# Tom yum rice noodles & pu pad pong curry lunch in Euljiro: Kkai 9

- By Haeon (https://superchart.com/en/@the-menu-stand/)
- Written Sep 7, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Jung-gu, Seoul
- Sponsored: This post was written after a sponsored visit to the restaurant.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@the-menu-stand/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@the-menu-stand/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/index.md)

## In short

Kkai 9 is a Thai home-style restaurant in Euljiro, Jung-gu, Seoul, run by a Korean husband and Thai wife who cook her mother's traditional recipes. The tom yum rice noodles and soft-shell crab pu pad pong curry, plus a side of moo ping (4 pieces), struck a good spicy-sour balance without being too hot for beginners. With lunch discounts and a receipt review event, it's a great-value spot to enjoy Thai night-market vibes.

## Good to know

- **Location**: 6 Chungmuro 5-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul (Euljiro 3-ga Station)
- **Hours**: Mon–Fri, Sun 11:00–21:30 (break 15:00–17:00, last order 14:30 / 21:00)
- **Saturday**: 11:30–21:30 (last order 21:00)
- **Event**: Lunch-time discount; receipt review gets a free drink and chicken skin fritters
- **Ordered**: Tom yum rice noodles, pu pad pong curry (with a bowl of rice), moo ping 4pcs

*as written by the visitor on Sep 7, 2026*

I wanted to enjoy authentic Thai flavors amid Euljiro's uniquely bustling, warm atmosphere, so I went and checked this place out 🏃‍♀️

A Korean husband and Thai wife run this place together, serving her mother's traditional recipes exactly as she makes them — here's my review of Kkai 9 👇👇

![Main image of Kkai 9, a Thai restaurant in Euljiro](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-01-mulqw-1200.webp)

## Kkai 9 near Euljiro 3-ga Station: a neon-lit exterior

From outside, the sparkling, flashy neon signs give off serious Thai vibes 👀 The owner said Euljiro's bustling, warm energy feels a lot like Thailand, which is why he chose to open here.

![Kkai 9's exterior lit up with neon signs](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-02-81899-900.webp)

![TV appearance notice posted at Kkai 9's entrance](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-03-vd8te-900.webp)

![Sign announcing the lunch-time discount event](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-04-mpgkx-900.webp)

Near the entrance I noticed it's already been featured on TV, and there was a lunch-time discount event running 📋

If you visit around lunchtime, you can enjoy Thai food a bit more affordably — just so you know!

> 📍 Location: Kkai 9, 6 Chungmuro 5-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul / ⏰ Hours: Mon–Fri, Sun 11:00–21:30 (break 15–17, last order 14:30 / 21:00), Sat 11:30–21:30 (last order 21:00) / 📌 Note: authentic Thai recipes, lunch discount, review event

## A dining room that feels like a Thai night market

Walking inside, the space is decorated to feel just like a real Thai night market — cute and full of local charm ✨ Thai music plays in the background too, which put me in a good mood while waiting for the food.

![Interior of Kkai 9 decorated like a Thai night market](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-05-1t1ty-900.webp)

The place itself isn't huge, but the layout does a great job capturing that bustling local-restaurant vibe 🪑

There were also enough tables that sitting and chatting with friends over the meal felt completely comfortable.

![Table layout with a local restaurant vibe](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-06-riukj-900.webp)

![Overview of the dining hall seating at Kkai 9](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-07-yjkp7-900.webp)

### Receipt review event and menu explanations

Sitting down and looking over the menu, I noticed a nice little receipt review event sign 💡 They said you'll get a cool drink and chicken skin fritters sprinkled with special seasoning, so don't forget to grab that!!

![Receipt review event sign on the table](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-08-k8uya-654.webp)

![Sign detailing what you get from the review event](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-09-1oay4-792.webp)

On the wall, there are detailed instructions on the best way to eat some of the more unfamiliar Thai dishes 📖

Thanks to these detailed explanations, even people trying Thai food for the first time can enjoy their meal without confusion.

