Two pork belly sets at Dongtan Lake Park restaurant: Naengmyeon Gajun

When the weather keeps flip-flopping like this, a cool bowl of naengmyeon (cold noodles) sounds so good haha😆 This time I was looking for somewhere to eat near Dongtan Lake Park and ended up at Naengmyeon Gajun Dongtan Main Branch.

It's a naengmyeon specialty restaurant, but what I liked was that you don't just eat naengmyeon on its own — you can pair it in a set with meat dishes like braised short ribs, bulgogi, or pork belly. Naengmyeon alone felt like it might not be quite enough for us, so we ordered set menus that come with meat too. Going for naengmyeon and ending up eating meat as well just hits different, satisfaction-wise🤭

✔ Hours 10:00–21:30 / ✔ Break time 15:00–17:00 / ✔ Group seating, takeout, delivery, reservations, separate men's/women's restrooms

Where is Naengmyeon Gajun Dongtan Main Branch, and where do you park?

Naengmyeon Gajun Dongtan Main Branch is located on the 2nd floor of Luna Gallery near Dongtan Lake Park. You just walk into the building and head up to the 2nd floor — being so close to the lake park, it's also a great spot to stroll around before or after your meal.

Best of all, you can eat while taking in the Dongtan Lake Park view from the restaurant. Enjoying good food while also getting a view out the window somehow makes the whole meal feel more relaxed! 😍

Parking was convenient too, since there's an underground parking lot — handy if you're driving in. Parking quietly matters a lot when you're moving around with kids, so that's definitely something I factor in when picking a place to eat.

Why cold noodles and grilled pork work together 🍜

True to a naengmyeon specialty restaurant, Naengmyeon Gajun Dongtan Main Branch centers its menu around naengmyeon while also letting you enjoy meat dishes alongside it. You know that feeling where naengmyeon alone feels a bit lacking, but you're also craving something cool rather than just meat? These set menus felt like exactly the right choice for that.

Especially when eating out as a family, everyone wants something different — so splitting an order between mul naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon lets everyone eat to their taste while still getting meat too, which made choosing a lot easier. If you're visiting with kids, you could go for something relatively mild like mul naengmyeon, while the adults enjoy bibim naengmyeon or seasoned meat.

Two sets ordered: naengmyeon paired with pork belly

Here's what we ordered that day.

• Mul naengmyeon & soy sauce pork belly set
• Bibim naengmyeon & gochujang pork belly set

Naengmyeon and pork belly, together! Doesn't the menu name alone already sound filling? 😂 One side was cool mul naengmyeon with soy sauce pork belly, the other spicy bibim naengmyeon with gochujang pork belly — nice to enjoy two totally different flavors side by side.

If you just order one naengmyeon, you end up agonizing over mul vs. bibim, but splitting the order like this meant we got to pick and choose depending on our mood, which was fun.

Mul naengmyeon & soy sauce pork belly set 🥩

First up, the mul naengmyeon & soy sauce pork belly set! Mul naengmyeon is cold chewy kudzu noodles in a cool broth. The springy, chewy texture the noodles are known for was great, and it went down clean with the broth.

With naengmyeon, it's a letdown when the noodles turn mushy or soft, but here the chewy texture held up well, giving it real bite. A bite of the cool noodles left my mouth feeling refreshed, and it paired well with the meat too.

And then the soy sauce pork belly that came with it! The pork belly seasoned in soy sauce brought a salty-savory flavor when eaten together with the naengmyeon. A bite of pork belly followed by a bite of mul naengmyeon combined the meat's richness with the noodles' coolness, and I kept reaching for more.

Personally, I really love this kind of combo. Meat alone can get a bit greasy, but the naengmyeon steps in every so often to clean the palate! 😊

Bibim naengmyeon & gochujang pork belly set 🌶️

Next up is the bibim naengmyeon & gochujang pork belly set. Bibim naengmyeon has spicy seasoning worked into the noodles, giving it a whole different appeal from mul naengmyeon. That tangy, spicy signature flavor really perked up my appetite.

The noodles were chewy as ever, great for mixing with the seasoning, and if you like spicy flavors, you'll probably enjoy the bibim naengmyeon side a lot.

The gochujang pork belly served alongside had that signature spicy-sweet gochujang flavor added in. Compared to plain pork belly, the seasoning made the flavor richer and more appetite-whetting. Eating bibim naengmyeon and gochujang pork belly together kept the spicy flavor going, and they paired really well.

That said, both dishes are seasoned combos, so if you prefer a cleaner flavor, the mul naengmyeon & soy sauce pork belly set might feel a bit easier on the palate. We enjoyed splitting the two and trying both mul and bibim naengmyeon. Ordering a variety and sharing really is the most fun way to eat😋

Is Naengmyeon Gajun Dongtan a good spot for a family meal? 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

This meal happened while I was looking for a good restaurant near Dongtan Lake Park, and getting to eat naengmyeon and meat together made for a filling meal. If you're looking for somewhere to eat near Dongtan Lake Park, this location is worth keeping in mind. It's on the 2nd floor of Luna Gallery, and with the lake park view, the atmosphere for the meal was nice too.

Having parking available was also convenient for a family meal where you're driving in. If you're having one of those days where you want both naengmyeon and meat, like we did, the set menus are worth ordering. If you love the cool, clean flavor of mul naengmyeon, I'd recommend the mul naengmyeon & soy sauce pork belly set; if you like spicy food, go for the bibim naengmyeon & gochujang pork belly set.

Final thoughts on Naengmyeon Gajun Dongtan Main Branch 🍽️

Naengmyeon Gajun Dongtan Main Branch turned out to be a spot where you can enjoy chewy kudzu noodles and spicy bibim naengmyeon alongside meat dishes. The naengmyeon was cool and refreshing, and the pork belly sets made the whole meal filling since you get meat too. Ordering both mul and bibim naengmyeon and sharing them let us compare the two flavors, which was fun.

If you're near Dongtan Lake Park trying to decide on lunch, give Naengmyeon Gajun Dongtan Main Branch a look — a place where you can enjoy naengmyeon and meat together😊 Next time I visit, I'm curious to try other meat-and-naengmyeon combos. If you're a naengmyeon lover, this is worth keeping in mind for a cool, satisfying meal!