Nokbeon-dong restaurant with a 10,000-won sundaeguk: Samo Sundaeguk

On chilly days, or whenever I'm craving something hot and soupy, nothing really beats sundaeguk (blood sausage soup). This time I visited Samo Sundaeguk Nokbeon.

I already love sundaeguk and tend to seek out good places for it, but this spot has been running since 1986, now in its 3rd generation, so I was extra curious. It's apparently been beloved in the Bulgwang area for a long time as Samo Sundaeguk, so I visited wondering just how it would taste.

A Nokbeon-dong sundaeguk restaurant serving since 1986, now third generation

Samo Sundaeguk started in 1986 and has been carried on for three generations. These days you often see old restaurants claim

These days you often see old restaurants claim some number of years of tradition, but actually keeping the same taste across three generations really does feel special.

That's probably why I was curious, even before walking in, why it's so often mentioned as a Nokbeon sundaeguk spot. Keeping a restaurant running in the same place for that long ultimately comes down to basic taste and ingredients.

One notable thing about Samo Sundaeguk is that they don't use pre-boiled meat bought in — they boil the meat themselves and serve it to customers. If you care about the texture of the meat in your sundaeguk, or about any gamey smell, this is worth noting.

What is Samo Sundaeguk's pork bone broth like?

I think the broth is one of the most important things about sundaeguk. Even if the toppings are generous, if the broth falls short, overall satisfaction drops. Samo Sundaeguk says they use only top-grade pork bones for the broth, with no additives.

Maybe because it's been simmered with care for a long time, the broth has a savory depth that goes really well with the sundaeguk. There's a lot of intensely flavored food around these days, so I liked this place even more for focusing on basic ingredients. When looking for a Nokbeon sundaeguk spot, it seems what ingredients are used matters just as much as price or portion size.

How much is a bowl of sundaeguk? 10,000 won

What I ordered was the basic sundaeguk. The price is 10,000 won a bowl. Given how much dining out costs these days, being able to eat a filling meal for 10,000 won was nice.

Eating the sundae (blood sausage) and meat together in the hot broth made for a pretty hearty meal on its own. Part of the fun of sundaeguk is adding salted shrimp or seasoning to taste. I usually try the plain broth first, then adjust the seasoning to my liking afterward. Eating it this way lets you enjoy the broth's own clean flavor at first, which I like.

Worth a visit if you want an old-school Seoul soup spot

Samo Sundaeguk Nokbeon doesn't seem to be famous just for being an old restaurant. The tradition running since 1986 through three generations, the in-house boiled meat, and the broth made only from top-grade pork bones without additives — there are real reasons it's been loved for so long.

I personally pay close attention to any gamey smell in the broth and the texture of the meat when eating sundaeguk, and this place should suit anyone who cares about those things too. It's a good spot to visit on a day you're craving hot broth or want a filling meal.

If you're looking for a long-running sundaeguk spot around Bulgwang, it's worth a visit, and if you're near Nokbeon-dong looking for sundaeguk, consider Samo Sundaeguk Nokbeon as a Nokbeon sundaeguk option. Being a restaurant with tradition passed down through three generations over so many years makes it worth visiting at least once.

If you're craving a hot, filling bowl and looking for a Nokbeon sundaeguk spot, Samo Sundaeguk Nokbeon is worth a visit. If you love sundaeguk like I do, add it to your Nokbeon sundaeguk list and stop by whenever you're in the area :)