Myeongdong Korean restaurant for clear pork gomtang: Baekok

While looking for somewhere to have lunch around Myeongdong and Euljiro, I went to Baekok Myeongdong this time! When you want a neat, satisfying meal rather than something too heavy or intensely seasoned at lunch, gomtang (Korean soup with rice) is such a good option, right?! This place serves clear pork gomtang, so I was curious because it seemed a little different from the gukbap (rice soup) I usually have =3

Finding Baekok Myeongdong in a Myeongdong alley

Baekok Myeongdong is reached by heading toward Myeongdong’s central shopping streets, passing the busy main commercial area a little, then going into an alley. It is not a storefront you can spot right from the main road, so first-time visitors should look carefully farther into the alley.

It is tucked into an alley slightly away from Myeongdong’s signature bustle, which actually made it nice to duck in for lunch!!

The lunch atmosphere and getting seated

I heard there can be a wait at lunchtime, but perhaps because we arrived a little late, we could go straight in.

The restaurant was kept neat and tidy, with an easygoing atmosphere for coming in for lunch.

Ordering pork gomtang and cold boiled pork

Looking at the menu, there was the basic pork gomtang, spicy yeol-gomtang, yak-gomtang, plus dishes that go nicely with gomtang such as cold boiled pork and cabbage dumplings. That day, we ordered two medium pork gomtang and cold boiled pork. There were two of us, and having only gomtang felt a little incomplete, so we added the cold boiled pork too haha.

The clear, mild pork gomtang

The pork gomtang was seriously amazing... Even visually, it was totally my style. The broth looked very clear and clean, while there was a generous amount of pork piled on top. When you think of pork gomtang, you might expect something richer or a strong pork flavor, but Baekok’s pork gomtang leaned more toward mild and clean overall.

I already tend to love clear broths, so I liked it from the very first spoonful.. ♡ It made me think, ah, this is why people call it a great spot for clear gomtang. The seasoning was not too strong either, so I started with the mild broth, then had it with kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) here and there for a different flavor. This pairing is indispensable at a gukbap place, of course haha.

The rice was served in a way that made it easy to enjoy with the broth, and a spoonful of soup + rice + pork was just perfect. The pork was sliced thinly, so it was easy to eat with the rice, and most of all, the broth was not overpowering, making it an easy lunch! I do not normally mix my rice into soup, but I was very satisfied with it here ~~

Cold boiled pork alongside the gomtang

And the cold boiled pork we ordered too! A pretty generous amount of meat came on the plate. It was enough to share as a side while the two of us also ate the gomtang. Since it is boiled pork served cold, it paired nicely with the warm gomtang as well. One spoonful of gomtang, a piece of cold boiled pork, then back to the broth—it gave the meal another feel hehe.

How it was for lunch in Myeongdong

Overall, Baekok Myeongdong seems like a great fit for anyone who prefers a clean, mild broth over strongly seasoned gukbap. It seems especially nice when you are looking for a warm, brothy meal around Myeongdong or Euljiro at lunchtime! The pork gomtang had more meat than I expected, so even one medium bowl made for a filling meal. Adding the cold boiled pork also made it good for two people to share. We had two medium pork gomtang plus the cold boiled pork that day, and it was quite a generous spread for two ˶ᵔ ᕐ ᔿ˶ If you are looking for clean, clear gomtang around Myeongdong or Euljiro, I think Baekok Myeongdong is worth trying!