Sinyongsan gomtang restaurant with cold pork: Baekok Yongsan

Where is Baekok Yongsan, and where do you park?

Baekok Yongsan is a gomtang (bone soup) restaurant 638m from Exit 1 of Yongsan Station, tucked in the back alley behind the HYBE building near Sinyongsan Station, open daily 11:00-22:00. I was looking for somewhere to eat that wouldn't feel heavy, and ended up at Baekok Yongsan — it was clean and not overdone at all, so I left feeling comfortable, not stuffed!

Baekok Yongsan sits near Yongsan and Sinyongsan stations, in the back alley behind the HYBE building. Yongsan I'Park Mall and the National Museum of Korea are also nearby! I parked at Yongsan Tax Office and walked about 5 minutes. Parking there is free after 6pm on weekdays and on weekends, so keep that in mind if you're driving.

Inside Baekok Yongsan: seating and room for groups

Baekok Yongsan has 1st and 2nd floors, and the interior overall feels calm and tidy. With a clean layout and comfortable spacing between tables, it's perfect for a quiet meal or a drink with food. The staff handled everything smoothly so we settled in comfortably~ There's also a room-like private space inside, which looked great for company dinners or group gatherings.

This is Baekok's menu description. It read with a real sense of pride.

Here's the menu board. There's a set menu plus a range of gomtang and side dishes, so we ordered a few things to try.

What we ordered at Baekok Yongsan

We ordered the spicy gomtang set, spicy gomtang, and cold pork half-plate — a healthy meal sorted!

Here are the side dishes. The kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) was so cute haha. Sometimes the kkakdugi at gomtang places is huge and a bit much, but these pieces were small so I kept picking at them whenever I wanted more. The pickled onion and gochujang (chili paste) side was tangy and delicious, pairing well with the cold pork.

Cold pork half-plate: just right for two

Baekok Yongsan's cold pork can be ordered as a half-plate, which was just right for two of us to share. It's boiled pork, chilled and thinly sliced — no gamey smell, and with a chewy, springy texture rather than dryness!

Being able to order just a half-plate is so great!! It was the perfect amount for two to share as a side, and the price was easy on the wallet too. With a little of the accompanying sauce on top, it tastes clean with no greasiness!

If you haven't tried cold pork before, you really should. Eating it cold has its own low-key charm~

How does the spicy gomtang taste? Spicy but not harsh

What we ordered was Baekok Yongsan's spicy gomtang! Unlike the clear, mild base gomtang, this one is moderately spicy with a deep broth~ The heat isn't harsh or like an artificial capsaicin kick — it felt more like the savory richness of a meat-broth gomtang topped with a bit of spicy heat, and I liked it!

The meat inside was soft and thinly sliced, with some chewy fat mixed in for good balance — not greasy, and tasty. There was also a generous amount of meat.

The rice comes already mixed into the soup, so the broth soaks in well and makes it even tastier~

The cabbage mandu included in the set

Last up is the cabbage mandu (dumplings). It comes as a side included in the set, but I liked that you can also order 2pc separately. You know how sometimes you want a mandu-style side but ordering a whole plate feels like too much ㅠㅠ These are dumpling filling wrapped in cabbage, homemade-style, with a savory tofu taste that feels wholesome, and the spicy kimchi paired nicely with the cabbage.

Is Baekok Yongsan worth a visit?

One last thing — I was surprised to find mouthwash and floss on hand, such a thoughtful touch from Baekok Yongsan! Overall, this branch was neat and clean throughout, and if you're near Sinyongsan craving a hearty bowl of gomtang or clean cold pork with a drink, Baekok Yongsan seems worth a stop 🩵