Charcoal bulgogi set at a Jongno Tower Korean restaurant: Bonghyejane

Whenever I have business around Jongno, I often stop by Jongno Tower — and I heard there's a new place called Bonghyejane Jubang on the basement 2nd floor food court, so I went for lunch! I usually love Korean food the most, so I walked in with high expectations!!

Where is Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch, and what are the hours?

Bonghyejane Jubang near Jonggak sits on the basement 2nd floor of Jongno Tower, so it was easy to find.

I heard it's also a regular spot for Jung Jun-ha and Hibab! I found out from a video playing near the entrance :)

• 📍Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch
• Hours: Weekdays 11:00–21:00 (last order 20:00), break 15:00–16:30 / Weekends 11:00–20:00 (last order 19:00)
• Parking: Free parking available (1 hour 30 minutes supported)
• Other: Free corkage available (up to 2 bottles), takeout available

How to walk underground from Jonggak Station to Jongno Tower

Bonghyejane Jubang, my pick for a Jonggak lunch spot, is connected to the building right at Jonggak Station, so it seems fine to get to even on bad-weather days. It's located right next to the Sun's Garden at Jonggak Station!! Next time I'll head straight through the underground station entrance instead of the street-level one > <

There were so many customers at this Jonggak lunch spot... I guess it's because there are so many offices around Jonggak — the lunch crowd of office workers was really packed, haha.

Inside Bonghyejane Jubang: why it pays to skip the lunch peak

I deliberately visited right as lunchtime was ending, so I got there as the crowd was starting to thin out, and I was lucky enough to eat comfortably without the rush, haha. Since the place had just opened not long ago, it felt very clean and tidy, and the staff were super friendly *.*

Bong (peak), hye (grace), ja (generous) — apparently the name Bonghyejane was chosen to mean a link that connects people's stories, haha.

Bonghyejane Jubang menu: what comes with a set meal

Looking at the menu at Bonghyejane Jubang, there was a nice variety of hearty Korean dishes to choose from — octopus stir-fry, baby octopus stir-fry, beef bulgogi, seafood sundubu (soft tofu stew), and more. That day I chose the octopus stir-fry set and the charcoal beef bulgogi set — it felt like a waste to eat just one menu, so we picked different dishes to share, haha.

Ordering the set meal meant the food came out as a full spread, which was great for lunch. Being able to enjoy a hearty main dish along with rice made me think this kind of set meal is a really solid choice when looking for a Jonggak lunch spot.

Octopus stir-fry set: the rice hidden under the plate

I started with the octopus stir-fry set I'd been looking forward to. The spicy sauce with octopus went so well with rice — perfect for lunch *.* When you lift the octopus plate, there's a hidden plate of rice underneath! You can eat them separately or mix them together depending on your taste, haha.

Pumpkin soup and perilla soup included with every set

Pumpkin soup and a nourishing perilla soup come standard with the set meal. At first I thought of them as just side dishes, but they turned out to be surprisingly good?!?! The pumpkin soup had a gentle sweetness that was great for whetting the appetite.

And the nutty perilla soup felt like it warmly soothed my stomach — I honestly loved it +_+ While eating, I added more Bonghyeja sesame oil to make it even richer and nuttier, haha.

The octopus stir-fry, my main dish at Bonghyejane Jubang, was tasty on its own, but of course even better with rice. This time, instead of eating them separately, I mixed everything together for easier eating *.*

As the sauce soaked into the rice, my spoon just kept going back for more, haha. If you usually like spicy Korean food, this could be a great option for a Jongno restaurant pick, and I could totally see why so many office workers come here for lunch.

Seaweed also comes as a basic side dish, and wrapping the octopus stir-fry in it gave a salty, nutty flavor :)

Charcoal beef bulgogi set: smoky flavour, with cold buckwheat noodles as an option

The charcoal-grilled beef bulgogi set we ordered together was also memorable. If the octopus stir-fry was on the spicy side, the bulgogi was sweeter with a smoky charcoal aroma — each had its own distinct charm *.*

The subtle smoky flavor of the meat really lifted my appetite. Alternating between this and the octopus stir-fry let me enjoy a much wider range of flavors than ordering just one dish would have, haha.

There are days when a heavy lunch feels like too much, but just grabbing something quick feels unsatisfying too, you know? For those days, a set meal like this is just right for a filling meal :)

The pumpkin soup came standard again, and the cold buckwheat noodles — an optional choice with the bulgogi set — also arrived in a mini size, which was refreshing to eat!!

Fried dumplings, the review-event side dish at Bonghyejane Jubang

Another nice touch: joining the review event got us fried dumplings too > < Getting to enjoy crispy, piping-hot fried dumplings on top of everything else made us incredibly full, haha. The dumplings were packed full of filling — such a hearty, delicious lunch *.*

Is Bonghyejane Jubang a good filling lunch near Jonggak?

Trying Bonghyejane Jubang myself, it really felt like a full Korean spread with the homestyle touch the name suggests. I was curious because it's a new spot in Jongno Tower, a building I visit often, and I was surprised at how satisfying the food turned out to be.

If you're looking for a Jonggak lunch spot and want a hearty Korean set meal, this place is worth a visit *.* Especially if you want to enjoy both the spicy kick of the octopus stir-fry and the smoky flavor of the charcoal bulgogi, I'd recommend splitting the two dishes!

Jongno Bookstore, a browse on the same basement floor

Since Jongno Bookstore is on the same basement 2nd floor of Jongno Tower, it's nice to stop by before or after your meal to browse books and various little items! After a good meal and some browsing, this really seemed like a great spot for a Jongno date course, haha.