Hearty kimchi stew lunch in Sejong: Chung-sil Hoegwan

I went to Chung-sil Hoegwan (충실회관), known for its galbi kimchi jeongol, because I was craving kimchi jjigae.

I do not usually buy kimchi jjigae very often, but for some reason I really wanted it that day. Once I tried it, it was so much better than expected that I came home after a properly filling lunch for the first time in a while.

Parking and visitor information at Chung-sil Hoegwan

The parking lot is down to the immediate left of the restaurant. There is just one way in and out, so it could be awkward if you meet a car coming out while driving in,, The lot was not tiny, but there were a lot of cars. I could not find a spot at first, but one car happened to leave, so I got lucky and parked.

It is at 94 Noeul 3-ro in Sejong and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 to 22:00. Break time is 14:30–17:00, and last order is at 21:00. Parking, group dining, reservations, and takeout are available.

Chung-sil Hoegwan also sells samgyeopsal (pork belly), so it looked like a good spot to come for grilled meat as well as kimchi jjigae.

Galbi kimchi jeongol and the basic side dishes

Ordering was easy through the kiosk at each table. We ordered two servings of galbi kimchi jeongol at ₩15,000 each. Since pot-cooked rice was included, it looked like we would get a really filling meal too.

While we waited for our order, the basic side dishes came out first.

• Roasted seaweed and soy sauce
• Stir-fried fish cake
• Seasoned dried radish strips
• Seasoned bean sprouts

Rather than being overly intense, the side dishes all had a nice home-cooked feel, which I liked.

Self-service corner for sides and ramen noodles

There was also a self-service corner on one side, so we could freely take more side dishes if we needed them.

Because they sell samgyeopsal too, they had wrap vegetables, peppers, ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste dip), and more ready to go.

You could also take free ramen noodles to add to the kimchi jjigae. When there is a self-service corner like this, I somehow always end up going back for more at least once haha.

They gave us bottled water, plus separate water to pour into the pot-cooked rice.

The meaty galbi kimchi jeongol

After a short wait, the galbi kimchi jeongol finally arrived.

The broth already looked red and rich, and it was really loaded with meat. There was much more meat than I expected, which won me over right from the start. They said it was ready to eat, so we let it bubble just a little before digging in.

And here is the pot-cooked rice that came with it!

I tried a spoonful of rice first, and it was wonderfully sticky and sweet on its own. Pot-cooked rice really does taste good even by itself. I transferred the rice to a bowl, poured water into the pot, and set it aside.

Then we properly started on the kimchi jjigae.

Honestly, I was not expecting that much, but the kimchi jjigae was really delicious.

It tasted as though it had been simmered with very well-fermented kimchi, so the kimchi's characteristic deep flavor had soaked nicely into the broth.

The broth was rich and just right with rice. What I liked most was how generous the meat was. Since the meat in this kimchi jjigae was ribs rather than typical pork, the texture felt chewier. They cut it into easy-to-eat pieces, but no matter how much we cut, more meat kept appearing 🤤

Picking up meat and kimchi together and eating them with rice was such a good combination.

The side dishes also had that home-style feel overall, so they went well with the kimchi jjigae. They were tasty, so I refilled the side dishes from the self-service corner a few times.

The ramen noodles were free, and I had planned to add them at the end, but there was so much meat that the kimchi jjigae alone filled me right up. In the end, I only looked at the ramen noodles and did not get to eat them haha.

That is how little I felt the portion was lacking. Even though I was full, the kimchi jjigae was so good that I kept eating. Another overeating ending that day 🐽

Finishing with nurungji from the pot-cooked rice

And no matter how full I am, I cannot give up the nurungji (crispy scorched rice) from pot-cooked rice. After pouring water into the pot and waiting, I scraped up the lightly browned rice. It was a special treat in itself. I was already more than full, but I kept eating the nurungji too. A pot-cooked rice meal really is not complete until you have the nurungji.

After trying kimchi jjigae at Chung-sil Hoegwan this time, I found it delicious even though I am not someone who normally goes out of my way to buy kimchi jjigae. The galbi kimchi jeongol in particular was packed with meat, so it seemed great when you want a hearty lunch.

With the pot-cooked rice included, it also felt like I had properly eaten a full bowl of rice. I also liked being able to freely take side dishes and wrap vegetables from the self-service corner, plus the free ramen noodles.

Most of all, I liked that this was home-style kimchi jjigae where the flavors of well-fermented kimchi and meat came together, rather than kimchi jjigae that is simply aggressively strong. If you are looking for a hearty lunch in Sejong or like kimchi jjigae packed with meat, it may be worth visiting. I think even people like me, who do not usually buy kimchi jjigae, could enjoy it here.