Yongin Korean restaurant for seafood kalguksu: Baekcheongu

As soon as the weather gets even a little cooler, I start craving hot broth and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), haha. This time, I went to Baekcheongu Kalguksu Yongin Dongbaek Branch for kalguksu in Dongbaek, Yongin. You can let the seafood kalguksu bubble away right on the table, and with barley rice and dumplings to eat before the noodles arrive, it was much more filling than I expected, haha.

Where Baekcheongu Kalguksu is in Dongbaek, Yongin

Baekcheongu Kalguksu Yongin Dongbaek Branch is located at 19 Pyeongchon 2-ro 1beon-gil, Giheung-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do.

It is an easy enough walk from the Dongbaek E-Mart area, and the pedestrian overpass right in front makes it easy to spot, haha. Large signs outside also advertised the summer menu: Yeongwol Imo seoritae kongguksu (black soybean noodle soup) and seasonal bibim guksu (spicy mixed noodles).

The sign said the seoritae kongguksu was made by boiling and grinding the beans in-house, and it was ₩12,000. The seasonal bibim guksu was ₩9,000, while the set with two dumplings was ₩11,000, so that looked like a nice summer option too, haha.

A comfortable interior

Once inside, the restaurant was more spacious than I expected. It had the relaxed feel of a Korean restaurant, with wood-toned tables and chairs throughout, and sunlight coming in by the windows meant it did not feel stuffy, haha.

Each table has a burner in the middle so you can cook the kalguksu yourself. It seemed nice for a family lunch, or for a group to come and cook a big pot of kalguksu together, haha.

Ordering seafood kalguksu and half-and-half dumplings

That day, I ordered the signature seafood kalguksu along with dumplings. Based on the menu currently shown, the seafood kalguksu is ₩12,000 and the half-and-half dumplings are ₩11,000. I chose the half-and-half option so I could try both meat dumplings and kimchi dumplings at once, haha.

After ordering, the basic sides came out first: barley rice, napa cabbage kimchi, yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi), bean sprouts, and more. I liked that I could start with the barley rice instead of just waiting while the kalguksu cooked, haha.

I topped the barley rice with bean sprouts, yeolmu kimchi, and a little gochujang (Korean red chili paste), then mixed it all together. It sounds simple, but it was surprisingly tasty and really got my appetite going before the main dish, haha.

Trying the generously sized half-and-half dumplings

The plate came with meat dumplings and green dumplings, and they were quite large. The wrappers were not too thick but still pleasantly chewy, and the fillings were packed in, so even one dumpling was pretty satisfying, haha.

If kalguksu alone feels a little incomplete, adding a dumpling was just the right combination. If you are visiting with several people, the half-and-half order would be great for sharing too, haha.

Seafood kalguksu cooked at the table

Then the seafood kalguksu I had been waiting for arrived. The large pot came with broth, seafood, and vegetables, and you cook it right at the table, haha. It had several kinds of seafood, including shrimp, so the aroma of the broth came through strongly as it began to boil.

Once the broth had boiled enough, I added the noodles and let them cook a little longer. Watching everything bubble away right in front of me somehow made the wait feel even longer, haha. The noodles were thicker and more irregular than typical thin noodles, with a definite chewy bite.

The seafood gave the broth plenty of flavor, but rather than feeling heavy, it was clean and refreshing, haha. Kimchi is so important with kalguksu, and a piece of napa cabbage kimchi on top made the combination perfect. A bite of noodles, a spoonful of broth, then another dumpling—and before I knew it, the pot was nearly empty, haha. Since I had started with barley rice, the meal felt more filling than expected.

When you are craving hot kalguksu in Dongbaek

Baekcheongu Kalguksu Yongin Dongbaek Branch felt less like a flashy restaurant and more like a solid neighborhood spot for an easy meal of hot seafood kalguksu and dumplings, haha.

From the barley rice before the meal to the big dumplings and finally the seafood kalguksu, it really felt like I had eaten a proper meal.

I especially liked being able to cook it at the table and keep it hot until the very end, haha. If you are looking for an easy family meal or a warm, brothy dish in Dongbaek, Yongin, this could be worth a visit. Next time, when the weather gets much hotter, I would like to try the seoritae kongguksu too, haha.