Dongcheon-dong shabu-kalguksu with free corkage and 4 rooms: Yun Ujae

3 things that make Yun Ujae Shabu Kalguksu worth the trip

Yun Ujae Shabu Kalguksu Gogidong Branch is a shabu-shabu kalguksu (hand-kneaded knife-cut noodle soup) place in Dongcheon-dong, Suji, Yongin. There are three big things that make it special.

① Self-made noodles (kneaded by foot, aged 48+ hours) ② Meat is sliced the moment you order ③ Great side menu beyond the mains (the crispy seafood pajeon is a must-try)

A quality meal at a fair price Spice level is adjustable, so it's no pressure for family gatherings with kids and parents alike A place you fall for on your first visit and end up coming back to A word-of-mouth favorite in Dongcheon-dong, Suji, Yongin

Directions and parking: the 12-space lot at 11:20am on a Thursday

Yun Ujae Shabu Kalguksu Gogidong Branch is much more convenient by car. Just search the address or the restaurant name on your navigation app (public transit access is a bit inconvenient). If you're taking the bus, stops vary by route, but on the 14 or 14-1, get off at 'Seongmo Education Center' stop — it's a 1-minute (50m) walk from there. Bottom line: driving is way easier, haha. Here's how parking works.

There are about 12 spaces out front, but it's tight :( (no double-parking in the lot)

If the lot is full, roadside parking is allowed on weekdays from 11:30am–2:00pm (the parking-enforcement grace period), though only on stretches where the child-protection-zone restriction is lifted. On weekends and holidays, you can park across the street at 'Purni Daycare' (when there's no event there). For reference, I visited on a weekday (Thursday) around 11:20am and barely managed to grab a spot right in front of the restaurant.

Yun Ujae's hours, 11,500-won price and free corkage

● Hours (daily) 11:10am – 8:50pm Break time (weekdays only) 3:00 – 4:30pm Last order 3:00pm (lunch), 8:00pm (dinner) May close early if ingredients run out ● Same flat price of ₩11,500 for lunch or dinner (includes meat, vegetables, mushrooms, kalguksu, fried rice) ● Corkage allowed (free) ● Group gatherings welcome (rooms for parties of 5 up to 8) ● Takeout and delivery available

How does waiting work at Yun Ujae?

There's a waiting area set up right from the entrance. If you need to wait, follow this order: register on CatchTable, fill out an order form, then submit it at the counter. Your whole party needs to be present to be seated (if your number gets called and you're not there, you can still enter on the next round). Takeout customers can order right away, no waiting needed.

Inside Yun Ujae: a big main hall, four private rooms and a waiting area

The interior is clean and white-toned, and even though the space is huge, the owner didn't try to cram in extra tables. The generous spacing means you can sit anywhere and eat comfortably.

And here's what I really loved — there are four private rooms (available for parties of 5 or more).

There's a restroom toward the back with a customer waiting room right next to it. It's really nice that there's an indoor space to escape the heat or cold while you wait. The women's restroom only has one stall, though, so expect a longer wait when it's busy.

Ooh~~ the noodle-making room is open to view, and it really builds trust! You can genuinely feel the care put into it~

Extra geotjeori (fresh cabbage kimchi) and seokbakji (diced radish kimchi), and broth are all self-serve from the bar. There's even a dedicated container so you can pack up leftover pajeon to take home~

Choosing a broth and what comes in the 11,500-won set

There are two shabu broths, each with adjustable spice~ The red one (bone broth) comes mild or spicy, the white one (seafood broth) comes mild/medium/spicy. I didn't get to try the recommended side dish, the crispy seafood pajeon, but I'm definitely ordering it next time. Add-on prices are reasonable too, and you can add meat by weight (70g for 1 person, 140g for 2). Meat plus mushrooms plus vegetables plus self-made kalguksu plus fried rice — all of that for ₩11,500, any time of day! Is there really another shabu-shabu place like this in Yongin?

Meat sliced the moment you order

A generous full spread — you can really feel the owner's generosity~

Look at the quality of the meat~ They only use beef (neck chuck) slaughtered within the past 6 months, so it's low in fat and tender. Instead of pre-slicing, they cut it right when you order, so the freshness is clearly noticeable.

Since everything after serving is self-service, they even give you a step-by-step guide and a timer for eating it in the right order. The ratio for mixing the sauce, the induction temperature and cooking time for boiling the kalguksu, even how to fry the rice well — it's all explained in detail.

Once the meat is bubbling and cooked, try dipping it in minari (water dropwort) and the special sauce. The meat is so tender it melts in your mouth~

How to cook Yun Ujae's house-made kalguksu noodles

I was extra excited for the self-made kalguksu noodles. As the noodles cook, the broth reduces and can get too salty, so add a bit more broth before putting the noodles in~ That way it won't taste heavy and you'll enjoy it more. The noodles are genuinely chewy and don't get soggy even after boiling a long time.

Here's a pro tip! If you're having the white (seafood) broth, when you cook the kalguksu, ask for the secret recipe with perilla powder, chili powder, egg, and seaweed flakes — apparently it takes the flavor up a level.

Finishing with fried rice and just one ladle of broth

Stir-fried kimchi, minari, seaweed, sesame oil. We ordered egg as an add-on. Apparently it tastes best with just one ladle of broth added. For us there was too much broth when we fried it, so it wasn't quite that fluffy texture. Drain the broth from the pot entirely before frying, and add it back in small amounts only when it feels too dry.

Is Yun Ujae Shabu Kalguksu worth a weekday lunch?

Having eaten around Dongcheon-dong a lot, this was the first time I saw a review request message with such genuine feeling behind it. The owner's sincerity about the restaurant really came through.

Finishing my meal at Yun Ujae Shabu Kalguksu Gogidong Branch, I felt genuinely taken care of, and the staff were all so kind. With fresh ingredients and fair prices, it's a no-pressure choice for family or group gatherings. If you're looking for a good restaurant in Dongcheon-dong, how about shabu-shabu kalguksu?