Open market-arcade seolleongtang restaurant in Ansan: Morakmorak

I was looking for a simple place to eat in Seongpo-dong, Ansan, and ended up visiting Morakmorak Seongpo Main Branch.

My husband and I went together and ordered different menus — I had the seolleongtang (ox bone soup) and he had the galbitang (short rib soup). Both are soup dishes so I thought they'd be similar, but honestly the galbitang turned out way tastier haha.

What is the atmosphere like at Morakmorak Seolleongtang Seongpo Main Branch?

Morakmorak Seongpo Main Branch doesn't have a properly separate storefront space like a typical restaurant. It feels open and connected to its surroundings, which can seem a bit unusual on your first visit.

It felt exactly like grabbing a quick meal inside a market. Rather than expecting a quiet, atmospheric restaurant, it's more like stopping for a bowl of soup while you're out shopping at the market. So I'd say this is a place to visit focused on price and getting a meal done, rather than for the atmosphere.

Seolleongtang at Morakmorak: the thin noodles kept breaking

I ordered the seolleongtang (ox bone soup) at Morakmorak Seongpo Main Branch that day.

The broth itself was decent, nothing to complain about, but there was one thing that personally bothered me — the thin noodles inside. They weren't quite what I expect from seolleongtang noodles. Instead of that chewy, connected texture, they kept tearing apart when I ate them, which I personally didn't enjoy ㅠㅠ

I love seolleongtang so I wanted to enjoy the noodles too, so this part was a letdown. Still, eating the broth with rice made it a passable meal. But if I come back, I think I'd pick a different menu item next time.

The galbitang my husband ordered

My husband ordered galbitang (short rib soup) at Morakmorak Seongpo Main Branch.

The galbitang was much better than the seolleongtang I had. The broth was tasty, and eating it with the meat made it filling. I tried some of his galbitang too, and it was definitely the tastier dish.

If you're visiting as a pair, it might be worth ordering different menus and sharing. Like me, you might order the seolleongtang and end up eyeing your companion's dish, thinking it looks better haha.

Prices at Morakmorak Seolleongtang are genuinely cheap

The biggest strength of Morakmorak Seongpo Main Branch, I felt, was how affordable it is. Eating out these days usually costs quite a bit, so being able to get a soup meal like this without breaking the bank was nice.

It's not really the kind of place you go for atmosphere or an upscale meal — think of it more as somewhere to grab a filling meal cheaply. If you're at the market looking for somewhere to eat, it felt like an easy, no-pressure option.

What eating inside an Ansan market arcade feels like

Since the store itself isn't a clearly separated, enclosed space and is open instead, it felt a bit unusual at first — but that atmosphere is actually what gave it such a strong market-eating feel.

If you like that easygoing market dining vibe, it probably won't bother you much. On the other hand, if you prefer eating in a quiet, cleanly separated restaurant, it's worth knowing about this atmosphere before you go. We were just there for a simple meal that day, so it didn't bother us at all.

Seolleongtang or galbitang: which one to order

Overall, I liked the galbitang more than the seolleongtang. The seolleongtang's noodles kept tearing apart, which was disappointing to me personally, while the galbitang's broth and meat were both good, so my husband's dish ended up tasting better.

Thinking about whether I'd revisit Morakmorak Seongpo Main Branch, the prices are so cheap that I'd probably stop by again if I had a simple meal to grab nearby. Especially if you're shopping at the market or have errands nearby and want a cheap, easy meal, it's a decent option.

Personally, next time I visit I think I'd go for the galbitang again instead of the seolleongtang haha. Rather than expecting an amazing dish just because it's a known spot, going in thinking of it as a cheap, easy market meal will probably leave you more satisfied.