Gwangjin Korean restaurant with squid-ink naengmyeon: Sosa Myeonok

Heading from Gunja toward Children’s Grand Park, you come across this Korean master-cook restaurant. That trustworthy mark creates a kind of behavioral dissonance where my feet move before the rest of me does. In front of the Sosa Myeonok sign, I learn what it means: “Sosa, rise up.” It is the first naming like this I have encountered since Major League Baseball’s Sammy Sosa.

An interior as clean and spacious as befits a Korean master-cook restaurant. No need to ponder which seat is best here. The mul naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles in broth) comes with squid-ink noodles, made by adding squid ink to regular noodles for an appealing pale black color. The pleasantly snappy bite speaks to the high buckwheat content. The broth is cool and clean. A flavor I have not tasted anywhere else. It sits somewhere between Hamheung naengmyeon and Pyongyang naengmyeon, with something special that belongs only here.

Daega bossam is boiled pork from two different cuts. Above all, there is the master-approved kimchi. The seasoned pollock sikhae (fermented pollock side dish) is truly on another level. It inspires admiration eaten alone or alongside the pork. Like human relationships: you have to be able to stand on your own for the two of you to be happy. It will not be long before this rises up as a Korean restaurant favorite in Gunja.

The entrance to Sosa Myeonok toward Children’s Grand Park

A few minutes from Gunja toward Children’s Grand Park. Time to meet a Korean master cook.

Sosa Myeonok

A Children’s Grand Park food spot.

In front of Sosa Myeonok, doing a hanok cosplay.

A wooden door. “Please leave strollers outside before entering.” It feels like plenty of families make the trip here from Children’s Grand Park. It already feels loved by family groups.

The origin of Sosa Myeonok’s name: “Sosa, rise up.” A Korean master-cook restaurant. How could anyone see this and not go in?

Celebrities who have already visited. I may be a step late, but the moment you think it is late is the earliest moment after all.

Choosing mul naengmyeon and Daega bossam

A careful but quick decision: mul naengmyeon and Daega bossam.

The rice is Suhyangmi, and the noodles are squid-ink noodles. The beginning of something special starts with the basics.

The interior is clean and spacious. Just perfect for families. Of course, I recommend it to Gunja daters too.

Sosa Myeonok’s pledge. It is practically essay-level. “Beyond my best, I will make a bowl that remains in your memory.” A bowl better than yesterday’s. I should live with that mindset too. A sentence better than yesterday’s.

What do squid-ink mul naengmyeon taste like?

The broth was so good I drank two bowls. It comes in a kettle, which means you can enjoy as much as you want.

Mul naengmyeon. A milky-white broth that looks as though it could reflect your face.

Egg and meat toppings, black noodles. Their true identity: squid ink. The color lands right on the delicious-looking boundary.

Daega bossam, with pollock sikhae as the star

Next came the Daega bossam. I studied it closely, wondering where I would find the air of a master.

Two cuts of boiled pork. Fans of fatty meat and fans of lean meat do not need to fight. I am, honestly, on team fatty meat—team pork fat.

The kimchi is insane. Especially the pollock sikhae in the middle—it is truly the highlight. This is exactly where the master’s quality reveals itself.

I am team fatty meat after all. Team pork fat. This richly moist pork is practically restorative food.

Noodles infused with squid ink. The way they break cleanly makes the buckwheat content seem high. Both broth and noodles exist between Hamheung naengmyeon and Pyongyang naengmyeon. Something special. Naengmyeon that feels like it could only be eaten here.

Together with the boiled pork. The reason for being. A perfect balance of carbs, protein, and fat.

On its own. The solitary individual before God. I discovered a crazy combination: with pollock sikhae. This is almost the best pairing.

The seasoned shredded radish is practically divine. Signs of a Korean master cook appear everywhere.

It is the best. Special squid-ink naengmyeon, and bossam with knockout pollock sikhae. Recommended for families and couples alike.