Spicy vs clear pork gomtang comparison in Myeongdong: Baekok

This time I visited Baekok Myeongdong (백옥 명동), a gomtang (bone soup) restaurant in Myeongdong. It's a spot that serves pork gomtang, along with yeolgomtang, yak-gomtang, cabbage dumplings, cold jegyuk, and more.

Finding Baekok Myeongdong, tucked into an alley

Getting there was a little confusing at first. Naver Maps made it look like the alley was blocked off, so I wasn't sure I was going the right way. But once I actually went in, the alley just kept going and led straight to the restaurant. If you're visiting for the first time, don't turn back just because the map looks off — keep walking into the alley. Coming a bit further in from Myeongdong's busy main street, the restaurant sat in a quieter alley than I expected.

What's the atmosphere like inside

The interior overall had a clean, tidy feel.

It's decorated mainly in wood tones, with traditional-style props and decorations here and there to give it a Korean restaurant feel — a bit different from a typical Myeongdong eatery. The seating was neatly arranged, and the atmosphere wasn't too much even for eating alone. The menu is built around gomtang, which actually made it easier to choose.

Pork gomtang, yeolgomtang, and cabbage dumplings — that's what I ordered.

Pork gomtang — clear broth, quite a lot of meat

First up, the pork gomtang. The broth is quite clear, topped with scallions, with plenty of thinly sliced pork inside. The meat is domestic pork shoulder. I personally pay close attention to the amount of meat when eating gomtang or guk-bap (soup with rice), and this had more than I expected, which I liked. The meat was sliced thin, easy to scoop up with rice and broth, and the texture was soft rather than chewy.

What I liked most while eating was that the distinct pork smell was barely noticeable. When a lot of pork goes into a broth, that characteristic smell can come through strongly, but here it stayed quite subdued. So even though it's pork gomtang, the whole thing felt pretty clean. The broth also wasn't heavy with oil — it kept a clear feel while the umami from the pork came through gently. Eating it with rice, the broth wasn't too strong or overpowering, so I could finish the bowl comfortably.

Yeolgomtang — spicy but still clean

Next, the spicy version. On the menu it's listed as yeolgomtang, which is the base gomtang with a spicy, tangy seasoning and cheongyang chili added. Compared to the regular pork gomtang, the broth color is clearly redder, and the chili and scallions on top give it a spicier feel.

That said, it wasn't a broth that was just spicy for the sake of it. It basically kept the clean character of the pork gomtang while adding a spicy, tangy kick on top. It went well with rice. If the pork gomtang felt light and clean, the spicy version had a bit more flavor built into the broth itself, making it fun to keep spooning up between bites. Since it wasn't a greasy or heavy guk-bap but had just the right amount of spice, it felt less heavy than I expected.

Personally, I liked this style of keeping the broth clean while adding a bit more spice.

Cabbage dumplings — cabbage instead of dumpling wrapper

And the cabbage dumplings I ordered alongside. This dish is clearly different in shape from typical dumplings. Instead of a flour wrapper, cabbage leaves wrap the filling. Inside is meat and kimchi, and eating it felt less like a mass-produced dumpling and more like homemade kimchi dumplings.

The filling wasn't overly seasoned, with just the right amount of spiciness coming from the kimchi. It wasn't spicy or sharp, just mild enough that it balanced well with the plain cabbage. The cabbage was softly cooked, giving it a quite different texture from a regular dumpling wrapper. The meat and kimchi filling inside was packed in well, so even one piece felt satisfying, and it paired nicely with the gomtang. Since the pork gomtang itself is on the clean side, having a cabbage dumpling in between brought in a bit of spiciness from the kimchi and shifted the flavor nicely.

Wrapping up the meal

Overall it was tasty and clean. Honestly, since the food itself wasn't the kind of flavor that splits opinion, and none of the dishes were extremely strong or unusual, I didn't have a ton to say about it in a dramatic way. But flip that around, and it's a pretty solid place for a clean, simple meal.

The pork gomtang came with quite a lot of meat, but the distinct pork smell wasn't strong, and the broth wasn't greasy or heavy either. The spicy gomtang added just the right amount of heat and tang on top, good for when you want something a bit stronger than the base version, and the cabbage dumplings felt closer to homemade kimchi dumplings than store-bought ones — a dish I personally liked pairing with the gomtang.

Would this work for taking foreign visitors?

While eating, one thought that crossed my mind was that this could be a good spot for foreigners trying Korean guk-bap for the first time. Korean guk-bap can be a bit much for first-timers because of the distinct pork smell or a rich, oily broth, but here the pork smell isn't strong and the broth stays relatively clean, so it should feel less intimidating for someone trying it for the first time. Add in the moderate spice of the yeolgomtang, and you get something that isn't too greasy while still carrying a Korean flavor. The cabbage dumplings, too, have kimchi in them, giving a mild spiciness and a distinctly Korean feel, so pairing them with gomtang makes the meal feel clearly Korean.

If you're in Myeongdong and want a clean bowl of soup rather than something heavy or overpowering, this is a place worth trying. I left having thoroughly enjoyed all three dishes I ordered that day. As a gomtang restaurant near Myeongdong Station, it's more than good enough.