Hongdae chicken restaurant in Seoul: boneless Gochu Basasak at Goobne

Hongdae is a neighborhood that's hard to beat for atmosphere — packed with energy, life, and food everywhere you look. Tucked quietly but ambitiously into this scene is one of Hongdae's famous outdoor chicken spots, Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road. They set the table joyfully with roasted whole garlic too. And of course, I couldn't skip the nationwide favorite signature dish, 'Gogunebasak' (spicy crispy chicken). Naturally I ordered this and enjoyed it with pickled radish.

Boneless Gochu Basasak, 26,900 won a bird, straight from the oven

At Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road, I deliberately ordered it boneless. Switching to boneless Gogunebasak costs ₩26,900 per bird, and the pieces were plump and appetizing enough to justify it. Honestly, when you order delivery, the chicken tends to arrive somewhat cooled and the taste drops off a bit — but among Hongdae's outdoor chicken spots, this place makes it fresh to order, crispy and delicious grilled chicken in its purest form, which got me genuinely excited.

The place is flashy at a glance, really well decorated, which made me appreciate the Goobne brand's prestige and reputation all over again. Deep-fried chicken tastes great, but the vegetable oil eventually degrades and produces substances that aren't great for our bodies and are known to accelerate rapid aging. The chicken here, though, is grilled through and through — clean and light in a way that feels like it doesn't do damage to your body, so I really dug in with excitement.

What Goobne Hongdae Red Road looks like at 4 p.m.: red chairs and K-pop videos

I visited the interior of Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road around 4 p.m., and it was clean in many respects. The soft lighting felt cozy, and there were some slightly dimmer seats that drew me in even more. Silver-toned tables, red chairs, and under the lit area a beam projector was playing (?) K-pop idol music videos, so it was fun for the eyes and also easy to hold a conversation without getting bored — a lively place overall.

The red chairs have some real style, don't they? One wall is painted red too, and it's printed with the history of this national chicken brand 'Goobne,' loved for decades — which made me realize all over again just how iconic this brand really is to the entire country. The crispy, clean texture, the balance of well-seasoned brine and sauce, and the harmony of the Gobling and marbling sauces have won over the whole nation one way or another. I settled into a dimly lit spot, comfortably brought over the pickled radish, and got set up.

Free pickled radish at the self-bar, under 30,000 won for two

Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road has a basic self-bar, so pickled radish can be refilled anytime. This Gogunebasak, freshly grilled and still warm, gets more addictive the more you eat. It's slightly spicy but not spicy at all — kids could eat it too — which won me over on many levels. It was an affordable meal the whole family could enjoy, and especially among Hongdae's outdoor chicken spots, it's a place young people can casually swing by for a second round, with two people eating for under ₩30,000. All in all, a great place to have a meal.

The pickled radish was refreshing and crunchy too. Since it's an unlimited refill system where you can help yourself as much as you want, I thought the whole setup was really well done. Roasted garlic and pickled radish let you reset your palate, and since it's essentially grilled chicken, it isn't greasy or heavy, so you can eat it all the way through without getting sick of it.

How the Gobling sauce tastes with oven-baked chicken

You know this Gobling sauce is seriously addictive, right? It's savory and not overwhelming at all, so dipping the light, clean-tasting grilled chicken into it makes for a perfect match.

The Gobling sauce was a work of art too. Dipping this Goobne chicken in it savory-style, I thought it deserved to be a nationwide sensation. Overall it's essentially a block of protein without the grease, which just kept winning me over.

Seating and opening hours at Goobne Hongdae Red Road

Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road stood out among Hongdae restaurants for being clean in many respects, and the atmosphere was great too. Stylish enough that it's a solid destination for young people, I'd recommend it in many ways. The seating from the 1st to 2nd floor was spacious, and the takeout system was well set up, so it's a good place to stop by anytime. Why not enjoy an easy, good-value meal — a whole chicken and a cold beer — and soak in the crisp feel of this autumn night?

• Friday, Saturday 11:00-03:00
• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 11:00-02:00
• Delivery, takeout, and dine-in available