![Wall sign explaining how to eat Thai dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-10-qivwn-900.webp)

## Tom yum rice noodles: how spicy, how much cilantro?

The first thing we picked, 'tom yum rice noodles,' comes topped with all kinds of toppings over a bright red broth 🍜

![A bowl of tom yum rice noodles loaded with toppings](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-11-1541v-900.webp)

The classic tom yum balance of spicy, sour, and sweet was spot on, but there's a bit of cilantro on top, so watch out if you're not a fan!

![Close-up of tom yum rice noodles topped with cilantro](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-12-pldgq-900.webp)

There's a generous pile of crunchy bean sprouts at the bottom of the bowl, so I mixed everything up with my chopsticks and took a big bite with the noodles 😋

![Tom yum rice noodles mixed with bean sprouts](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-13-os5cb-900.webp)

The toppings were generous too — plump shrimp, chewy king oyster mushrooms — and it wasn't as spicy as I expected, so it's approachable even for beginners 👍

## Soft-shell crab pu pad pong curry, served with a bowl of rice

Next up, the 'pu pad pong curry' arrived with crispy fried soft-shell crab blanketed in soft coconut curry like a warm quilt 🦀

![Pu pad pong curry covered in coconut curry](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-14-a89rf-900.webp)

This dish comes with a separate bowl of fluffy rice, and the portion was quite generous, which made it feel like really good value.

![A bowl of rice served alongside the pu pad pong curry](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-15-1xcai-900.webp)

Looking closer at the curry, the coconut curry sauce had soft crab meat mixed in along with crunchy stir-fried bell peppers! ✨

![Coconut curry sauce with bell peppers](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-16-hjvvz-900.webp)

![Fried soft-shell crab inside the curry](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-17-j3vvb-900.webp)

The fried soft-shell crab was so tender the moment it hit my mouth — no crunchy shell at all, just an explosion of crispy, savory flavor ㅠ

Scoop up a generous spoonful of curry sauce and mix it into the rice, and it's an absolute rice thief.

![Pu pad pong curry mixed into rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-18-1ndsj-900.webp)

## Side dish moo ping 4pcs: tastes like grilled pork ribs

The side dish we ordered, 'moo ping (4pcs),' is grilled fresh over an open flame, so it arrived a bit after the other dishes 🍢

![Four pieces of open-flame grilled moo ping](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-19-ykxvj-900.webp)

You dip these skewers into the sauce that comes with them — it's got a tangy powder sprinkled in that cuts through the richness of the meat, so I finished it all without getting tired of it haha

![Tangy dipping sauce served with the moo ping](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-20-xwbbl-900.webp)

Taking a close-up look at one skewer of moo ping, it's glistening with a shine, and it tastes like familiar, comforting grilled pork ribs — total beer material!

Next time... I'm definitely having it with beer ...haha ㅠㅜ (beer addict speaking)

![Close-up of a glistening moo ping skewer](https://img.superchart.com/images/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong-21-76cdi-900.webp)

## Overall verdict

> Truly local tom yum rice noodles made with the Thai mother-in-law's own recipe 🍜 Pu pad pong curry with soft-shell crab that melts in your mouth 🦀

This was a really charming restaurant that felt like a slice of a Thai night market transplanted into Euljiro's warm, bustling atmosphere 👍 The tangy balance of the tom yum was great, and the pu pad pong curry loaded with soft-shell crab had a wonderfully smooth, savory flavor — a satisfying meal all around.

If you're looking for a place to enjoy authentic Thai flavors — with a lunch discount during the day, and moo ping with a beer in the evening — stop by Kkai 9 👋

## Where it is

- Kkai 9 (까이9)
- 6 Chungmuro 5-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- 서울특별시 중구 충무로5길 6
- 37.5652206, 126.9924005
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EA%B9%8C%EC%9D%B49/@37.5652206,126.9924005,17z

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Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@the-menu-stand/euljiro-thai-tomyum-noodle-poo-pad-pong/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt