Solo sundaeguk with self-serve bar near Gangnam Station: Sinju Okmi

After finishing a 30km long run, I really wanted some hot soup, so I stopped by Sinju Okmi Gangnam Branch. I was looking for sundaeguk (blood sausage soup) near Gangnam Station and this was my first visit — it turned out way better than expected.

Since it's a franchise sundaeguk restaurant, I didn't expect much, but both the food and the space were solid. Even around 4pm there were quite a few customers, and there was solo seating for eating alone comfortably. The side dishes were clean and tidy, and I liked being able to freely grab chives and somyeon noodles from the self-serve bar. All of this made me think it's a pretty good option for anyone hunting for good sundaeguk near Gangnam Station.

I ordered a half plate of assorted sundae and the special spicy bracken fern sundaeguk — the sundae and organ meats were clean-tasting, and the soup was quite hearty with plenty of bracken fern in it.

What really stood out was the makgeolli at 4,000 won — not just the food but the overall price range wasn't a burden at all. Finding a place to eat in Gangnam can get pricey, but considering the portions and how the meal was put together, this was a solid budget-friendly pick near Gangnam Station.

Finding sundaeguk near Gangnam Station after a 30km long run

Today I did a Sunday long run. I wasn't feeling great at the start, but once I got going I got in the zone and ended up running about 30km.

It's been a while since I felt that deep sense of accomplishment — I even bragged about it a bit here and there haha. I'd love to figure out a good way to tie together working out hard and then going for a delicious meal afterward in my posts, but it's trickier than it looks. I'll need to think it through more carefully.

Today I came for sundaeguk near Gangnam Station — a place called Sinju Okmi. I'd never been before, but it turns out it's a fairly well-known chain with branches all over the country.

I've visited quite a few famous sundaeguk restaurants in Seoul, and this was not a place to look down on just because it's a franchise. Bottom line — I was extremely satisfied.

Busy even at 4pm, with solo seating for eating alone

Sinju Okmi Gangnam Branch has no break time, so even though I visited around 4pm, the place was pretty busy, and I was shown to a solo seat where I could eat comfortably by myself. The side dishes right off the bat were very clean.

Despite the sleek interior, the table was set with classic, no-frills side dishes — seokbakji (radish kimchi), onion, and cucumber peppers.

The cucumber peppers in particular were really plump and not spicy at all, exactly my type. On top of that, there was a well-stocked self-serve bar so you could freely help yourself. Here's a shot of the Sinju Okmi Gangnam Branch menu.

Half plate of assorted sundae and 4,000 won makgeolli

I ordered a half plate of assorted sundae and a bowl of the special spicy bracken fern sundaeguk. I figured sundaeguk near Gangnam Station would be pretty pricey, but the price range was actually very reasonable. First up, the half plate of assorted sundae — the portion was generous. This alone could easily go through two bottles of soju.

I was craving something cool and filling, so I ordered a bottle of makgeolli. (And it's only 4,000 won!)

Curry sundae and plain sundae — both had really well-packed filling and tasted great.

Organ meats like lung and liver are easy to mess up and end up smelly if not handled well, but these were very clean and tasty.

Special spicy bracken sundaeguk, topped with self-serve chives and somyeon noodles

Next up is the special spicy bracken fern sundaeguk.

The name is a mouthful, but the dish was just as hearty and impressive to match. It's packed with bracken fern like this.

You know how bracken is supposedly good for your health but bad for a man's stamina? So I loaded up a generous pile of chives from the self-serve bar.

I thought I might have taken a bit too much, but nobody batted an eye. There was even free somyeon noodles to grab as well.

For a carb addict like me, that was an extremely satisfying option.

I kept eating until my own insides basically felt like sundae. I figured that after running so much I could easily handle this much food, but I think I ended up eating until stuffed for the first time in a while.

I was surprised there's such a reasonably priced sundaeguk restaurant in Gangnam. Saving this one to come back to. Anyway, another great meal today.

Sinju Okmi Gangnam Branch, summed up

• Menu: Special spicy bracken fern sundaeguk, assorted sundae, and more
• Feature: No break time
• Solo dining: Solo seating makes it convenient to visit alone
• Self-serve bar: Free access to chives, somyeon noodles, basic side dishes
• Price: Reasonable prices despite the Gangnam Station location
• Recommended for: Enjoying a hearty sundaeguk alongside assorted sundae