Yeouido tteokbokki bar: lung sundae, dunked mini gimbap, Hyeonseonine

On days when you crave that distinctly spicy, savory kick, I naturally head to a famous tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) place, go! Today I came with high hopes for a proper classic Korean snack-bar meal, and with a fluttering heart I walked into Yeouido tteokbokki favorite ★Hyeonseonine (현선이네) Tteokbokki.

Location and hours of Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch

Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch is at 10 Gukjegeumyung-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on B2 of IFC Mall. It's 258 m from Yeouido Station Exit 3, a 5-minute walk.

• Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–21:00 / Sat–Sun 12:00–21:00
• Takeout and delivery available

The entrance, connected to the IFC Mall passage

Hyeonseonine Tteokbokki connects naturally to a passage inside the IFC shopping mall~

Deliciously spicy!! ★One of Seoul's top 3 tteokbokki, Hyeonseonine

You can check the menu in advance on the standing banner in front of the shop.

The brand story frame on the outer wall reads "20 years of history written in tteokbokki, becoming a symbol of Yongsan," and it says the brand started as a street stall in 2004 and has expanded only through directly run shops to protect taste and service quality. It catches the eye and feels classic yet professional. Let's head inside~

Seating and self-bar inside the IFC Mall branch

The shop isn't very big, but it's bright and cheerful, with square tables for 2 to 4 people laid out comfortably.

The self-bar has a pickled radish container, small plates, spoons and chopsticks, wet wipes, a water purifier and disposable aprons, all free to use. I especially liked the disposable salt and mini soy sauce. A friendly staff member showed me to a seat, and I ordered first. Ordering is easy on a kiosk~

The Hyeonseonine menu and what I ordered

The menu runs from basic single items to set menus, made-to-order items and add-ons (sari), made-to-order sets, and drinks and alcohol. Shall we take a look?

• Hyeonseonine Set ₩23,000
• Cider (soda) ₩2,000

Hyeonseonine review event

For the Hyeonseonine review event, writing a review on just one of Naver, Google or Daum gets you one menu item! What a generous event.

What comes in the Hyeonseonine Set?

The Hyeonseonine Set is a full spread of snack-bar classics: tteokbokki, sundae, fritters, mini gimbap (seaweed rice roll) and fish cake broth. Here's what arrived a moment later.

The moment I saw the ★Hyeonseonine Set, my mouth started watering. Let's taste them one by one.

Hyeonseonine tteokbokki: chewy wheat rice cakes and sauce-soaked fish cake

The tteokbokki in the Hyeonseonine Set comes in a big bowl.

The deep red, appetite-boosting sauce, with soft, chewy-looking rice cakes and fish cake soaked in it, makes your mouth water just looking~

Tasting them one by one~ the wheat rice cakes are soft and chewy, clinging to your teeth as you bite, and the tender fish cake soaks up the rich broth like a sponge, so eating it is a total joy~ Thumbs up!!!

Dunk the mini gimbap in the tteokbokki sauce

The ★mini gimbap in the Hyeonseonine Set is small but solid, with a clean, tidy flavor.

It's tasty and mild on its own, but dunk it in the rich, sweet-spicy tteokbokki sauce and pull it out, and the flavors come together harmoniously. A perfect match.

Hyeonseonine sundae and tender lung

The ★sundae (Korean blood sausage) in the Hyeonseonine Set has a plump, sticky texture that clings to your mouth as you chew. Dunk it in the rich tteokbokki sauce and it adds even more savory depth.

The lung in particular is chewy, tender and soft.

Assorted fritters, dipped in the tteokbokki sauce

Crispy outside, moist inside, and even the sound is delicious: ★the assorted fritters

The assorted fritters in the Hyeonseonine Set include sweet potato and vegetable fritters, the heavyweight squid fritter, and gimmari (glass noodle seaweed rolls)~

Enjoy that signature crunch of fried food first~ then dip it so it gets moistly soaked in the sweet-spicy tteokbokki sauce, and that's when you taste the true value of "jjikmeok" (dipping).

After finishing the Hyeonseonine Set

First you fall for the spiciness, then you fall again for the variety working together. Thanks to the Hyeonseonine Set, it was another truly delicious and warm day.