Gansuk-dong pork soup restaurant, ear salad banchan and suyuk: Gukdam

Near Gansuk-ogeori Station in Gansuk-dong, I visited Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch, known for its clear-broth sundaeguk (blood sausage soup) and its spicy, savory gopchang (tripe) hot pot.

Where is Gukdam Sundaeguk, and its hours and parking

Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch is a 5-minute walk from Exit 5 of Gansuk-ogeori Station, right next to Sangincheon Elementary School. It's open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 22:00, closed every Sunday.

You'll need to use the building's parking tower — parking in front of the restaurant isn't allowed. That said, you can also park along the shoulder of the Forena the Shop construction site right next door.

• Baby chairs are available — just ask the owner and they'll bring one out from storage.
• A new gopchang hot pot has been added to the menu, and single-portion orders are possible.
• The kkakdugi (radish kimchi), barley ssamjang, and dadaegi (spicy sauce) are all made in-house.

Inside Gukdam Sundaeguk: open kitchen and self-serve bar

I'm scared of parking towers, so I parked along the shoulder of the construction site next door instead.

The place was so clean and tidy I wondered if it had just opened recently.

The kitchen is a fully open kitchen. I guess that means they're confident in what they're cooking...

I sat by the window, where they'd set up a small flower bed. It gave me a sense of just how diligent the owner must be.

Baby chairs, hair ties, aprons — you can feel the owner's attention to detail everywhere.

The self-serve bar is quite tidy too. The pot on the left held something like sungnyung (scorched rice tea) or broth. The side dishes include house-made kkakdugi, seasoned chives, dried radish strips, salted shrimp, barley ssamjang, and dadaegi.

Pig ear salad comes with the basic table setting

The basic side dishes at Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch include ear salad — something you only really see these days at old-school, traditional soup restaurants. Sweet, tangy, and chewy... slurp...

I wondered if they'd give me more if I asked... but I was too shy to say anything, haha. The spoons come individually wrapped, and the whole table setting is clean and neat. I really liked it. Solid.

Taster suyuk (one portion): each cut tastes different

Gukdam's taste sampler suyuk had a color almost like fermented skate sashimi. Different parts had different colors, and different flavors too. Seriously, this is genuinely delicious — a total must-order. Honestly, skip the sampler and just order the full suyuk.

One bite with the seasoned chives and that's it, game over! Some parts are chewy, some are tender. Personally I liked the chewier bits more, but honestly all of it was good. Seriously, highly recommend.

XL sundaeguk: clear broth, glass-noodle sundae and head meat

Gukdam's special sundaeguk isn't the rich, milky bone-broth type. It's made with a clear broth. The sundae is glass-noodle sundae, and it's packed with head meat.

Seriously, there's a ton of meat in there. It was so savory and delicious. Tender and chewy, almost like suyuk meat — really good. You can add dadaegi or ground perilla seeds to the broth depending on your taste, but personally I liked it plain, without anything added. One notable thing is how much green onion is packed in. The broth is seriously rich — it even gives off a clear galbitang (short rib soup) kind of vibe.

Throw in some chives, mix in the rice, scoop up a big spoonful with kkakdugi on top, take a bite — nothing more to wish for.

New gopchang hot pot for one, with adjustable spice

Gukdam's new gopchang (tripe) hot pot can be ordered as a single portion. And look at the amount of gopchang in just one serving... there's also kimchi or napa cabbage, or something like that, in there.

The gopchang is nice and plump, really tasty. Let it simmer and the broth turns into something rich and deep. The gopchang is seriously chewy — dip it in the barley ssamjang and it's heaven. The broth is spicy and hearty too. And at a price in the low-to-mid ₩10,000s, it's an absolute steal.

Just a note: the gopchang hot pot comes out a bit mild at first. If you tell the owner, they'll make it spicier for you — so just ask.

Who Gukdam Sundaeguk suits best

Even people who usually can't handle the distinctive smell of sundaeguk will be able to polish off Gukdam's version without a second thought. The new gopchang hot pot is also really clean-tasting — the kind of dish that calls for soju.

Great for lunch, and just as great for a drink with dinner. Overall, I'd highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a clean, mild soup. Oh, and one last thing — you absolutely have to order the suyuk alongside it.