Post-workout tripe soup lunch at a Hongdae gukbap restaurant: Yukjeon

What is Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch like?

Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch (육전국밥 서교점) is a gukbap (rice soup) restaurant near Hongik Univ. Station that serves a variety of gukbap, naengmyeon (cold noodles) and hot pots, all built around yukjeon (pan-fried beef slices). It's a good place for a hangover cure, too.

There's so much to do around Hongik Univ. Station that I go there often. Last week I went to work out, and when lunchtime rolled around I was starving and wondering what to eat. That's how I ended up at Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch.

Location and menu

From Hongik Univ. Station, head north. It's a 5-minute walk from Exit 1.

The menu runs from summer seasonal dishes like mul makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles in broth) and bibim makguksu (spicy mixed buckwheat noodles) to meals like beef gukbap, gomtang (beef bone soup), gop haejang-tang, and ttukbaegi bulgogi (beef bulgogi in a stone pot). There was also a hot pot for sharing, the beef intestine hot pot.

Is it spacious? Can you eat alone?

The interior of Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch is pretty big, so it works for groups, and eating solo is no problem either. The seats are spaced widely and it felt pleasant, so I could enjoy my gukbap in comfort and cool air.

I came a bit after the lunch rush, so there was plenty of room. Foreign visitors wandered in now and then too, so it seems like a good place to introduce gukbap to international friends around Hongik Univ.

Side dishes and the self-serve corner

The basic side dishes are pickled onion, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and kimchi, and you grab them yourself at the self-serve corner. You can pick up your small plates there as well.

Being able to fetch plates yourself is definitely handier. You don't have to ask for them, haha.

What I ordered: gop haejang-tang and yukjeon mul makguksu

After I got my side dishes, the food came out quickly. I ordered gop haejang-tang and yukjeon mul makguksu. Maybe because the place specializes in yukjeon, the makguksu comes topped with it too.

I'd just worked out and was famished, so I dug in right away, curious how it would taste.

How was the gop haejang-tang?

The gop haejang-tang at Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch is a hangover soup with a rich, savory broth and plenty of gop (beef intestine). I tried the steaming hot soup first, and with the first spoonful the rich, savory flavor filled my mouth. It's not just a spicy, harsh hangover soup; the deep, thick broth really comes through, and I kept going back for more.

There was a generous amount of gop with a nice chew, and it was cleaned well with no gamey smell, which made it even more satisfying. The nutty flavor of the gop blended with the broth, and the richer umami built the more I ate.

The solid ingredients were hearty too, so it's not a soup that's all broth. Adding rice made it even more filling. It works as a hangover cure, but it's also satisfying as an everyday meal.

How was the yukjeon mul makguksu?

The yukjeon mul makguksu at Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch is a cold buckwheat noodle dish in broth with plenty of yukjeon on top. The generous yukjeon was the first thing that caught my eye. Unlike ordinary makguksu, it comes with nutty jeon on top, so I was happy with it from the look of it alone.

The yukjeon was tender, not tough, and its nutty flavor went surprisingly well with the cold noodles. It was good on its own, and eaten with the noodles, the mild flavor came through even more.

The broth was cool and clean. The sweet-and-sour taste wasn't overdone, so it was easy to eat, and the noodles were chewy with a good texture. I think it would be especially satisfying on a hot day. Thanks to the yukjeon, it was much more filling than a regular mul makguksu, and it was plenty for a full meal.

Overall

If you're looking for a good gukbap place near Hongik Univ. Station, I recommend Yukjeon Gukbap Seogyo Branch, where you can get a hearty meal from a wide menu. The yukjeon is tender, and the gop haejang-tang is refreshing and a little spicy.