IFC Mall weekend lunch in Yeouido, mild Hyeonseoni Set: Hyeonseonine

I was looking for somewhere to grab a quick lunch in Yeouido, or a spot to satisfy a bunsik craving after visiting The Hyundai Seoul, and that's how I ended up at Hyeonseonine. I'd walked past it many times heading from Yeouido Station toward The Hyundai department store and always wondered about it, so this weekend I finally stopped in.

It's known for starting out as a street cart back in 2004, and it's often called one of Seoul's three best tteokbokki spots, so if you're a tteokbokki lover you've probably heard of it before.

How to reach Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch from Yeouido Station

Hyeonseonine is located on basement level 2 of IFC Mall, 10 Gukjegeumyung-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Coming from Yeouido Station, head out toward Exit 3 and walk toward IFC Mall.

There's a moving walkway you take when walking from Yeouido Station toward The Hyundai Seoul, and right before the entrance to IFC Mall, the Hyeonseonine storefront is visible next to a GS convenience store, so it wasn't hard to find. If you're visiting both The Hyundai Seoul and IFC Mall on the same day, this is a convenient stop along the way, which also makes it accessible for anyone searching for Hyundai-area bunsik spots. Being close to Yeouido Station, it also seemed like a good option for office workers' lunch or a quick bite during a weekend outing.

Hyeonseonine IFC Mall opening hours

Hyeonseonine's opening hours vary slightly by day.

• Mon–Fri: 11:00–21:00
• Sat–Sun: 12:00–21:00
• Last order: 20:40

On weekdays it opens at 11am, which is handy if you're looking for an IFC lunch spot in Yeouido, and on weekends it opens at noon, so it's worth checking the start time before heading over. If you're visiting for weekend lunch in particular, I'd recommend confirming the opening time before you go.

Hyeonseonine menu and set prices

Hyeonseonine sells not just tteokbokki but also bunsik items like sundae (Korean blood sausage), fritters, and mini gimbap (seaweed rice roll). Their signature sets are the Hyeonseoni Set at ₩23,000 (tteokbokki + sundae + fritters + mini gimbap), the Hyeonseoni Combo Set at ₩25,000 (tteokbokki + sundae + fritters + fish cake + mini gimbap), and the Sunny Set at ₩18,000 (tteokbokki + fritters + sundae).

À la carte options included tteokbokki at ₩6,000, five assorted fritters at ₩6,000, four mini gimbap at ₩5,000, and sundae at ₩6,500. We ordered the Hyeonseoni Set along with a cola.

Instant tteokbokki and mini gimbap sold out: rice balls instead

The Hyeonseoni Set doesn't include instant tteokbokki, which is normally orderable separately, but on the day we visited the instant tteokbokki had completely sold out. The mini gimbap ingredients had also run out, so our set came with rice balls instead.

What does Hyeonseonine's mild tteokbokki taste like?

We ordered our tteokbokki mild. Hyeonseonine lets you choose between mild, medium, and spicy, and the mild option was more familiar-tasting than I expected.

Personally it reminded me of the sweet, slightly spicy tteokbokki I used to eat in front of school. Rather than being intensely spicy, it leaned sweet and mildly hot, making it an easy option for anyone who loves bunsik.

Eating the tteokbokki together with sundae, fritters, and gimbap, once again this combination of bunsik dishes was hard to beat. That said, keep in mind that on our visit the mini gimbap was swapped for rice balls due to sold-out ingredients, and the instant tteokbokki was also unavailable. Even so, the Hyeonseoni Set was plenty for two adults, and I liked being able to sample several different bunsik items at once rather than just eating tteokbokki alone.

If you're looking for a quick meal on the way from Yeouido Station to The Hyundai Seoul, or searching for a good Yeouido tteokbokki spot, an IFC Mall lunch, or Hyundai-area bunsik, this place is worth a stop. Especially on days when you want tteokbokki along with sundae and fritters, ordering one of the set menus is the easy way to go.