Beef gukbap and handmade meatballs in Hongdae: Yukjeon Gukbap

Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch: a 24-hour restaurant in Hongdae

A 24-hour Hongdae restaurant, a Seogyo-dong favorite: Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch

With fall approaching and the weather turning chilly, I found myself craving a hot soup dish, and that's how I ended up at Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch, a Korean restaurant favorite in Hongdae. It's about 250m from Exit 1 of Hongdae Station, so it was easy to get to — a solid Hongdae spot to eat.

What I liked most was that this place runs 24 hours, so you're never restricted by time. Whether you're craving warm gukbap early in the morning or looking for a late-night spot near Hongdae Station after drinks, this 24-hour Hongdae restaurant and Seogyo-dong favorite works at any hour.

Are there solo seats? Inside Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch

A Hongdae restaurant that's spacious and clean enough for a relaxed meal

Walking into Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch, this Korean restaurant favorite in Hongdae, I found the interior much roomier than expected, with plenty of space between tables. The place is large enough to suit family meals, work dinners, or bigger group gatherings, and it was kept clean overall, making for a comfortable dining atmosphere.

There were also seats set aside by the window specifically for solo diners. The layout meant you didn't have to worry much about your surroundings while eating alone, making it a Seogyo-dong restaurant worth remembering for anyone looking for a solo dining spot in Hongdae.

Yukjeon Gukbap menu: gukbap, makguksu, pancakes and hot pot

A Korean restaurant favorite in Hongdae with everything from gukbap to makguksu, pancakes, and hot pot

True to its name, Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch centers its menu on Hongdae gukbap (rice and soup) and yukjeon (pan-fried beef), alongside a wide range of Korean dishes. The gukbap menu includes yukjeon gukbap, beef gukbap, miso gomtang, hamburg gomtang, and gophaejang, giving plenty of choice for anyone who loves a soup-based meal.

Beyond gukbap, there was also ttukbaegi (hot stone pot) beef bulgogi and perilla oil makguksu, water makguksu, and bibim makguksu, making it easy to pick a non-soup meal too. The pancake menu was just as varied, with beef yukjeon, assorted pancakes, seafood pajeon, seafood kimchi pancake, handmade beef meatballs, and perilla leaf pancake, so you could enjoy several kinds of pancake together.

For a group visit, dishes like beef bulgogi hot pot, beef intestine hot pot, assorted yukjeon hot pot, fried beef brisket and intestine, and spicy squid salad looked great as either drinking snacks or a full meal. So this felt less like a place for a single bowl of gukbap and more like a restaurant where you can enjoy a whole range of Korean dishes in one sitting — good for a solid solo meal in Hongdae, or for a group wanting to share several dishes.

Kiosk ordering and the side dishes at Yukjeon Gukbap

Fast service and a clean side dish spread

Ordering is done via the kiosk installed at each table, and the food came out remarkably fast, so even during busy hours the meal flow never felt held up. Ordering the Hongdae gukbap came with side dishes of geotjeori kimchi, yeolmu kimchi, kkakdugi, and pickled onion.

You really can't skip kimchi and kkakdugi with gukbap, and it was nice being able to pair several kinds of kimchi and pickles to my taste. I could enjoy different combinations throughout the meal, and it was convenient that I could freely grab more from the self-serve bar whenever a side dish ran low.

How does the beef gukbap taste? Spicy, nutty broth

Spicy, deep-flavored beef gukbap, good for a spot near Hongdae Station after drinks

What I ordered that day was the beef gukbap. The red broth was loaded with bean sprouts and vegetables, and beef was mixed in too, so just one bowl looked quite filling.

The broth had a reddish tint but wasn't overly sharp or spicy. At first you get a spicy kick, and as you keep eating, the savory depth from the beef and vegetables follows. It wasn't a broth that relied on spice alone — mixing it with rice brought all the flavors together naturally, which made this Hongdae eatery's gukbap even tastier.

The generous amount of bean sprouts added a proper refreshing quality to the broth, and the crunchy sprouts alongside the softly cooked vegetables gave a different feel depending on whether you ate the broth alone or with the solids mixed in.

The beef was sliced thin, easy to scoop up with the broth. It had a tender texture, and with beef tucked in among the sprouts and vegetables, each spoonful carried a mix of ingredients. It had that refreshing quality you'd want for a hangover cure, and it definitely warmed you up from the inside. If you're after a filling Hongdae gukbap, this 24-hour restaurant, Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch, is worth stopping by anytime.

Handmade beef meatballs, pan-fried to order

Handmade beef meatballs, pan-fried fresh to order

Alongside the beef gukbap, I also ordered the handmade beef meatballs. The outside was golden-fried, and inside was minced beef with finely chopped vegetables. They came out in a generous stack, plenty to pair with the gukbap.

The first thing I noticed on the first bite was the savory, well-cooked outer surface. The exterior was golden and slightly chewy yet full of flavor, while the inside had minced beef packed together moistly, so it wasn't dry at all.

Looking at the cross-section, you could see green onion and vegetables mixed in among the meat, and these vegetables gave the meatballs a fresher edge. The deep beef flavor sat at the core, with the aroma of green onion and vegetables cutting down on any greasiness.

Since these handmade beef meatballs are pan-fried fresh to order, the savory flavor really came through while they were still warm. A spoonful of gukbap broth followed by a bite of meatball was a really nice pairing — the savory beef pancake flavor worked well with the spicy broth. The gukbap's spicy, refreshing taste balanced out the meatball's richness, and the meatball's juices and meaty flavor flowed naturally into the gukbap's clean solids too.

Verdict: where to go in Hongdae for a filling Korean meal

A Korean restaurant favorite in Hongdae worth visiting when you want a filling meal

Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch clearly puts care into their food — using fresh ingredients daily for the gukbap and pan-frying dishes like yukjeon and meatballs fresh to order. The menu lineup was solid and the portions generous, making for a satisfying meal. It's the kind of Hongdae eatery you'll find yourself thinking about again.

Whether you want a filling solo bowl of gukbap in Hongdae or a group meal with pancakes and hot pot on the side, this spot near Hongdae Station works well either way. If you're craving warm, proper Korean food, I'd recommend visiting this 24-hour restaurant, Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch, any time from early morning to late night.

Hours and parking at Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch

• Hours: Open 24 hours, every day 00:00–24:00
• Parking: Free parking for 4 cars in front of the restaurant
• Address: 1F, 9-1 World Cup buk-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul