Hotpot noodle soup with a friend at Goyang Chinese restaurant

This is a place I genuinely love, haha — Jjamppong Jijeon! I'm into spicy food, so it's the place that comes to mind whenever I'm craving jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup). You can choose your own spice level and it's got that smoky wok-fried flavor, so it's right up my alley.

Lately I've just been craving sujebi (hand-torn dough noodle soup) nonstop... I'd originally planned to meet a guy friend at a café to give him our wedding invitation, but suddenly I wanted sujebi jjamppong so badly that I just went, "Want to go eat jjamppong instead?" and switched plans on the spot.

Turns out my friend had never tried Jjamppong Jijeon before! I've been to several branches and always left satisfied, so I went in with high expectations again. This time we visited the Seooreung branch, which is also well known as a local favorite near Seooreung.

How spacious is Jjamppong Jijeon Seooreung Branch?

This was our second visit, and honestly, the place is huge!

• 10% off table dining for military visitors
• 10% off takeout orders

When we came on a weekend before, it was nearly full, but this time we arrived during a quieter stretch, so we could eat and chat without any rush. Since it was the day I was giving out my wedding invitation, I needed to actually talk with my friend, so the quiet timing worked out well, haha. If you're the type who cares about parking or seating space when looking for good restaurants in Goyang, this might be worth keeping in mind.

Even on our second visit, the space still felt clean and comfortable, and there was a dedicated self-serve bar. And here's the part that really impressed me with its attention to detail!

The self-serve bar is well stocked

Extra side dishes are available at the self-serve bar — pickled radish, zha cai (pickled mustard root), and onion were all there, plus a rice station. If you like mixing rice into your jjamppong broth, it's nice that you can just help yourself.

We debated the menu a bit, but in the end I ordered the sujebi jjamppong I'd been craving so much, haha.

What we ordered as a pair, and the prices

• Sujebi jjamppong ₩13,000
• Sundubu jjamppong ₩13,000
• Glutinous rice tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) ₩19,000
• Jjamppong-style fried dumplings came free!

The fried dumplings had a slight spicy kick compared to a plain version, which was exactly my style.

You can't skip tangsuyuk with your jjamppong

It felt like a waste to just order jjamppong, so we got the glutinous rice tangsuyuk too! At ₩19,000, the portion was decent, and thanks to the glutinous rice, the texture was wonderfully chewy. It was good dipped in soy sauce, and just as good dipped in the tangsuyuk sauce! We came for jjamppong but ended up with a full, proper meal thanks to the tangsuyuk, haha.

Personally I love pairing tangsuyuk with jjamppong, and Jjamppong Jijeon's version didn't disappoint. If you're hunting for a good jjamppong spot, I'd recommend ordering the tangsuyuk alongside it. Between the two bowls of jjamppong and the tangsuyuk, the two of us ended up pretty full.

My sujebi jjamppong, spice level 3

Finally, the sujebi jjamppong I'd been craving so badly!! Since it had been a while since I'd had jjamppong, I was oddly excited from the moment I ordered until the dish arrived, haha. I chose spice level 3. I like spicy food, so level 3 felt like the perfectly spicy sweet spot for me. It wasn't just heat either — there was that smoky flavor and a rich, hearty broth, which made it taste even better after not having had it in a while, ugh, so good.

And the part I was most looking forward to — the sujebi! It was so wonderfully chewy that eating it with the broth was fantastic. The moment I took a bite, I immediately understood why I'd been craving it so much lately, haha. I was glad I made the sudden call to find a good jjamppong spot near Seooreung.

My friend's sundubu jjamppong, spice level 2

My friend went with the sundubu jjamppong. He picked spice level 2 — one step milder than mine — and thanks to the soft tofu, the broth had a slightly gentler texture.

Since it was his first time trying Jjamppong Jijeon at all, and I'd been talking it up the whole time, I was curious whether it would actually suit his taste. But he took a bite and said it was good, haha, and even said he'd have to bring his girlfriend next time. Having someone try it for the first time and love it made me weirdly proud. That's the fun of dragging people to good restaurants in Goyang, haha.

Plum tea to finish the meal

After we finished eating, we wrapped up with a glass of plum tea. Your mouth can feel a bit numb after jjamppong, so finishing with plum tea was a nice touch. We came for jjamppong, but between the self-serve bar, hair ties, rice, and dessert, the amenities were more thoughtful than expected — very satisfying.

Since we visited during a quiet stretch, we got to talk about the wedding invitation and catch up on all sorts of things comfortably with my friend. We'd originally planned to go to a café, but I suddenly wanted sujebi so badly that we ended up here instead, haha — but in the end, my friend loved it and I finally got the sujebi jjamppong I'd been craving, so it was a satisfying meal for both of us.

What day will bring me back

I'm managing my diet while preparing for the wedding, but I just can't give up the happiness of eating, haha. Every once in a while you need to eat what you're craving to have the strength to keep managing your diet, right?

If you like spicy jjamppong or jjamppong with sujebi in it, this is a good jjamppong spot worth checking out. Also recommended for those moments when you suddenly crave sujebi jjamppong like I did, haha. I especially liked being able to choose the spice level, so it works for people who love spicy food and people who want it milder alike. Next time I visit, I'll probably order the sujebi jjamppong again.

On a day when I'm searching for good restaurants in Goyang and craving a rich, spicy jjamppong, on a day when I want a spacious and comfortable spot among the good restaurants near Seooreung, and whenever I think of a jjamppong place with real smoky wok flavor, I think I'll be heading back to Jjamppong Jijeon Seooreung Branch.