Late-night udon bar in Jamsil's Bangi food alley: Kkang Udong

Where to go for a second round in Jamsil's Bangi food alley

Hi, I'm Airi, a FIRE-seeker who went hunting for good food in Bangi Meokjagolmok (방이먹자골목), a food alley in Jamsil. In front of Lotte Mall Jamsil sits this alley packed with all kinds of good restaurants. If you've had tasty snacks and drinks for round one, round two really calls for a hot, comforting bowl of udon that makes you go 'ahh' with the first sip of broth.

Right at the entrance of Bangi Meokjagolmok, I spotted Kkang Udong Songpa Bangi Branch, a well-known Jamsil spot, so I went and checked it out myself.

Kkang Udong Songpa Bangi Branch: location and opening hours

Kkang Udong Songpa Bangi Branch Address: 14 Ogeum-ro 11-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea (103-ho) Hours: Monday–Thursday 17:00–3:00 the next day Friday–Saturday 11:30–4:00 the next day Sunday 11:30–3:00 the next day

Inside Kkang Udong: tent-bar interior and outdoor tables

Kkang Udong sits right on the main road of Bangi Meokjagolmok, so it's easy to spot even from a distance. Kkang Udong Songpa Bangi Branch carries a heavy dose of old-school tent-bar charm, and the vibe was relaxed and comfortable.

With such a free and easy atmosphere, it's a great spot to stop for a meal or for round two. The place was pretty spacious, and there were outdoor tables set up too, so eating udon in the evening or at night here would probably feel even more romantic.

Kkang Udong menu and prices

I placed my order quickly through the QR code on the table. I ordered a large fish cake udon, a regular fish cake udon, and tangsuyuk / steamed half-and-half dumplings.

• Udon ₩9,000
• Fish cake udon ₩10,000
• Tangsuyuk ₩18,000
• Kkang-gangjeong ₩14,000
• Kkang-pung-gangjeong ₩15,000
• Steamed half-and-half dumplings (meat-kimchi / meat, kimchi, fried) ₩8,000
• Kkang-shrimp / Kkang-tomato ₩6,000

How do the fish cake udon and steamed half-and-half dumplings taste?

The steamed half-and-half dumplings arrived first — a side dish with meat dumplings and kimchi dumplings, half and half. Moist yet packed full inside, they came out steaming hot.

Kkang Udong's signature udon was ready right after. Between the plump, chewy noodles were generous chunks of springy fish cake. With a bit of seasoning sauce mixed in, the broth had a nice spicy kick.

The udon noodles weren't the Japanese sanuki style — they were the original udon noodles you'd find at tent bars around Gangnam.

A shot of soju alongside this udon would probably make the whole mood even better.

The chewiness really stood out, which made for an even more enjoyable texture. The deep, rich broth felt like it cleared out all the mess inside you in one go.

Why Kkang Udong's tangsuyuk is the dish people come for

Kkang Udong is actually even better known as a tangsuyuk spot. The tangsuyuk here is crispy at its peak, and I was genuinely surprised that it tasted even better than tangsuyuk at your average Chinese restaurant.

The udon was good, but the tangsuyuk was so tasty that I feel like I'll be coming back often just for that. The sauce was great and the meat was so tender it practically melted in my mouth. You have to try it!~

If you're ever in Jamsil, give this place a try!!