Korean bar in Bundang with mentaiko cheese potato pancake: Hwieol

Why we picked Hwieol Migeum Branch for a second round near Migeum Station

After dinner near Migeum Station, we were scouting for somewhere for round two when a place caught my eye from way down the street. The orange exterior stood out immediately — sleek and stylish. At first I thought it was a fancy bar or dining pub, but when I found out it was a Korean bar (hanshik jujeom, a bar serving Korean-style food with drinks), I was pulled right in.

What the room at Hwieol looks like

Once inside, the vibe from the exterior carried right through. Black tones with orange accents — modern and sleek, with all kinds of liquor bottles lined up along the wall giving it a proper bar feel. The tables were sectioned off nicely for conversation, and the lighting was great too. I decided right then that Hwieol was the go-to spot for atmosphere in Gumi-dong.

The name Hwieol is unique too, right? It's a combination of the pure Korean word 'hwi,' meaning a vessel for measuring grain, and 'eol,' a native Korean word used similarly to 'spirit' in Hanja. Together it means 'putting our spirit into the food we make.' The vibe says bar, the menu says Korean tavern, and the name even sounds English at first — but it's actually pure Korean. That twist has real impact.

The 3+1 draft beer deal and a soju-cola

With a space this sleek, I figured the drinks would be pricey too, but they had a buy-3-get-1-free beer deal running, along with several other promotions I'll get to later. We ordered 500cc glasses. With the 3+1 deal, it was perfect for our group of four.

Here's my current obsession: soju-cola (soju mixed with cola), 1:1 ratio. Try it — it's genuinely delicious.

Mentaiko cheese potato pancake: the best potato pancake we've had

Honestly, I went in thinking this was a place for the atmosphere, not expecting much from the food — but the food ended up more memorable than the vibe. This cheese mentaiko potato pancake was shockingly good.

Hands down the best potato pancake I've ever eaten. The potato is thinly sliced and layered whole, then pan-fried so the layers stack together. Between the thin slices there's this soft, creamy texture — it was so good I actually asked the owner what the secret was.

Each slice of potato keeps its texture, and golden-browned cheese wraps around the whole pancake, so the edges are slightly crispy while the inside stays creamy. Dip it into the mentaiko mayo sauce that comes with it and — it's insane! The clean potato flavor, the stretchy savory cheese, the creamy sauce, and the salty umami of the mentaiko all hit at once. Even though we were already stuffed on round two, everyone kept saying 'this is insane' while wiping the plate clean. I'm definitely coming back to Hwieol just for this.

Yurin-gi, with onions fried as fine as noodles

Already stunned by the cheese mentaiko pancake, and then the yurin-gi (crispy fried chicken with a tangy-sweet sauce) hit us again!

The outside is crispy enough to hear it crack, while the chicken inside stays moist and tender — the fry itself is just well done. Take a bite of the crispy fried chicken together with the fried onion, soaked in the yurin-gi sauce, and it's crunchy, tangy-sweet, spicy, and sweet all at once. It just explodes in your mouth. The sauce brings tangy sweetness plus a chili kick that cuts right through the greasiness of the fried chicken.

Another kicker of Hwieol's yurin-gi is the onions — sliced thin and long like noodles, then fried, so you get this crispy, sweet onion flavor coming through. So good. And you'd never guess this was a second-round crowd — we cleaned the plate completely, haha. I hope Hwieol just takes over both Gumi-dong and Migeum Station!

Ice hongsi, the free Naver review dessert

We even got an ice hongsi (ice cream + frozen persimmon) from the review event — a sweet, perfect finish!

Happy hour and birthday discounts at Hwieol Migeum Branch

• 50% off alcohol from 4-6pm
• 50% off alcohol from your birthday through 15 days after
• Discounts also running on salmon sashimi and salmon salad

A sleek atmosphere with friendly drink prices — is this even allowed? Other bars need to step up their game. From now on, Gumi-dong gatherings are happening at Hwieol, no question.

Is Hwieol Migeum Branch worth a visit?

I walked in drawn by the sleek exterior, found the inside even more atmospheric, discovered it was actually a Korean bar, and then got completely blindsided by how good the food was. On top of all that, the value is great too — I'd call this an irreplaceable bar in the Migeum Station area. Hwieol: you go in for the vibe, and you leave stunned by the food. If you want great atmosphere and delicious food with your drinks near Migeum Station, definitely check out Hwieol!

Hwieol Migeum Branch opening hours

• Sun-Thu 16:00 - 00:50
• Fri-Sat 16:00 - 01:50