Gangdong sundae restaurant, two set meals to share: Boseung Hoegwan

In the middle of a busy life, there are moments—late at night or early in the morning—when you want to fill up on freshly cooked rice and hot soup without rushing. But look around and it's surprisingly hard to find a place still serving a proper meal that late.

I visited Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch, a Cheonho gukbap restaurant right in front of Cheonho Station with great transit access and lights that never go out, open 24 hours. Here's my honest review of the rich broth with no off odor, the tender boiled pork, the hearty sundae-guk (blood sausage soup) set, and the spicy haejangguk (hangover soup) that clears your head.

Where is Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch, and where do you park?

Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch sits on the main road of Olympic-ro, a 1–2 minute walk from Cheonho Station Exit 3, the transfer point for subway lines 5 and 8. A bus stop is right in front of the restaurant, making transit access really convenient, and there's ground-level and mechanical parking behind the building for anyone driving in.

Inside Boseung Hoegwan: seating for solo diners and big groups

Walk in and the dining hall is much bigger and more spacious than it looks from outside — a genuine surprise. It's decorated cozily in warm white-and-brown wood tones, with generous space between tables that works for solo diners, group gatherings, or family meals alike. Each table has its own tablet order kiosk, so you can browse menu photos at your own pace and order easily, which was really convenient.

How the set meals let two diners pick different gukbap

If you want a hearty bowl of gukbap and also want to enjoy tender boiled pork and sundae at the same time, the set menu is the best choice. Order for two or more and you get the big perk of each picking a different gukbap, so we chose one savory sundae-guk set and one spicy pork bone soup set.

Once you order, neat side dishes arrive. There's crisp, tangy kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) at just the right ripeness, fresh geotjeori (unfermented kimchi) tossed daily, green chives that are great heaped into the gukbap, plus salted shrimp and the house meat sauce. (You can also just ask staff for onion, chili, or garlic if you need them.)

The centerpiece of the set — pork neck slices and assorted sundae — arrives hot-pot style on a burner set into the center of the table. The clear, milky broth bubbles away, keeping everything warm and moist down to the last bite, showing off exactly the kind of quality you'd expect from a real Cheonho gukbap restaurant.

How do the pork neck slices and three kinds of sundae taste?

Once the broth came to a boil, I tried the pork neck (hangjeongsal) first. Unlike the usual dry, lean boiled pork, this used well-marbled pork neck with a tight grain, giving a chewy yet tender bite that melted more the more you chewed. The clear broth had soaked in, so the meat had a subtle, savory aroma with no off odor at all.

The assorted sundae that came alongside was just as good, with three kinds evenly represented — from the classic chewy glass-noodle sundae to a version packed with meat and vegetable filling that tasted almost like a dumpling. It was genuinely fun picking through them. Paired with lightly blanched, fragrant chives and dipped in the house sauce or salted shrimp, it made for a fantastic standalone dish.

Sundae-guk or pork bone soup: which one settles your stomach?

Boseung's sundae-guk comes with the house chili seasoning and toasted perilla powder mixed in at just the right ratio, so from the very first spoonful the broth has a deep, savory richness without needing extra seasoning. The earthenware bowl is loaded to the bottom with head meat and sundae, and with a heap of chives and a bowl of rice stirred in, topped with kkakdugi, it's about as filling as it gets.

If you want something spicy to shake off a rough morning, the pork bone soup is the one to order. Three or four large chunks of back bone fill the bowl nearly to overflowing — an impressively generous portion. Simmered for a long time, the thick meat pulls apart cleanly along the grain with just a touch of chopsticks.

The rich, spicy broth, heavily dusted with perilla powder, hits you the moment you take a sip — like it's clearing out something that's been stuck for days. It genuinely washes away the previous night's drinking, easily one of the best haejangguk (hangover soup) options near Cheonho Station.

Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch: the verdict

• Open 24 hours, always: convenient whether you need a late-night snack or a hearty breakfast, any time you like
• A set menu that respects everyone's taste: for two or more, enjoy different gukbap plus hot-pot pork neck and sundae for great value

• A hangover cure that really works: rich, spicy broth that delivers a proper Cheonho haejangguk fix
• Easy access near the station: a 1-minute walk from Cheonho Station Exit 3, a spacious dining hall, and free building parking