Gangdong Korean restaurant for pork-bone soup: Boseung Hoegwan

A 24-hour gukbap spot near Cheonho Station

Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch (보승회관 천호역점), right beside Hyundai Department Store, is a gukbap restaurant near Cheonho Station known for boiled-pork gukbap, sundae gukbap, and pork-bone hangover soup. The weather has gotten a little chilly lately, and I was really craving a piping-hot broth. So when I heard about this gukbap spot, I had to go check it out.

Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch is on the first floor at 654 Olympic-ro, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, and it is open 24 hours.

Boseung Hoegwan's Cheonho branch is right near Cheonho Station—one or two minutes from the station, maybe? It is on the main road, so it is easy to find. There is a ground-level parking lot and a mechanical parking garage behind the building. I did not use them myself, but I was told they are available!

Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch also has a waiting area. I went at weekend lunchtime and did not have to wait, but I imagine it gets busy at weekday lunch and dinner.

From 9 PM to 9 AM, there is also a Nighttime Summer Event with soju for ₩1,900! I bet quite a few people have a drink with their gukbap in the evening, haha.

Boseung Hoegwan has lots of tables and the interior is really spacious. One server was clearing tables and serving everyone by herself, and she was incredibly quick, haha.

Pork-bone soup and spicy boiled-pork gukbap

The Cheonho branch menu includes sundae gukbap (Korean sausage soup with rice) for ₩11,000, boiled-pork gukbap for ₩11,000, pork-jowl boiled-pork gukbap for ₩13,000, pork-bone hangover soup for ₩11,000, and a sundae and pork-jowl boiled-pork set for ₩16,000. You can also choose whether to have it spicy.

I ordered the pork-bone hangover soup and the spicy boiled-pork gukbap. As expected, the spicy version had a much fierier kick.

The basic side dishes are kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), kimchi, and buchu (garlic chives), along with salted shrimp and a soy-based dipping sauce for the meat. Every side dish can be refilled. I added the chives right into my gukbap!

How to enjoy the gukbap

Boseung Hoegwan's gukbap comes seasoned and with perilla seed powder by default. I love perilla powder, so I did not ask for it to be left out, but if it is not your thing, be sure to request it without when ordering! You can also ask for extra garlic and onion.

Hearty meat in perilla pork-bone soup

The pork-bone hangover soup came topped with perilla powder. The broth arrived at a rolling boil! So good. When I want a proper, satisfying meal, I really think gukbap is the best! It had been warm all day but the weather eased up a little that day, so I was craving warm gukbap. On a cold day, gukbap really is the answer.

When pork-bone soup arrives, I always look at the meat first. There were three or four big chunks of meat in it. With all that meat, it made for such a filling meal! The meat was so tender that I could pull it apart with chopsticks.

The sprinkled perilla powder made it nutty, and the seasoning was not too strong, which was just right! It also had a subtle spicy note.

Spicy boiled-pork gukbap

The spicy boiled-pork gukbap was packed with pork jowl. There was really plenty of that tender, pleasantly chewy pork jowl. Ordering it spicy definitely made it hot! It felt like a real hangover cure—such a soothing, clearing kind of flavor. They also have an even hotter “hellfire” option... but that sounds way too spicy for me 🥲

Add lots of chives and top it with kkakdugi, and it is absolutely knockout. Both bowls had no off smell at all, and with such a generous amount of meat, I left completely full. If you are looking for good gukbap for lunch or dinner near Cheonho Station, or simply want a generous bowl with lots of meat, do not forget Boseung Hoegwan!