Chuncheon retro mak guksu spot, two bowls compared: Hyeondae Memil

Why I chose Hyeondae Memil for mak guksu near Namchuncheon Station

Whenever I come to Chuncheon, I end up eating mak guksu (buckwheat noodles) at least once, haha. I already love mak guksu in general, so while looking around for where to eat on this trip to Chuncheon, I found Hyeondae Memil, a well-known mak guksu spot near Namchuncheon Station, and went to check it out.

Hyeondae Memil is fairly close to Namchuncheon Station, so it looked like a good option for people who take the train to Chuncheon, or anyone near the station looking for a place to eat.

Inside Hyeondae Memil: retro dining room and seating

Food matters, but I also care a lot about the atmosphere when I walk into a restaurant, and Hyeondae Memil, the mak guksu spot near Namchuncheon Station, really had a great vibe, haha.

Rather than the clean, sleek interiors you see everywhere these days, it had a slightly aged, retro feel mixed in, which made the atmosphere really nice as soon as I stepped inside.

It wasn't run-down or uncomfortable at all — it kept that old-school charm while still feeling well maintained and tidy overall, haha.

There were plenty of tables, so we could eat with more room than expected. It looked comfortable enough for groups of 2 to 4, and larger groups probably wouldn't have to worry much about finding seats.

There's also a restroom inside Hyeondae Memil, which was convenient. We settled into a cozy table in the back.

What's on the menu at Hyeondae Memil

Hyeondae Memil, the mak guksu restaurant in Chuncheon, offers more than just mak guksu — there's a variety of dishes made with buckwheat. The signature mak guksu options are soy sauce mak guksu and bibim (spicy mixed) mak guksu, and there are also good side dishes like buckwheat sujebi (hand-torn noodle soup) and buckwheat jeonbyeong (crepe).

The menu was more varied than I expected, so you could keep it simple with just mak guksu, or if you're with a group, add on some side dishes to share a few different things.

We agonized over the menu for a while and ended up ordering the two dishes we most wanted to try: soy sauce mak guksu and spicy (bibim) buckwheat mak guksu.

There's also a Naver review event going on! Write a review and you get free buckwheat king dumplings, so it's worth joining in and trying them, haha.

They even had hair ties on hand so your hair doesn't get in the way while eating mak guksu, which was a nice touch.

Soy sauce vs. bibim buckwheat mak guksu: how they taste different

Our soy sauce mak guksu and spicy buckwheat mak guksu arrived.

Wow, it looked so good there was no way it could taste bad! Hyeondae Memil, near Namchuncheon Station, piled a generous amount of sprouts on top of the noodles, haha.

Soy sauce mak guksu at Hyeondae Memil

We tried the soy sauce mak guksu first — Hyeondae Memil's version is a light, clean dish built on a soy sauce base.

The seasoning isn't overpowering, so you can really taste the nutty flavor that's unique to buckwheat noodles,

and it seemed like a great fit if you like clean, simple flavors.

Bibim (spicy) buckwheat mak guksu at Hyeondae Memil

The bibim mak guksu clearly has a stronger, more seasoned flavor than the soy sauce version, haha.

The tangy, spicy sauce mixed with the buckwheat noodles in a way that really perked up your appetite!! It's exactly the kind of flavor I usually love, haha.

Since the soy sauce and bibim versions have such different flavors, if you're visiting with one other person, it's a good idea to order one of each and split them.

Alternating bites between the two, the contrast in flavors made the meal really enjoyable, haha.

The kimchi side dish and final verdict on Hyeondae Memil

The side dishes at Hyeondae Memil were fairly simple, but the kimchi was more delicious than expected and stuck in my memory. It had a nice crunchy texture and was fermented just the right amount, which paired really well with the mak guksu, haha~

It made for a really satisfying dinner, haha. If you're looking for a good mak guksu restaurant in Chuncheon or somewhere to eat near Namchuncheon Station, Hyeondae Memil is well worth a visit. Totally recommend it, haha!!