Retro alley duck BBQ in Mapo, boneless stew set for 2: Gongjung Dodeok

Today I'm introducing a place near Daeheung Station that only people in the know seem to find, and it hit my taste perfectly, from the mood to the food. It's the duck restaurant Gongjung Dodeok (공중도덕), whose vibe is as one-of-a-kind as its name!! I found it tucked into a quiet, calm alley, and I'll walk you through everything from the exterior and interior to the signature dishes 😚

How do you get to Gongjung Dodeok from Daeheung Station?

Gongjung Dodeok is at 28 Baekbeom-ro 20-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 1st floor, a 5-minute walk from Daeheung Station Exit 3, so it's very easy to reach!! There's no parking, though, so public transport is the way to go.

Gongjung Dodeok exterior: a secret hideout in the alley

Instead of a flashy sign, the exterior just has "공중도덕" written in a rough but stylish typeface. Walking down a quiet alley not far from Daeheung Station, you spot a storefront giving off a strange aura from afar, and the name really piques your curiosity haha

The walls keep the charm of an old building, and with the soft orange light glowing out, it feels like a secret hideout from a time-travel trip to the past! The entrance alone is a great spot for an Instagram-worthy photo~

Is the inside of Gongjung Dodeok good for a date?

The interior has toned-down dark wood furniture, antique props, and lighting falling on each table, which suits a date or after-work drinks. Step through the door and the space feels much deeper and cozier than the outside suggests!! It's calm yet really hip~

With stylish music filling the room and cozy light over every table, it's a great setup for focusing on conversation! It works as a date course, and I can't think of a better place to sip a drink and catch up with a friend after work 😊 It was a charming interior with a comfortable yet refined air all its own.

Gongjung Dodeok menu and what we ordered

Gongjung Dodeok is led by duck jumulleok (marinated, stir-fried-style duck) and roast duck, with a range of side dishes too 😄 We ordered the signature Gongjung half-and-half set (for 2) and the barley shrimp minari pancake!!

• Gongjung half-and-half set (for 2) ₩69,000
• Barley shrimp minari pancake ₩22,000

Gongjung half-and-half set (for 2): half marinated, half roast

The Gongjung half-and-half set (for 2) is ₩69,000 and comes with half marinated duck and half roast duck, so you get two flavors at once. It's the must-order most visitors pick haha The look alone passes: neat, generous portions on a big grill pan!!

The duck cooking away~ The two main dishes sit side by side half and half, and it makes your mouth water just looking at it 😋

The marinated duck is soaked through with a spicy-sweet, addictive sauce that really gets your appetite going!

The roast duck is clean-tasting yet deeply flavorful, so the two make a great balance! The meat is tender and moist with no gamey smell, and it's a joy to chew 😄 Alternate a bite of the seasoned one with a bite of the plain one and you never get tired of it, it just keeps going down! The portion is very generous for two as a meal or drinking snack 👍

How was the boneless duck potato stew that comes with the set?

The Gongjung half-and-half set (for 2) includes a boneless duck potato stew (gamjatang), and this was the real kicker!

The duck stew bubbling away~ It arrives piled high with perilla leaves and perilla powder, and the sight alone made me gasp 🥰

True to the gamjatang name, the pot is packed with big chunks of potato and vegetables, and above all it's full of boneless duck, so there's no bone picking and it was so easy to eat 😚

The moment I took a sip of the broth I let out an involuntary "uh-uhh" at how deep and rich it was 😊 The duck's rich, oily depth blends with the nuttiness of the perilla powder and the fragrance of the perilla leaves, and the broth was the real deal! Simmered long, the duck is tender and soft with no dryness at all, so good 😚

How crispy is the barley shrimp minari pancake (₩22,000)?

The barley shrimp minari pancake at Gongjung Dodeok is ₩22,000, with minimal batter and packed with minari (water dropwort) and barley shrimp, crispy from the edges to the center. Last up was the barley shrimp minari pancake, the best partner for the half-and-half set 😃

The moment it arrives, the fragrant minari and nutty barley shrimp hit your nose, and with the flour batter kept to a minimum and the pancake loaded with fresh minari and barley shrimp, it's overwhelmingly crispy 😣 Not just the edges but the center stays perfectly crisp too 🤭

Among the crunchy, fragrant minari, the barley shrimp, fried-crisp on the griddle, pop and burst with savory flavor 🤓 Thanks to that salty, nutty barley shrimp taste, even a light dip in soy sauce brings out the full flavor! It pairs perfectly with makgeolli, highballs, soju, anything, a top-notch side that doubles as a main 😆

Verdict: is Gongjung Dodeok, the Daeheung Station duck restaurant, worth it?

If you're after a duck restaurant near Daeheung Station with a great atmosphere and food that's reliably delicious, Gongjung Dodeok is absolutely the answer!! I really recommend the well-made Gongjung half-and-half set together with the ultimate crispy barley shrimp minari pancake, all in a retro, cozy setting 😌 I plan to come back soon to tick off the other menu items~!

Gongjung Dodeok visit info

• Address: 28 Baekbeom-ro 20-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 1st floor
• Hours: daily 11:30–22:30 (last order 21:30)
• 5-minute walk from Daeheung Station Exit 3
• No parking