Late-night spicy sundaeguk and king dumplings near Sinjungdong Station

I had to work later than expected because there was some monitoring work that needed doing.

As the evening dragged on I got pretty hungry, so I looked for something warm to eat near Sinjungdong Station and ended up back at Gukbabi-ga.

Why I came back near Sinjungdong Station

What stuck with me from my last visit was being able to help myself to as much sundae (blood sausage) as I wanted, so naturally I found myself coming back.

Gukbabi-ga isn't a hard walk from Sinjungdong Station, and it sits on the first floor of its building. I've seen reviews mentioning a basement parking lot for those driving, but we walked.

The restaurant has seating for solo diners as well as tables for groups, and there's a self-bar you can use. Since you can grab extra rice as well as sundae, it's a good spot when you want a really filling meal.

Spicy sundaeguk vs. spicy pork soup — how hot is it, really

This time I ordered the spicy sundaeguk and the spicy pork soup.

I was craving something spicier than the basic broth, so I picked the spicy version of both. Spicy sundaeguk lets you eat sundae and meat together, while spicy pork soup is more pork-focused — so it really comes down to preference.

The first sip seemed just pleasantly spicy, but the longer I kept eating, the more my mouth was left with a real numbing heat.

True to its name, the spiciness came through clearly. Mixing in rice made the broth taste even richer, and after working late, hot soup with rice really hit the spot.

If you don't handle spicy food well, I'd go with the basic sundaeguk or pork soup instead.

King dumplings as a side

While eating the soup I ordered king dumplings on the side too. One plate came with 5 pieces, a decent size, and the filling was packed in tight.

These weren't dumplings where the wrapper feels too thick — there was plenty of filling inside, and I enjoyed them a lot.

They're a good add-on if soup alone feels like not quite enough, or if you're dining with others and want one more side to share.

Pairing the king dumplings with the spicy broth worked really well together.

Unlimited sundae at the self-bar

The biggest reason I came back here was, again, the unlimited sundae.

You can help yourself to as much as you want from the self-bar, so there was no need to order extra sundae separately.

Rather than piling my plate high right away, I brought over small amounts as I went and ate them alongside the soup. Sundae was good plain or dropped into the broth to warm up.

With basic side dishes also available at the self-bar, it was an easy setup for grabbing whatever you needed throughout the meal.

I like sundae, so this was the part I remembered most from my last visit — and this time was just as satisfying.

Which of the two soups should you pick

Spicy sundaeguk and spicy pork soup both center on a spicy broth, but they differ in what's mixed in.

If you want sundae in the mix, go for the spicy sundaeguk; if you'd rather focus on pork, go with the spicy pork soup. Both turned out spicier than I expected, leaving my mouth numb by the end.

I'd worked late and was really hungry that night, so mixing rice into the soup, adding extra sundae, and pairing it with king dumplings made for a full dinner.

It's a solid place to revisit if you're looking for gukbap (rice and soup) near Sinjungdong Station or want to eat your fill of sundae.

The restaurant is located at 78 Jungdong-ro 254beon-gil, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, 1st floor of Filtown, within walking distance of Sinjungdong Station.