Korean set-menu dinner with a self-serve bar in Songdo: Bomseol

A Songdo favorite for hanjeongsik (Korean set meal), Bomseol Songdo International City.

I had a date with a close friend (언니) in Songdo! Knowing her unwavering love for Korean food, I chose a hanjeongsik restaurant for our Songdo dinner.

Where is Bomseol Songdo International City, and what are the hours and parking?

Bomseol Songdo International City is located on the 1st floor, Building A, A116-A120, 40 Cheomdan-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, inside the S5 City commercial complex, Building A. It's open daily 11:00-21:00, with a break time from 15:00-17:00, and last order is 14:00 for lunch and 19:40 for dinner.

• Address: 1st floor, Building A, A116-A120, 40 Cheomdan-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (S5 City commercial complex, Building A)
• Hours: Daily 11:00-21:00
• Break time: 15:00-17:00 / Last order: Lunch 14:00, dinner 19:40
• Parking: Building basement parking, up to 2 hours free with store use

What is the dining room at Bomseol Songdo like?

The interior of Bomseol Songdo International City felt clean and warm overall, and it was comfortable to chat with my friend over dinner. I thought it would also work well for dining with parents or gathering with a larger group. Above all, despite being a hanjeongsik restaurant, it wasn't overly formal. It felt like a clean yet relaxed dining space!

You order and pay via a table kiosk, and the menu has main set menus plus various add-ons. We ordered the Bomseol Set!

How much is the Bomseol Set, and what comes with it?

The Bomseol Set we ordered is ₩23,000 per person. The menu composition was stone pot rice, cheonggukjang, basic side dishes, seasoned crab, bossam, and grilled mackerel! The table filled up quickly. Honestly, it looked like a portion where you'd wonder if we could finish it all. And Bomseol also has a self-serve bar!

There was pumpkin porridge, barley rice, and various types of namul and kimchi prepared, plus extra wrap vegetables we could take. Normally I'd check out the self-serve bar first, but this time was a bit different. We were too busy eating what had already arrived. haha

Grilled mackerel

The grilled mackerel in the Bomseol Set was quite large. With grilled fish, if the seasoning is too strong or there's a fishy taste, you tend to lose your appetite for the other dishes, but this one was seasoned just right and had no fishy taste, coming out light and clean. The flesh was moist and savory too, so anyone who likes grilled mackerel would be satisfied!

Bossam (boiled pork wraps)

The dish I reached for most in the Bomseol Set was the bossam (boiled pork wraps). The meat was fairly moist and tender. It went well eaten with wrap vegetables, and also paired nicely with the basic side dishes. There was an unlimited fresh wrap vegetable refill event running through August, but honestly, we didn't even need to get more!

Seasoned raw crab (geumge yangnyeom gejang)

And the seasoned crab was more satisfying than expected. A lot of places make their seasoned crab too sweet, but the crab we had at Bomseol that day wasn't overly sweet, which I liked. It was also packed full of meat and fresh, feeling on par with a specialty crab restaurant. A total rice thief!!!

Stone pot rice and cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew)

I think the highlight of any hanjeongsik is the stone pot rice, and it's not complete until you finish the crispy rice at the bottom too. lol When I first opened the pot, the sweet pumpkin and single gingko nut sitting on top were just so cute :D It's a small detail, but it tasted good and looked pretty, so I thought I'd have to try recreating it for guests someday!

Cheonggukjang came out alongside it, and overall the seasoning wasn't heavy, so it went well with rice. Rather than bold or spicy flavors, it leaned toward a clean, light hanjeongsik style.

Discounts and events at Bomseol Songdo, including the 50% pregnancy discount

Bomseol runs various promotions, including a 50% discount for pregnant guests and seasonal events like unlimited wrap vegetable refills. Details are available on Bomseol's Naver Place page, so check there if you're curious.

Does Bomseol Songdo work for family and group gatherings?

Bomseol Songdo International City has a separate, more private area on one side of the restaurant, so I thought it would work well not just for dinner with a friend but also for family gatherings or group meetups. After the meal, tea, coffee, and dessert were also available! True to its casual hanjeongsik style, set menus start from ₩18,000 per person, which felt like solid value considering how expensive dining out has gotten these days!

Recommended for days like this!

• When you want a proper dinner with a friend in Songdo
• When you want a clean Korean meal with your parents
• When you'd rather eat a bit of everything than just one dish
• When you're looking for a Songdo restaurant with easy parking

Would I go back to Bomseol Songdo?

It was a day of catching up over dinner with a close friend and eating properly, too! Sometimes with hanjeongsik, when too many dishes come out, some end up untouched, but this time we ate through everything one by one — the grilled mackerel, bossam, and crab — and even finished off the crispy rice at the bottom of the stone pot. haha There was also barley rice for making bibimbap at the self-serve bar that I like, but I didn't get to use it. That's because the basic Bomseol Set spread alone was more than enough!

I think I'll think of this place again on days when I want clean, light Korean food over something flashy or spicy. On a day when I wanted a proper meal in Songdo, Bomseol hanjeongsik turned out to be a pretty good choice :D