Kongguksu and 1L soy milk to go in Sangam, Seoul: Sangam Hoegwan

Sangam restaurant / the pumpkin kongguksu spot that wins you over with its bright yellow color and aroma — 'Sangam Hoegwan'

It's felt cooler lately, but this week the midday sun has still been brutal enough to make you sweat. Times like this make me crave food that's filling but easy on the stomach, something that chases the heat away. Today I want to tell you about a special restaurant I visited recently and walked away thinking, "This place is the real deal!" — Sangam Hoegwan.

This place is a direct hit for someone like me who loves noodles and dumplings. Just from the photos, the bright yellow pumpkin kongguksu (soy milk noodle soup) and perilla oil milmyeon, plus the hearty dumpling set, and — the story of how I ended up carrying home a 1L bottle of soy milk — I'll walk you through it all.

Where is Sangam Hoegwan and how do you order?

Sangam Hoegwan is located in the food court in the basement of Sangam IT Tower, an area full of office workers. Even though I went a bit outside peak lunch hours, the place was busy haha. Everyone says it's a Sangam restaurant, a top pick for a solo Sangam lunch — and it really lives up to the hype 👍

You order at the kiosk. Before I even looked at it I'd decided we'd both just get pumpkin kongguksu — but it turned out that for an extra ₩2,000 per menu item you could upgrade to a dumpling set, so we ended up ordering both the pumpkin kongguksu and the perilla oil milmyeon as sets.

Pumpkin kongguksu dumpling set: how nutty is the soy milk broth?

First up is the pumpkin kongguksu dumpling set. I love kongguksu (soy milk noodle soup) in general and eat it year-round, but soy milk soup with pumpkin added had a look all its own.

The magic of thick, rich soy milk: the moment I took a spoonful of the broth, deep nuttiness spread across my mouth, mixed with the pumpkin's subtle sweetness and softness — not overpowering at all, just a wholesome, delicious flavor. Every slurp of noodles came coated with thick soy milk, so it stayed rich all the way to the last bite instead of thinning out.

The dumplings that come with the set have thin wrappers and generous filling, and they pair perfectly with the kongguksu. Clean but juicy, they were great to alternate with the noodles whether spicy or savory.

Perilla oil milmyeon dumpling set: a bowl full of toasted aroma

Next up is the perilla oil milmyeon dumpling set at Sangam Hoegwan, a dish loved by everyone regardless of age. The moment it hit the table, the deep nutty aroma of perilla oil drifting up made me declare it a winner before I'd even taken a bite. They clearly use good perilla oil generously — every chopstick-full carried incredible flavor.

It wasn't overly salty or sweet — the subtle soy-based savoriness, the distinct nuttiness of perilla oil, and the chewy texture of the noodles all came together, and my chopsticks just wouldn't stop.

Spicy, rich broths are great too, but there's nothing better than a mild, deeply nutty perilla oil milmyeon paired with hearty dumplings for a filling meal.

1L soy milk to go and the free ubae soy milk for a Naver review

I enjoyed the food at Sangam Hoegwan so much that I found myself thinking, "I want to enjoy this rich soy milk at home too!" In the end I couldn't resist and boldly packed home a 1L bottle of soy milk. Keeping it in the fridge and pouring a cold glass now and then made it a perfect, nourishing snack on its own.

And there's a little bonus event you can't skip! Writing a Naver review gets you a free ubae kongmul (soy milk drink), and this little thing is a treat in itself. Perfect as an afternoon snack, this sweet, smooth-drinking soy milk was ideal for cleansing the palate after the meal or curbing hunger in the afternoon. Joining the event and getting the freebie doubled my good mood. If you visit, I definitely recommend joining the Naver review event.

Is Sangam Hoegwan worth it for a Sangam lunch?

If you've been struggling with "what should I eat today?" lately, or want a meal that's both filling and easy on the stomach, I really recommend visiting Sangam Hoegwan. From the pumpkin kongguksu bursting with rich soy milk flavor, to the distinctly nutty perilla oil milmyeon, to the hearty dumpling set — every bit of the meal was flawless. It was a day I got to heal with delicious food. If you're curious about a Sangam restaurant, a Sangam lunch spot, or the best kongguksu place in Sangam, I recommend Sangam Hoegwan.