Hongdae Korean restaurant for a 12-person hanok dinner: Anok

A newly opened Korean restaurant with a hanok feel near Hongdae Entrance Station

A newly opened, much-talked-about spot located from Hongdae Entrance Station toward Hongik University’s main gate.

The atmosphere is already unreal from the exterior… 🌟

In Hongdae Entrance, where young and old alike all coexist, Anok (안옥) is truly one of a kind for properly soaking up a hanok atmosphere!

The interior is neat, and there is even a restroom farther inside, making this just the place for an unhurried meal. Group reservations for up to 12 people are available too, so it is ideal for a work dinner!

Ordering Pyongyang naengmyeon, clear gomtang, and braised pork tail

At Anok, the dishes are carefully served at the most delicious, comfortable temperature, with generous portions of meat for extra satisfaction and so you can fully savor the broth’s natural umami! The menu runs from meal dishes to meat dishes, hot pots, pancakes, and grilled dishes; we ordered clear gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon (mul, cold broth) from the meal menu, plus braised pork tail from the meat dishes!

Three basic side dishes came like this: kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), napa cabbage kimchi, and gungchae (stem lettuce). The sauce is for dipping the meat!

Pyongyang naengmyeon piled high with meat

Pyongyang naengmyeon (₩14,000)

Crystal-clear Pyongyang naengmyeon broth, perfectly cooked noodles, and a generous pile of meat on top.

It was my first time seeing a naengmyeon place with this much meat in it! More is always better.

Clear gomtang full of rice and meat in warm broth

Clear gomtang (₩13,000)

The gomtang (beef soup) also came with rice in warm broth and meat covering the top!

They do not hold back on the meat. One wow after another.

Sweet, fire-kissed braised pork tail

And for a meat dish, we tried the braised pork tail (₩29,000).

Braised pork tail is not a familiar menu item, but the flavor is exactly like spicy grilled jokbal (braised pig’s trotters)—with even more collagen. It is packed with smoky fire flavor, and while it certainly looks red, sweetness comes through more strongly than heat, so even spice-wimps can give it a go!

A menu combination that would be more than enough with a drink. But we are having a meal. Somewhere between not drinking and drinking less… No matter how you eat it, the table is overflowing with meat.

A place I would recommend to anyone looking for great Pyongyang naengmyeon in Hongdae, or a comforting meal of clear pork gomtang.