for anyone who wants to sample a variety rather than stick to one menu item. The main dish that day was gopchang jeongol (beef tripe hot pot). With one steaming hot pot in the middle and the other dishes eaten alongside it one by one, it felt like we had laid out a real Korean feast. The basic side dishes were neatly served too, so the table already felt quite substantial before the main food even arrived.

Fried peppers that surprised me with their size

One of the most memorable dishes in the Generous Set was the fried peppers! The moment they arrived, their size really caught my eye. Each pepper was filled with a meat mixture, coated in batter, and fried until crisp. Fried food is always best right when it comes out, isn’t it? Taking a bite while they were still piping hot, the outside was crisp, the inside moist, and the filling packed with meat, making them much more filling than I expected. The pepper’s distinctive aroma worked so well with the meat, and they did not feel hollow inside just because they were fried—every bite felt properly substantial! Even with just a few pieces, their size gave them a real presence.

The Generous Set’s star: tripe hot pot

And the dish I was looking forward to most! It was the gopchang jeongol, or tripe hot pot. Korean food just feels more complete when there is a steaming hot pot in the middle, haha. Simmered until bubbling and eaten hot, it paired beautifully with the other dishes too. Its deep, spicy broth really woke up my appetite, and it was fun fishing out all the ingredients inside. More than anything, having a sip of warm broth here and there while eating several dishes made it feel like it balanced the whole table. The Generous Set had lots of different dishes as its name suggests, but I was even more satisfied because it included this piping-hot tripe hot pot. I think anyone who loves broth will enjoy this combination.

A Gwanghwamun Korean restaurant for family meals

Overall, Wongiok Gwanghwamun felt like a place where the fun is in ordering a set like this and trying a little of many dishes, rather than ordering every item individually. From crisp, filling dishes like fried peppers to refreshing mustard salad, plus the steaming tripe hot pot, the flavors did not overlap on the same table, which was lovely. As it is a Korean restaurant with a neat atmosphere, I think it would suit anyone looking for a place to take their parents or have a family meal in Gwanghwamun. If you come with several people, it would also be great to order one Generous Set and share the different dishes :)

If you want several Korean dishes together

If you want a neat, proper Korean table spread in Gwanghwamun, Wongiok Gwanghwamun might be worth a visit. The Generous Set we had offered a range of dishes with different charms, including fried peppers and mustard salad, and with the steaming tripe hot pot as well, it really was a generous meal. If you enjoy tasting a variety of Korean dishes a little at a time rather than focusing on just one, the set menu seems especially good! I would recommend it if you are looking for a Gwanghwamun family restaurant, somewhere to eat with your parents, or a Korean restaurant with a slightly more polished atmosphere :)