Sejong gamjatang with domestic bones and a clean broth: Chungsilok

Some days, whatever the weather, you suddenly crave a steaming hot soup. And gamjatang (pork bone and potato stew) — picking meat off well-cooked pork spine bones and eating it with rich broth and rice — is always a go-to for a hearty dinner.

This time I went to Chungsilok (충실옥), across from the Hansol-dong post office. It's a gamjatang spot in Sejong that uses domestic bones, and what impressed me was that the broth was clean rather than overly heavy.

Where is Chungsilok Cheotmaeul main branch, and when is it open?

Chungsilok is at 207 Hannuri-daero in Sejong, across from the Hansol-dong post office. There's a huge sign outside reading "Chungsilok Gamjatang" and "Ppyeohaejangguk (pork bone hangover soup)", so it was easy to find even at night.

There are chairs out front for when you have to wait. The sign and the entrance are brightly lit, so even a first-timer won't have trouble spotting it.

Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., with break time from 2:30 to 5 p.m. If you're coming for dinner, go after the break time ends.

A tidy, comfortable dining room

Inside, the restaurant is decorated with wood-colored furniture and ornaments reminiscent of hanok (traditional Korean house) roof tiles. The comfortable mood suits Korean food, and the room is bright, so it looked fine for a family meal or for bringing your parents.

Every table has a tablet for ordering, so you can browse the menu and order from your seat. There are plenty of tables, including seating for bigger groups, so it looked good for family outings or small gatherings too.

Chungsilok menu and prices

Signature dish: pork bone soup

• Chungsilok pork bone soup ₩11,000
• Extra bones (3–4 pieces) ₩11,000

Gamjatang prices by pot size

• Chungsilok gamjatang, small ₩28,000 · serves 2
• Chungsilok gamjatang, medium ₩42,000 · serves 3
• Chungsilok gamjatang, large ₩56,000 · serves 4
• ※ Rice is not included with gamjatang.

Add-ons and extras

• Rice ₩1,000
• Ramen noodles ₩2,000
• Glass noodles ₩2,000
• Potatoes ₩3,000
• Sujebi (hand-pulled dough flakes) ₩2,000
• Fried rice ₩4,000
• Extra siraegi (dried radish greens) ₩3,000
• Extra bones (3–4 pieces) ₩11,000

Alcohol and drinks

• Soju ₩5,000
• Beer ₩5,000
• Jipyeong makgeolli (rice wine) ₩5,000
• Soft drinks ₩2,000

Takeout menu and prices

• Pork bone soup, 1 serving ₩9,000
• Gamjatang, small ₩24,000
• Gamjatang, medium ₩36,000
• Gamjatang, large ₩48,000

Takeout gamjatang does not include rice, kimchi or kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi). Menu and prices are as of my visit and may change later.

Self-serve banchan bar

Chungsilok keeps extra side dishes and aprons at a self-bar. There was kimchi, kkakdugi, onions and peppers, plus a sauce to go with them.

With a soupy dish like gamjatang you keep reaching for kkakdugi or kimchi, so it was convenient to grab as much as you need yourself. Rather than piling up a lot at the start, it's better to bring small amounts as you go, right?

A generous pot of Chungsilok gamjatang

The gamjatang came to be boiled hot right on the table. A big pot held the spine bones, potatoes and siraegi, with perilla leaves and green onion heaped on top.

The generous look caught my eye from the moment it arrived. As the broth began to boil, the perilla leaves and green onion slowly wilted and their aroma soaked naturally into the soup.

The broth wasn't the greasy or heavy kind that clings to your mouth. It had that deep, savory gamjatang flavor but a clean aftertaste, so my spoon kept going back.

It wasn't sharply spicy or too salty, which made it great with rice. One spoonful of the hot broth and it felt like the whole day's tiredness melted away.

Domestic pork bones with a good texture

What I especially liked about Chungsilok's gamjatang was the texture of the meat on the bones. They say they use domestic bones, and the meat wasn't mushy or dry — tender, yet still with some chew.

Pulling the meat off with chopsticks was easy, and the broth had soaked in between the lean bits so it stayed moist. Picking meat off the bones one by one is an essential part of gamjatang's charm, after all.

The potatoes and siraegi went well with the broth too. The potatoes soaked up the soup and were fluffy, and the siraegi was cooked soft and went down easily. The perilla aroma added freshness to the rich broth, so I never got tired of it to the end.

If you're looking in Sejong for a gamjatang with a broth that isn't overly intense, this is a place worth remembering.

A gamjatang dinner that pairs well with soju

Watching gamjatang bubble in a hot pot, anyone who likes a drink will naturally start thinking of a glass of soju, I'd guess. At Chungsilok, soju, beer and Jipyeong makgeolli are ₩5,000 each.

Picking meat off the bones and then clearing your palate with hot broth works on a chilly day, and also on days you just want a hearty dinner.

The clean broth makes it good as a meal, and the bones and siraegi were also fine as drinking snacks. I felt it's a dish that both families having dinner and people having drinks in the evening can enjoy comfortably.

Chungsilok's pork bone soup is next on the list

We had the gamjatang, but another signature dish at Chungsilok is the pork bone soup (₩11,000). It comes with rice and can be ordered as a single serving even if you're dining alone, so it sounds good for lunch or as a hangover soup.

I'd also heard from people around that the pork bone soup is good, so next time I want to try it as a one-bowl meal. Gamjatang when you're with a group, and pork bone soup when you want a hearty meal on your own — that seems like a good way to choose.

Hours, parking and ordering

• Weekdays and Saturday 10:30 – 21:00
• Break time 14:30 – 17:00
• Last order 20:30
• Closed every Sunday
• Parking 3 hours free

Verdict: a clean, non-greasy gamjatang in Hansol-dong

The most impressive things about Chungsilok's gamjatang were the generous domestic bones and the clean broth. Gamjatang can make you think of greasy, heavy flavors first, but here the broth had depth without an aftertaste that felt like too much.

The meat on the bones was tender while keeping a decent chew, and the siraegi, potatoes and perilla leaves blended naturally with the broth. It's good for a hearty meal with family, and also suits an evening when you want a glass of soju with hot soup.

If you're looking for a gamjatang spot in Sejong near Hansol-dong or Cheotmaeul, Chungsilok is worth a visit. Next time I want to try the pork bone soup I heard was good. With both gamjatang and a single-bowl hangover soup on offer, it's a place with plenty of reasons to come back.