Pyeongtaek naengmyeon restaurant for first-timers: Seoul Myeonok

Today I'm sharing a day trip near Pyeongtaek Station! I visited Seoul Myeonok, a naengmyeon spot with 60 years of history. It was my first time ever trying pyongyang naengmyeon, so I was pretty excited and nervous going in! Spoiler: it was so good I think I might become a pyongyang naengmyeon person now!

What does the pyongyang naengmyeon at Seoul Myeonok taste like?

✔️ Looks: A cool broth with a thin layer of ice floating on top, topped with thick slices of boiled beef, plus a generous heap of pear and egg garnish. Just one bowl looks like a full meal.

✔️ Taste: This was my first pyongyang naengmyeon ever, and after eating at Seoul Myeonok I honestly couldn't understand why people say it's a love-it-or-hate-it dish! The broth is mild but somehow addictive — you keep going back for more — and the noodles are thick enough to give a proper chewy bite! The cool, refreshing temperature is perfect for summer too!

✔️ Recommended pairing: The noodle portion itself is generous, but pairing it with the pork belly bossam (boiled pork belly) makes it a perfect combo! The bossam has just the right amount of fat, with soft, clean-tasting meat that contrasts nicely with the mild broth.

Seoul Myeonok location, hours and parking near Pyeongtaek Station

Seoul Myeonok sits right outside Exit 1 of Pyeongtaek Station, so there's a good amount of foot traffic around. It's open daily 11:30–20:00. The restaurant has been running for 60 years, so it looks a bit old on the outside, but the inside is spotless — which honestly makes it feel like even more of a trustworthy, real local favorite.

🅿️ Parking info 🅿️ There's no dedicated parking, but there's a sign directing guests to the Pyeongtaek-dong public parking lot, a 3-minute walk away. It's free for the first hour, so it's easy enough to use for the length of a meal!

Inside and outside Seoul Myeonok

Seoul Myeonok, a naengmyeon restaurant run by the third generation of the same family, sits right in front of Pyeongtaek Station — and somehow this old-school storefront stands out even more against the shiny new AK Department Store nearby!

Even though it's an old restaurant, the inside is kept so clean and tidy that it actually gave me an even better first impression — like it was going to taste even better! One note: on weekend lunches, customers kept streaming in, so if your timing is off you might end up waiting.

True to being a naengmyeon specialist, almost every table around me was eating either pyongyang naengmyeon or bibim naengmyeon! You could tell there were a lot of regulars too — the friendly owner was greeting people table by table, which made the whole place feel even warmer.

What we ordered at Seoul Myeonok and what it cost

• Pyongyang naengmyeon ₩11,000
• Bibim naengmyeon ₩11,000
• Pork belly bossam (half portion) ₩16,000

Since this was my first time trying pyongyang naengmyeon, that's what I ordered! On top of that, I also added the tender pork belly bossam to round things out!

Half portion of pork belly suyuk and the pollack salad side

The bossam (half portion) came out first! I was pleasantly surprised by how much pollack hoe-muchim (spicy raw pollack salad) came with it as a side!

Other places don't seem to give you this much even when you order hoe-naengmyeon (raw fish cold noodles), but here the well-seasoned pollack hoe-muchim came as a side dish, and it went perfectly with both the clean-tasting bossam and the noodles!

Since the bossam is made from pork belly, it had just the right amount of fat, with soft, clean lean meat!

It pairs really well with the seasoning sauce, salted shrimp, or chili peppers — and it's exactly the dish to fill in what might feel like a slightly light meal if you were only having naengmyeon!

Trying pyongyang naengmyeon for the first time

Here's the pyongyang naengmyeon I tried for the very first time today! The broth looked so clear that I was genuinely curious what it would taste like — this was my first-timer's challenge!

Thick slices of boiled beef and pear are piled onto the cool broth, plus a generous heap of egg garnish on top!

The noodles felt really thick, which gave them a great chewy texture, and thanks to the cool broth, this dish is perfect for summer too!

The portion is quite generous — you can tell at a glance, the bowl is packed full of noodles! Now I get why people say the mild broth is addictive. If you eat this at Seoul Myeonok, a well-known spot near Pyeongtaek Station, I think you'd really enjoy it, love-it-or-hate-it reputation aside!

Bibim naengmyeon at Seoul Myeonok

My friend's pick was the bibim naengmyeon (spicy mixed cold noodles)! The spicy seasoning was the kicker here.

The only real difference was the broth versus the sauce — the chewy noodle texture was just as delicious either way!

Just like with the pyongyang naengmyeon, eating the noodles together with the pollack hoe-muchim made for a tangy, really delicious combination!

Is Seoul Myeonok worth a visit? Final verdict

That's my review of trying pyongyang naengmyeon for the first time at Seoul Myeonok, a well-known spot near Pyeongtaek Station! Between the mild broth, chewy noodles, and clean-tasting pork belly bossam on the side, it's a combo I think basically anyone could enjoy!

If you've been wanting to try pyongyang naengmyeon for the first time, I'd recommend starting with Seoul Myeonok!!