Cheotmaeul gamjatang restaurant for a hangover dinner in Sejong

Hi, I'm Bangchelin, reviewing tasty restaurants all over the country. While hunting for a good gamjatang (pork bone stew) spot in Sejong, I stopped by Chungsilok Cheotmaeul. I usually don't get that satisfied with gamjatang even when I eat it, but the broth here was pretty impressive from the first spoonful. I'd been drinking the night before and was looking for somewhere to cure my hangover, so I finally made it to the famous pork bone soup place, Chungsilok.

Where Chungsilok Cheotmaeul is, its hours and parking

Chungsilok Cheotmaeul is located in the Sejin Innersville commercial building at 207 Hannuri-daero, Sejong, South Korea. It's open from 10 AM to 9 PM, with a break time from 2:30 to 5 PM.

• 🕊️ Hours: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
• 🕊️ Break time: 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM
• 🕊️ Closed: Every Sunday
• 🕊️ Parking: Available in the building (registration required, free for 3 hours📌)

What the dining room looks like

The Chungsilok Cheotmaeul dining room was smaller than I expected, but it was clean and comfortable overall. There were tables ranging from single-seat to larger group tables, so it seemed easy to dine here comfortably no matter the party size.

When we visited in the evening, the place was nearly full, and quite a few people were picking up takeout too. Clearly a lot of office workers come here.

Small gamjatang for ₩28,000: what two people ordered

That day, we ordered the small gamjatang from Chungsilok for ₩28,000, plus added glass noodles and two bowls of rice. We'd ordered the small size, but when it first arrived, it looked so generous I thought we'd accidentally gotten the medium.

The meat was really tender and delicious. There were more bones than I expected too — I was a little taken aback.

Look how full it is. There were perilla leaves in it, so the broth had that fragrance soaked in.

From the spine bones to the sieuchi (fermented napa cabbage stems), potatoes, and glass noodles, the ingredients were generous. Dipping the meat in the special sauce doubled the flavor!! I've also had the pork bone soup here, and the gamjatang definitely had more tender meat and a richer broth.

Perilla seeds make the broth extra nutty

Tasting a spoonful of the Chungsilok gamjatang broth, it was milder than I expected and quite savory. The perilla flavor came through strongly without feeling heavy, which I really liked.

The spice level wasn't too strong either, so it was easy to keep eating without feeling weighed down.

How meaty are the pork bones?

Picking the meat off the bones, there was a good thick layer of it, so there was quite a lot to eat. The meat came off easily and cleanly, with no gamey smell, which made it great to eat together with the broth.

The sieuchi was also cooked nice and soft, and it went really well with the gamjatang broth.

Is a small pot enough for two adults?

With the added glass noodles, the small gamjatang from Chungsilok turned out to be really generous in portion. Even though it was the small size, it was more than enough for two adults with rice.

By the time we finished eating, we were pretty full, and we ended up drinking almost all of the broth too. Next time I'll save some broth so I can get fried rice at the end.

Self-serve bar and side dishes

The basic side dishes at Chungsilok Cheotmaeul are kimchi, kkakdugi (radish kimchi), onion, and cheongyang chili peppers, and there's also a self-serve bar set up.

It's open from 10 AM to 9 PM, with a break time from 2:30 to 5 PM. You can use the commercial building's parking lot, and if you register your car, it's free for 3 hours — good to keep in mind.

The little sauce container was cute too. The sauce wasn't too sharp — just right.

Worth a visit if you want gamjatang in Sejong

Personally, I think Chungsilok Cheotmaeul is a great fit for anyone who likes a not-too-spicy, savory gamjatang. The generous pork bones, soft sieuchi, and rich perilla broth were all satisfying overall.

This feels like the kind of place I'll think of again whenever I want a hearty bowl of gamjatang in Sejong's Cheotmaeul area. Since pork bone soup is high in protein, I'd especially recommend it to anyone who works out.