Busan Station milmyeon & gukbap, 3-min wait before KTX: Yeongdong

Busan Station milmyeon or Busan Station pork soup? Dilemma solved! I had both at Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap (영동밀면&돼지국밥).

Where can you eat milmyeon and pork soup together near Busan Station?

Right in front of Busan Station, Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap lets you order Busan's two signature dishes, milmyeon (wheat noodles) and dwaeji gukbap (pork and rice soup), at one table. Eating is the beginning and end of any Busan trip, after all. On this trip I used the awkward leftover time before my KTX to have lunch near the station.

But then I had a problem. If you come to Busan, you have to eat Busan Station milmyeon, and you can't give up Busan Station pork soup either. So I reached just one conclusion: "Let's go somewhere that sells both!" That's how I found Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap, right in front of Busan Station.

It's about a 3-minute walk from Busan Station plaza, so it's no stress before a train, and since you can enjoy milmyeon and pork soup in one go, it's especially popular with travelers.

Getting to Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap, and the wait

Standing with your back to Busan Station, cross the crosswalk and go straight and you'll find it easily. Restaurants near the station often cater mostly to tourists, but this one seemed to have quite a lot of locals too.

It was a bit after weekday lunchtime, yet there was still a wait and the place was almost full. The nice part: tables turn over very fast.

I waited only about 3 minutes before being seated right away. You can feel from the moment you walk in why it keeps getting mentioned as a go-to for Busan Station milmyeon and pork soup.

What's the interior like, and how do you order?

The inside was much bigger than I expected, and you order by tablet or kiosk. It looked roomy enough for travelers dragging suitcases, families, tour groups and foreign visitors.

Plenty of people were traveling solo, and given the nature of pork soup and milmyeon, eating alone looked easy here. The tablet and kiosk show photos of the dishes, so first-timers can pick without trouble.

What we ordered

• Mul milmyeon (large) ₩9,000
• Dwaeji gukbap (pork soup)
• Mandu (dumplings)

For us, wanting both milmyeon and gukbap, it was the perfect combo. For families especially, adults can have milmyeon while kids eat meat and rice, so choosing is easy.

What's the pork soup broth like at Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap?

The pork soup here is known for its clear broth, a slightly different direction from the milky, rich style of gukbap. The broth was clean yet full of savory depth, and not overly oily, so it was easy to eat.

There was far more meat than I expected, and the lean meat was tender. The fatty parts weren't mushy or gamy and kept a chewy texture. Add a generous pile of jeonggu (chives) and the flavor really comes alive. Personally, I thought this clear style suits summer even better.

How was the large mul milmyeon?

The star of the day was the large mul milmyeon at Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap. Just from how it looked when it arrived, I could see why people seek out Busan Station milmyeon.

With the first spoonful of broth I thought, "Ah, so this is why people come for Busan Station milmyeon."

The broth was rich but not harsh, with a gentle sweetness balanced by a cool freshness. Above all, the noodles were impressive: springy yet chewy, and they didn't go soft even after a long time.

With most milmyeon, the first few bites are great and then you get tired of it, but the milmyeon here stayed clean and enjoyable to the end.

Meal tips at Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap: warm broth and dumplings

The warm broth served with the milmyeon was satisfying too.

Between bites of cold milmyeon, a sip of hot broth resets your palate. And definitely add the mandu. The surprise dark horse of the day was actually the dumplings: moist wrappers packed full, with a good balance of meat and vegetables.

The dumplings are good with milmyeon and also go well dipped in the gukbap broth. Even if you only planned on milmyeon and pork soup, I recommend adding a plate of dumplings.

Is Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap a good meal near Busan Station?

The biggest strength of Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap is that you can enjoy milmyeon and pork soup in one go. It works as a first meal right after arriving in Busan, and it was very satisfying as a last Busan meal before the KTX.

For travelers with a tight train time, the fast service and easy access are big pluses. Fill up on hearty pork soup, then finish clean with cooling milmyeon. It was a satisfying meal worth trying at least once on a Busan trip.

Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap at a glance

• 3-minute walk from Busan Station
• Fine for solo diners
• Good for family meals
• Milmyeon and pork soup can be ordered together
• Recommended for a meal before the KTX