Yongin kalguksu restaurant with a 60-seat hall: Yubok Kalguksu

Yongin kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and jjukkumi (baby octopus) lunch recommendation, a lunch spot near the Korean Folk Village: Yubok Kalguksu Yongin Korean Folk Village Branch

I went to the Korean Folk Village this time, and before heading over I looked for somewhere nearby for lunch — I ended up at a well-known spot that blew me away with its taste, generous portions, and set composition. The deep, rich pufferfish-broth seafood kalguksu and the smoky grilled jjukkumi stir-fry were both hearty and delicious overall, so I'd especially recommend it as a lunch spot near the Korean Folk Village. Let me introduce Yubok Kalguksu Yongin Korean Folk Village Branch.

• Yubok Kalguksu Yongin Korean Folk Village Branch
• Address: 24 Minsokchon-ro, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00–22:00
• Parking available

Where is Yubok Kalguksu Yongin Korean Folk Village Branch, and where do you park?

Yubok Kalguksu Yongin Korean Folk Village Branch sits right near the Korean Folk Village, one of Yongin's most famous attractions, making it a perfect stop before or after a visit — which is probably why it's especially well known as a lunch spot near the Korean Folk Village. Parking is always the biggest worry when driving somewhere, but here there's ample dedicated parking in front of and around the restaurant, so you can visit without any parking stress.

A hall for 60: is there a lunch wait at Yubok Kalguksu?

Being a well-known spot, there were quite a lot of customers inside Yubok Kalguksu Yongin Korean Folk Village Branch, so do note there can be a wait during lunch hours. The dining room is spacious and comfortable enough to seat up to about 60 people, and the tables are generously spaced, so even with a full house I was able to eat comfortably without feeling cramped.

There's a self-serve bar and a dessert corner neatly set up on one side of the restaurant — even though it's a busy place, everything was kept clean and hygienic.

Menu lineup and the pufferfish broth pack for writing a review

The menu at Yubok Kalguksu Yongin Korean Folk Village Branch isn't huge, but it's built solidly around the signature pufferfish seafood kalguksu and jjukkumi stir-fry. You can order à la carte, but the set menu that lets you try both main dishes at once while still being good value caught my eye, so I ordered it without hesitation. Worth noting: writing a review gets you extra clams or a pufferfish broth pack.

Pufferfish seafood kalguksu, grilled jjukkumi and free baby rice

Not long after ordering, they brought out tidy side dishes and barley rice. Since this is a popular spot near the Korean Folk Village, a lot of visitors probably come with kids, and I was even more pleased that baby rice is provided free of charge here.

Soon after, the pufferfish seafood kalguksu arrived, filled with fresh seafood and pufferfish broth — the freshness of the ingredients going into the noodles was obvious even before I took a bite.

You flip over the hourglass on the table and let it bubble away for 3 minutes before eating. As the broth came to a boil, a faint, refreshing sea aroma drifted up — honestly, waiting out those 3 minutes was the hardest part, haha.

Next came the grilled jjukkumi stir-fry, arriving with a strong smoky char — the glossy red sauce and plump baby octopus looked mouthwatering just to look at.

I piled it generously onto the barley rice and mixed it up — the spiciness wasn't the artificial capsaicin kind but a tasty, tingly heat, so even though it was spicy, my chopsticks kept going back for more. What really stood out was the texture of the jjukkumi, chewy yet tender, paired with that smoky char. I thought this was just a good kalguksu spot in Yongin, but having great jjukkumi stir-fry too almost feels unfair.

Alternating bites of hot, refreshing kalguksu with spicy, smoky jjukkumi was more satisfying than I expected. Compared to a regular clam kalguksu, the broth had a clean, deep flavor unique to pufferfish that felt like it cleared out my stomach.

House-made noodles and fresh-tossed geotjeori kimchi

The noodles are made in-house, so they had a springy, remarkably chewy texture. Take a strand well-soaked in broth, top it with crunchy fresh kimchi salad, and eat it in one bite — pure bliss.

This is a place where you can fully enjoy both the moving broth of the seafood kalguksu made with deep pufferfish stock and the smoky, charred jjukkumi — if you're looking for a great kalguksu spot in Yongin or a restaurant near the Korean Folk Village, I recommend Yubok Kalguksu Yongin Korean Folk Village Branch!

How long does it take from the Korean Folk Village?

Yubok Kalguksu Yongin Korean Folk Village Branch is about 1 minute by car from the Korean Folk Village.