Seongbok-dong makgeolli pub in Yongin: Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch

An evening after a glass of makgeolli, a place I'm always satisfied with,

These days it's nice to travel far for food, but there's also a special kind of fun in discovering places near home where you can have a comfortable drink.

Not long ago, after finishing an English conversation study group in Gangnam, it felt like too plain a day to just head straight home, so I looked for somewhere near Seongbok-dong to have a simple drink and ended up at Gorae Byeoljang. I just wanted to order a good side dish and sip makgeolli while chatting about this and that — and sure enough, once I sat down, the atmosphere was comfortable and it was a good spot for a drink, so I'm leaving this post.

Where is Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch, and what is it like inside?

Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch is on Seongbok 1-ro in Suji-gu. When you look for a place to eat in Seongbok-dong, there are more options than you'd expect, but when it comes to actually eating and then having a drink, it gets a bit tricky. Too noisy a place feels like a lot, and a place with a nice atmosphere feels expensive.

In that sense, Gorae Byeoljang had the kind of atmosphere where you could comfortably go in, eat a meal, and drink. Having a place like this near home means you end up going surprisingly often. Somewhere you can go without needing to travel far when you think, "Shall we have a drink today?"

Starting the night with makgeolli

At Gorae Byeoljang, our first drink that day was makgeolli. Somehow makgeolli appealed to me more than beer. I don't drink makgeolli that often these days, but sometimes it just comes to mind like this.

Pouring it into a glass and taking a sip, makgeolli really does seem like a drink meant to be enjoyed while talking slowly. Rather than gulping it down like beer, it's more like picking up a bite of food, one glass, chatting a while, another glass. Before you know it, the whole bottle is gone haha. That day too, I meant to have just one or two glasses at first, but as the conversation went on, the glasses naturally kept getting refilled.

Makgeolli with chicken, then yukjeon

For a side dish, we ordered Gorae Byeoljang's chicken. Honestly, at first I wasn't sure if makgeolli and chicken would go well together, but after trying it, it was surprisingly good. Eating a crispy piece of chicken and then taking a sip of makgeolli worked better than I expected.

These days, you don't have to stick to fixed pairings. Still, I think of jeon (savory pancake) as the basic partner for makgeolli, so we also ordered yukjeon (beef pancake) haha. The chicken was plenty good on its own, but especially when you're drinking, if the food is too heavily seasoned you get tired of it quickly — that day it was nice for eating slowly while talking.

What makes a neighborhood pub like this work

These days, if you look at social media, there are so many pretty, famous restaurants. They photograph well, the interiors are stylish, and they're the kind of places you'd want to visit at least once. But personally, I also love local bars like Gorae Byeoljang.

A place that's comfortable without trying too hard, where you don't feel pressured even after sitting a long time, where you can share good food and drinks while chatting easily. In the end, the places you visit often tend to be exactly like this. Especially if you have an evening get-together in Suji's Seongbok-dong or want a light second round after a meal, this is a place worth remembering.

The best part of the evening at Gorae Byeoljang

The taste of the food matters, but honestly, who you were with and what you talked about that day tends to stay in your memory longer. That day too, we didn't talk about anything special. Starting with ordinary things like how we've been doing lately and what to do next, we ended up laughing a lot and getting serious at times too.

Talking away over makgeolli like that, quite a lot of time had passed before we knew it. A great restaurant doesn't have to be a "best meal of my life" kind of place. If you eat good food, have a comfortable drink, and go home feeling good, that's enough to call it your favorite spot for the day.

Looking for a place to drink in Seongbok-dong, Yongin?

Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch is a place worth remembering for a day you want a comfortable drink in Seongbok-dong. Parking is easy, it's nice for a casual meetup with a friend, and good for having dinner with a drink too. It's also worth stopping by on a day when, like me, makgeolli suddenly comes to mind.

That day I finished off with makgeolli, yukjeon, ramyeon and chicken, and next time I plan to try other menu items too. Far-off famous restaurants are great, but sometimes finding a decent place close to home is even more welcome. If you're looking for somewhere to eat dinner or have a comfortable drink in Suji's Seongbok-dong, Gorae Byeoljang might be worth checking out too.

Next time I feel like a drink in Seongbok-dong again, I think I'll drop by with some foreign friends. Ate well and drank well again today.