Hwajeong-dong gukbap restaurant for a rainy-day solo meal: Pyeongando

I was looking for an unmanned civil documents kiosk and somehow ended up near Hwajeong Station. Lucky for me, Deogyang District Office is right there too.

After finishing my urgent business, I looked around for lunch and found the area around the district office packed with gukbap (Korean soup with rice) restaurants. With the rain pouring down, I wanted something hot rather than something cool, so I settled on Pyeongando, right across from the office.

Where is Pyeongando Restaurant Hwajeong Branch, and is it really open 24 hours?

Located at 24 Hwajung-ro 104beon-gil, 1st floor, Unit 108, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Pyeongando sits directly across from Deogyang District Office, so it's very easy to find. Best of all, it's open every day from 00:00 to 24:00 with no break time and no days off — you can stop by anytime, which is a huge plus.

Whether you're short on time in a busy day or craving hot broth late at night, this is the go-to Hwajeong-dong gukbap spot where you can eat your fill and head straight back to work. Plus, the self-serve bar lets you help yourself to as much liver, lungs, and chapssal sundae as you want, with unlimited rice refills — a reliable spot for nearby office workers looking for value and volume.

A rainy lunch hour and the solo-dining table at Pyeongando

I guess everyone's mind works the same way. Maybe because of the rain, Pyeongando Hwajeong was packed at lunchtime. From a group of six to nearby office workers to solo diners, the busy sundae-guk restaurant's lunch scene was lively.

Thankfully, there was a neatly set-up table just for solo diners, so I grabbed a corner spot and ate comfortably. It has just the kind of appealing atmosphere where you could come for a light meal, then naturally end up back in the evening with sundae, offal, and pyeonyuk as anju (drinking snacks) alongside a drink.

What the sundae-guk earthenware bowl and the pyeonyuk plate look like

Once you order, the appetizing dishes come out fast without much of a wait. The pyeonyuk I'd recommend as a side has a neat cross-section showing off springy marbling of lean meat and gelatin, with a subtle sheen that gets your appetite going. The main sundae-guk that follows catches your eye too, bubbling hot in the earthenware bowl with a milky white foam.

Chopped scallions, cheongyang chili peppers, fresh chives, and nutty perilla seed powder all come together to deepen both the color and aroma of the rich broth. Dig your spoon in deep and you'll pull up thick, tender head meat, offal, and well-stuffed sundae — proof of just how generous this signature Hwajeong Station gukbap really is.

How the pyeonyuk and the clean sundae-guk broth taste

The pyeonyuk side dish was tender and nutty, perfect for a light palate-cleanser dipped in salted shrimp before the sundae-guk arrived. It's a generous portion for one person or just right shared between two — and after eating about half, dipping the rest into the hot sundae-guk broth makes the gelatin melt away into a chewy, soft texture, giving it a whole different kind of deliciousness.

The sundae-guk broth, simmered richly from bone stock, was completely free of any gamy smell — pure and clean. It comes unseasoned, so adding salted shrimp to taste brings out a crisp, nutty flavor at its best.

When should you add the rice to the soup?

When it first arrives, the earthenware bowl is so hot that it's better to fish out the meat and sundae first rather than adding rice right away. As you savor the solid ingredients and broth, it slowly cools to just the right temperature for rice — and stirring in a bit of the special seasoning sauce at that point brings out the savory depth for a perfect bowl of sundae-gukbap.

Who Pyeongando Restaurant Hwajeong Branch is best for

I'd strongly recommend Pyeongando to gukbap enthusiasts who love a clean broth with no gamy smell, and to office workers who want a quick, filling meal. It's great for solo diners who want to eat comfortably after finishing errands near the district office, and it's just as satisfying for anyone who wants to unwind in the evening over sujuk (boiled meat), sundae, offal, and a drink.

On a rainy or chilly day when you want to warm up with something hot, this deeply flavorful Hwajeong-dong gukbap spot is well worth seeking out.