Seongbok-dong family noodle restaurant: gimmari cheese tteokbokki

Where to eat with kids near Seongbok Station in Suji

It was a day I was hunting for somewhere in Yongin to get dinner with the kids. Both of them love noodles and pork cutlet, so I wanted somewhere filling. After searching around, Chilseong Jemyeonso Suji Main Branch in Seongbok-dong caught my eye. It's close to Seongbok Station, and the fact that you can park for free in the Seohee Star Hills underground lot or the lot right in front of the store sealed the deal. Taking two kids out anywhere means parking is basically a battle, so a spot with room to spare is already half the win.

The moment we walked in, maybe because it was lunchtime, there were quite a few families around. It was lively but not chaotic — exactly the vibe you want with kids in tow. The tables had good spacing too, so a stroller at the next table could move around comfortably. The second we sat down, the kids were already staring at the menu board on the wall going "I want this one!"

The kids' udon set: broth finished to the last spoon

For the kids there was no debate, we went straight for the kids' udon set. When it arrived, the portion was just right for them, nothing overwhelming.

I fed our second one a spoonful of the broth and it was mild, not sharp at all, so I figured it would suit a kid's palate. Sure enough, he slurped up the noodles going "So soft!" and pretty much cleared the whole bowl. As a dad, watching them eat like that is honestly the best part of the meal.

Chilseong Jemyeonso's signature jjolmyeon and its chewy noodles

My wife and I ordered the jjolmyeon (spicy chewy noodles), which is said to be the house specialty. One bite in and the chewiness was clearly a cut above — a springy, resistant snap when you bite down, and the sweet-spicy sauce coated the noodles evenly, so the more you mixed it, the more savory it got.

It wasn't just spicy for the sake of it — there was a slight tang running through it that kept us reaching for more. Our kids aren't great with spice, but a rinsed, watered-down portion went down just fine with them too.

Crispy cheese pork cutlet, the kids' favorite dish

The undisputed hit of the meal was the pork cutlet. The breading came out perfectly crisp, and the second it was cut open, cheese oozed out in long stretchy strands, and the kids' eyes lit right up.

One bite gave crispy outside, juicy inside, plus a rich cheese flavor on top — satisfying even for an adult palate. Our first one found the stretching cheese so fascinating he kept cutting it again and again with his chopsticks, cracking up each time. Little moments like that are honestly the best part of eating out.

Sweet-spicy cheese tteokbokki with gimmari on top

The last thing we ordered was cheese tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cakes). The rice cakes were chewy and well coated in sauce, with a nice sweet-spicy balance that kept us going back for more. The gimmari (fried seaweed roll) we added was the real move here.

As the crispy fried roll soaked up the tteokbokki sauce, it got even better. The kids happily picked out fish cakes and fried bits dipped in the sauce too, and it was a genuinely fun stretch of time with the whole family sharing everything around the table.

A warm, filling meal for a family of four

Between the udon, jjolmyeon, cheese pork cutlet, and tteokbokki spread across the table, before we knew it every bowl was cleared out one by one. Even during a busy stretch, the staff were friendly and attentive, which made it easy to eat comfortably even while juggling two kids.

With noodle dishes, fried food, and snack menu all under one roof, our two kids — who have pretty different tastes — could each pick what they liked. As a dad, finding a place where the whole family is happy isn't as easy as it sounds, and in that sense Chilseong Jemyeonso Suji Main Branch was a genuinely welcome find.

Hours, parking and address

That said, menu prices and hours can shift a little depending on the season, so it's worth checking before you go. It's listed as open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., last order at 8:30 p.m., with no break time in between, which makes it easy to work around a dinner appointment.

It felt like a warm day, spending a filling and fun evening with the kids after a while. Next time we're stuck on where to take the family out in Yongin, I'd go back to Chilseong Jemyeonso Suji Main Branch without a second thought.

• Chilseong Jemyeonso Suji Main Branch
• Address: 1F, 104-ho, Seohee Star Hills, 80 Seongbok 1-ro, Suji-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00 (last order 20:30, best to check before visiting)
• Parking: Free in the Seohee Star Hills underground lot and the lot in front of the store