Sinyongsan pork gomtang restaurant: orange tiles, crispy jeon, Baekok

I've been heading to Yongsan more often lately, so I keep searching for good restaurants in the area. Yongsan has tons of cafés and restaurants, but when you just want a clean, decent meal, it's surprisingly hard to choose.

This time I visited Baekok Yongsan (백옥 용산), a pork gomtang restaurant near Sinyongsan Station.

If you're looking for pork gomtang or other warm soup dishes near Sinyongsan Station, this is worth saving. I went in thinking it was just a gomtang place, but the atmosphere inside was much cleaner than I expected.

Where is Baekok Yongsan near Sinyongsan Station?

Baekok Yongsan is on the ground floor of a building on Hangang-daero 10-gil in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and it catches the eye from outside. There's a vertical Baekok sign out front and a menu posted by the window, so even first-timers can tell right away what they serve.

On the window I could see pork gomtang, spicy soup, cabbage dumplings, cold pork slices, a don-bok platter and herbal gomtang. Personally, I feel at ease at restaurants where you can check the menu from outside. When I go somewhere new, I always look at prices and the menu lineup first, and Baekok Yongsan had that nicely laid out.

It's a gukbap (soup and rice) place, so what's the interior like?

The first thing you notice inside Baekok Yongsan is the orange tile wall. Black tables, wooden chairs and metal accents are mixed in, so the whole place feels warm yet tidy. You can tell even from the photos: it feels less like a place where you just eat and leave, and more like a nicely done Sinyongsan Station restaurant.

From window seats to the split second-floor space: seating

The seating was more varied than I expected. There are tables by the window, tables further inside, and a separate space up the stairs that feels like a second floor. The big-window seats let you see outside so they don't feel stuffy, and the inner part of the restaurant looked good for a quiet meal.

The open kitchen made it look even cleaner

The kitchen isn't completely hidden; it's a sort of open kitchen where you can see in. It's done in orange tile and stainless steel too, which matched the overall mood. Personally, when a soup restaurant has a clean-looking kitchen, I trust it more, right? On that front, Baekok Yongsan made a good first impression.

Baekok Yongsan menu and prices

What did we order at Baekok Yongsan?

We ordered a gomtang and jeon together. The gomtang broth looked clear and mild rather than milky and heavy. The bowl had rice and meat in it, with a little scallion on top. The meat was thinly sliced but there was more of it than I expected, and the broth wasn't overwhelming, so it'd be great for lunch.

If you like, you can add red seasoning or chili peppers to give it a bit more kick.

Is the Baekok pork gomtang broth rich or clear?

At the first spoonful, the gomtang at Baekok Yongsan was on the clean side. Not a broth that hits you hard, but a mild one you can keep eating without it getting heavy. So it suits people who want clean broth with meat and rice more than people expecting a punchy gukbap.

The jeon is a side you should order

The jeon that came with the gomtang was pretty good too. The outside was golden, and the edges were still crispy. Gomtang alone can be a rather tame meal, but adding jeon made it feel much more full. A sip of broth, a bite of jeon, then some kkakdugi: perfect. If you can, I'd recommend ordering a side like jeon or dumplings.

What side dishes come with it?

The sides were kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and pickles (jangajji). There weren't many, but they go well with gomtang so it didn't feel lacking. The kkakdugi especially goes well with soup dishes and I kept reaching for it. The pickles cleansed my palate now and then, which suited the mild gomtang.

A gomtang restaurant with this vibe is rare in Yongsan

What I liked most about Baekok Yongsan was the atmosphere, even more than the food. Gomtang and gukbap places often make you think of a rough, no-frills mood, but the interior here is quite stylish. So it works for a solo meal or lunch, and also for a casual meal with a friend, or for a date in Yongsan when you want Korean food that isn't too heavy.

Also, I thought it was a thoughtful touch that they leave disposable mouthwash out before you leave.

Overall verdict on Baekok Yongsan

Baekok Yongsan was a more satisfying Sinyongsan Station restaurant than I expected. Clear, mild gomtang, golden jeon and tidy side dishes made it an easy, comfortable meal overall. Above all, I loved how clean the place felt.

I think it suits anyone who wants brothy Korean food in Yongsan but wants to avoid an old-school gukbap-house feel. If you're after a hearty lunch or a tidy dinner near Sinyongsan Station, Baekok Yongsan is worth a stop.