Sundae gukbap for one near Digital Media City Station: Jeongbaekseon

Eating sundae gukbap solo in Sangam-dong at Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam

Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam (정백선순대 상암점) is a sundae gukbap spot in Sangam-dong, near Digital Media City Station. Sundae gukbap (blood sausage soup with rice) is honestly one of my favorite foods, haha. I had an errand at MBC in Sangam-dong that day, so I stopped by for a solo meal.

I love gukbap (soup with rice) in general and have tried plenty of places, but this time I was really satisfied, so I want to share it. Sangam-dong is full of office workers, so lunchtime always turns into a "what do I eat?" debate. I wanted something hearty, and to give you the conclusion first: I left happy. :) If you're hunting for a gukbap place near Digital Media City Station or Susaek Station, this is worth a look.

Where is Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam? Location, hours and parking

Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam is at 15 Maebongsan-ro 2-gil, Unit 101 Left 3 (Hyoin Building), Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It is open daily 11:00–22:00, with last order at 21:00. It's about a 4-minute walk from Exit 9 of Digital Media City Station, and if you come by car you can use the parking lot at 15 Maebongsan-ro 2-gil, with 1 hour of free parking.

• Group seating available
• Takeout available
• Reservations available
• Free corkage
• Wi-Fi provided
• Separate men's and women's restrooms
• Free refills of broth and rice

The restaurant is within walking distance of Exit 9 of Digital Media City Station. It's near MBC, so access is easy, and it's a good lunch option for Sangam-dong office workers. If you're driving, use the parking lot at 15 Maebongsan-ro 2-gil. With 1 hour free, bringing a car was convenient too.

Kiosk ordering and a cozy atmosphere for dining alone

You order and pay first at the kiosk at the entrance. There was a kiosk right inside the door, so no waiting around, just easy ordering! Takeout is available too, and it seemed like lots of nearby office workers use it.

After ordering, I went inside, and the place was a lot tidier than I expected. It feels organized rather than the cluttered vibe gukbap places often have. I came alone and it wasn't awkward at all. There's also a bar table, so the mood is perfect for eating solo. I can see why it's popular with office workers as a Maebongsan-ro gukbap place.

A personal induction burner at every seat keeps it hot to the end

Every seat at Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam has its own induction burner. This turned out to be way better than I expected. Gukbap often cools down halfway through and that's a letdown, but here you can eat it piping hot until the end.

Individual seasoning containers are ready, and water and side dishes are set out at each seat, so the meal was comfortable.

How much is the Jeongbaekseon sundae gukbap? ₩12,000, with free rice and broth refills

What I ordered that day was the Jeongbaekseon sundae gukbap, which was ₩12,000. It's described as a premium sundae gukbap using only meat boiled that day. On top of that, rice and broth refills are free! For a gukbap lover that's a very welcome service, haha.

How to enjoy the sundae gukbap at Jeongbaekseon

There's a guide on the table about how to eat it, so I read it while waiting for the food. It's good as is, but it says you can enjoy it even more by grinding whole perilla seeds yourself, seasoning with salted shrimp and glasswort salt, then adding Cheongyang chili pepper or chili seed oil to taste. I was especially impressed that they provide domestic whole perilla seeds roasted in-house, only the amount needed for the day.

After reading the guide, I went straight to grinding the perilla seeds, haha. You put the seeds in a small mortar and grind away, and the nutty aroma is seriously incredible. Maybe because I ground them myself, the scent was much stronger and nuttier.

Soon my sundae gukbap arrived. The staff member set it on the induction burner and kindly explained that I just need to bring it to a boil. Watching it start to bubble made me want to dig in right away, haha.

As soon as the broth started boiling, I added a little salted shrimp and a generous amount of the perilla I'd ground myself. Then I added Cheongyang chili too! I couldn't resist that combo, haha.

The side dishes at Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam are kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and mustard-leaf kimchi. You take only as much as you'll eat, so it stays neat.

How did the sundae gukbap taste?

My first impression of the Jeongbaekseon sundae gukbap was a bone-broth-style soup, rich yet clean. Finally, the first bite! There was almost none of the gamey smell typical of sundae gukbap, so even people who usually can't handle it could probably eat it without trouble. I immediately understood why so many people call it a top gukbap spot near Digital Media City Station.

The contents were generous too. Besides the sundae, there was plenty of meat and head-meat-style cuts.

The meat was tender and clean, with no gamey smell. The more I chewed, the nuttier and tastier it got. Broth and rice refills are free, but the standard portion alone filled me up.

Before I knew it, the bowl was empty! Sundae gukbap really is my all-time favorite, haha. After a bowl of hot soup I felt full and warm all over.

Is Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam worth going back to?

Jeongbaekseon Sundae Sangam impressed me with its solo-friendly atmosphere and clean-tasting sundae gukbap. On the way out I grabbed one of the yogurt drinks set out near the entrance to rinse my mouth, and a sweet little yogurt after gukbap was a neat way to finish, haha.

I also liked its standout points: whole perilla seeds you grind yourself and the personal induction burners. The staff were friendly too, so it was a pleasant meal. If you're looking for a place to eat alone in Sangam-dong, or a gukbap spot near Digital Media City Station or Susaek Station, I recommend giving it a try :) It's somewhere I'd happily return to on a day I'm craving a hearty meal.