Sinseol-dong Korean restaurant open over Chuseok: Hansang Charyim

I visited Hansang Charyim Bapsang Sinseol-dong on a weekend — a generous Dongdaemun Korean restaurant known for its hanjeongsik (full-course set meal). I'd recommend the bossam set.

Hansang Charyim Bapsang Sinseol-dong: location, hours and parking

Hansang Charyim Bapsang Sinseol-dong is at 28 Hanbit-ro, 1st floor, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, right next to The Dream Nursing Hospital. It's listed as 238m from Exit 3 of Sinseol-dong Station, open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:45 to 21:30 (last order 20:30), closed Mondays. They noted extended hours for Gaecheonjeol on October 3.

• No dedicated parking lot for the building; use nearby paid public parking
• Group reservations available
• Lunch special available

Finding a Sinseol-dong Korean restaurant open over Chuseok

Lately I've grown to love healthy Korean food, so I've been visiting more places that serve a clean, well-composed hanjeongsik. Whenever I see a place that makes so many delicious side dishes well, I'm genuinely in awe.

This time, while looking for a place open for the Chuseok holiday, I discovered the Sinseol-dong branch of Hansang Charyim Bapsang. I felt grateful toward a place that kept diligently cooking through the holiday.

Coming out of Exit 1 of Sinseol-dong Station on Line 1 and walking about 4 minutes, I found the cozy restaurant next to The Dream Nursing Hospital.

Is there a wait on a holiday weekend?

Even on the Chuseok holiday weekend, waiting was a must at Hansang Charyim Bapsang Sinseol-dong. I thought the holiday would mean fewer crowds, but it's already known as a Sinseol-dong favorite, so there were no seats left.

The place was already full, so I wrote my name down and waited outside. The owner was so kind and apologetic about the wait. When a place is this popular, it's worth waiting to try — so we waited :)

Bossam and galbi set prices: stone-pot rice vs. plain rice

The set meals at Hansang Charyim Bapsang are split by whether you choose stone-pot rice or plain rice, a ₩2,000 difference. Looking at the menu while we waited, some sets come with plain rice by default and others offer stone-pot rice as an option.

• Bossam set, per person: ₩15,000 (₩17,000 with stone-pot rice)
• Galbi set: ₩17,000 (₩19,000 with stone-pot rice)

We skipped the nurungji (scorched rice) option and ordered the bossam set with plain rice for two. There were also à la carte dishes, and if you visit in the evening, there are anju (drinking snacks) to pair with alcohol. There was even a fried chicken dish on the menu that piqued my curiosity.

Hansang Charyim's side dishes and refill rules

The banchan (side dishes) for the bossam set are served in small portions one after another so nothing gets wasted, and refills are available for up to 3 kinds. Maybe because we ordered plain rice, our food seemed to come out even faster.

Since refills are capped at 3 kinds, I'd recommend choosing carefully. The quail eggs really suited our taste, and both the perilla leaves and salted squid went perfectly with rice.

There were also countless other side dishes — chive salad, garlic scapes, mountain leek, corn salad, seasoned bean sprouts, white kimchi, stir-fried fish cake, ssamjang chili, and more. If you tried to make this many side dishes at home yourself, the trouble would far outweigh the payoff, haha.

Homestyle doenjang jjigae that kids can eat too

The bossam set also comes with a homestyle doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), and as a dish that no Korean meal is complete without, it was delicious. The broth was deep and rich enough that you could finish a whole bowl of rice with just this. It's not spicy, so kids can eat it easily too.

How was the bossam pork in the set for two?

The bossam pork in the 2-person set came in double the portion, and it was served generously with bossam kimchi and pickled radish — a great combination. Wrapping it with mountain leek too, this really felt like a proper bossam specialist.

I heard the galbi set also comes packed with tender meat, so I'm thinking I should order that next time. It's a great spread to bring family to, so I'd definitely want to come back.

Skip the wait with Naver Reservation

Hansang Charyim Bapsang Sinseol-dong also lets you book ahead via Naver Reservations, which seems like a great option if you're visiting as a group and want to avoid waiting. I heard it's also been featured on Life's Master (생활의달인), and now I understand why :)

Honestly I wanted to add rice and eat two bowls, but since I'd already eaten heartily through the holiday, I wrapped up with just one bowl. It was a day I wanted to learn the owner's cooking secrets.

If you're looking for a place near Sinseol-dong Station that does bossam well, how about Hansang Charyim?