24-hour soup spot at Yeonan Pier: three soups for three, Sopuri

A 24-hour gukbap spot at Yeonan Pier: Sopuri Yangpyeong Haejangguk

24-Hour Sopuri Yangpyeong Haejangguk, Yeonan Pier General Fish Market Branch (24시소풀이양평해장국) is a 24-hour haejangguk (hangover soup) restaurant near the General Fish Market at Yeonan Pier. I was visiting Yeonan Pier in Incheon and suddenly craved a hearty bowl of gukbap (soup with rice), so off we went.

Lots of people come to Yeonan Pier to see the fish market or the harbor. While looking for somewhere to eat, we settled on a warm, filling bowl of gukbap. Since it's a 24-hour haejangguk place, it's also handy late at night or early in the morning.

How to find Sopuri Yangpyeong Haejangguk at Yeonan Pier

It's at 10 Yeonanbudu-ro 33beon-gil, on the 1st floor. The yellow sign says "Yangpyeong Haejangguk" in big letters, so it was easy to spot from far away. The "open 24 hours" notice out front also caught my eye. It's a decent spot for a meal after fishing at Yeonan Pier or visiting the fish market.

Unlimited rice and ox blood, plus a self-serve side dish corner

Rice and seonji (congealed ox blood) are unlimited here, and you grab your side dishes yourself from the self-serve corner. Kimchi, kkakdugi and other sides were neatly laid out, and we could take as much as we wanted.

And my favorite part: the rice and ox blood are unlimited! Sometimes the rice runs a little short when you're eating gukbap, but here you can just go get more, which felt really generous.

If you like ox blood, you'll be even happier here.

Three of us, three soups: bean sprout haejangguk, haenaetang and ox head gukbap

Three of us went this time, so we each ordered something different: bean sprout haejangguk, haenaetang (offal soup) and ox head gukbap! It was nice to try several kinds instead of just one.

Bean sprout haejangguk: a cool, clean broth

The bean sprout haejangguk has a cool, refreshing broth! The bean sprouts keep the soup clean and easy to eat. I think it suits people who prefer a refreshing hangover soup over a spicy, rich one.

Ox head gukbap: a savory taste in a big earthenware bowl

The ox head gukbap comes piping hot in a big ttukbaegi (earthenware pot), and it's a proper filling meal. Scooping up the meat and broth together tasted savory, and it went well with rice stirred in. You can choose anything from bean sprout haejangguk to haenaetang with offal to ox head gukbap, so I'd recommend everyone in your group ordering something different.

Haenaetang: a rich broth with beef tripe and intestines

Haenaetang is the dish that really shows off what this place is about! According to the description in the restaurant, it's a restorative dish made by adding beef tripe (yang), daechang (large intestine) and sochang (small intestine) to Yangpyeong haejangguk broth simmered for a long time in a traditional cauldron. It looked delicious from the moment it arrived bubbling in the ttukbaegi. The rich broth and the offal came together for a deep, savory flavor.

Verdict: a bowl of gukbap before or after the Yeonan Pier market

Our visit to 24-Hour Sopuri Yangpyeong Haejangguk, Yeonan Pier General Fish Market Branch was great. Three of us ordered bean sprout haejangguk, haenaetang and ox head gukbap, so we got to taste a variety, and with unlimited rice and ox blood we ate plenty.

It's near the Yeonan Pier General Fish Market, so it's good for a meal before or after browsing the market, and the 24-hour opening is a real plus. If you're near Incheon Port or looking for a good spot at Yeonan Pier and want a hot bowl of gukbap, it's worth a visit.