Weekday lunch run at Seongnam naengmyeon restaurant: Myeongyeok Sunae

Myeongyeok Bundang Sunae / open daily 11:00–21:00 / parking available / baby chairs available

I was looking for a place near Sunae Station where I could get everything from naengmyeon to chicken kalguksu and chicken katsu, and that's how I ended up at Myeongyeok Bundang Sunae.

What kind of restaurant is Myeongyeok Bundang Sunae?

Myeongyeok specializes in naengmyeon, but it also serves chicken-based dishes alongside the usual naengmyeon menu, so there's a pretty wide range to choose from. I visited on a weekday for lunch and saw tons of nearby office workers coming in — clearly a go-to lunch spot near Sunae Station.

There are tables ranging from 2-person to 4-person, so you can just sit wherever fits your group. We did an opening run to beat the crowd and were the first ones in, but by lunchtime the place was completely packed — a genuinely popular spot near Sunae Station.

You order through the tablet at your table, and there's currently an event where leaving a Naver review gets you a melona popsicle, galbi mandu (dumplings), or a drink!

What we ordered at Myeongyeok Bundang Sunae and what it cost

• Chicken half kalguksu ₩11,900
• Seasoned crab naengmyeon ₩14,900
• Cheese bomb chicken katsu combo ₩11,900
• Total ₩38,700

Rice and hot broth at the self-serve corner

Cubed radish kimchi, danmuji (pickled radish), radish, and rice are all self-serve. There's even warm broth available, great for warming up your stomach before diving into naengmyeon. They also mentioned that mixing rice into leftover kalguksu broth is amazing — no need to order extra rice, just grab it from the self-serve corner.

There was a note on the table about the best way to enjoy the chicken kalguksu, plus a story about the kimchi. Since I ordered the kalguksu, I made sure to read it thoroughly beforehand haha.

Turns out you can even make your own chicken burger here. Since we ordered the chicken katsu, I was excited to give that a try.

How big is the half-chicken kalguksu portion?

The chicken half kalguksu came out quickly — this place really is fast, which makes it perfect for office workers on a tight lunch break. The kimchi that comes with the kalguksu was also delicious.

Half a whole chicken goes into the bowl, so it felt like a nourishing, healthy meal. And because of that half chicken, the bowl was huge — the portion size was no joke.

The noodles were cooked just right with good texture, and dipping them in the accompanying perilla oil sauce made them even better. There's also chili paste on the side if you want it spicier — nice to be able to customize it to your taste.

How does the spicy seasoned crab bibim naengmyeon taste?

Browsing the menu, the seasoned crab naengmyeon looked so unique and intriguing that I had to try it. You can choose your spice level, and I went with spicy. They also give you naengmyeon broth on the side so you can enjoy it more soupy if you want.

Two whole seasoned crabs sit on top of the naengmyeon, packed with meat. This is one of Myeongyeok's signature dishes — sweet-spicy seasoned crab paired with chewy naengmyeon noodles.

After picking all the crab meat clean, I added a little broth, mixed it all together, and ate it with the crab. I went with the spicy option and it was spicier than expected. The cool, clean flavor of the naengmyeon itself combined with the sweet-spicy crab seasoning made for something definitely different from your usual bibim naengmyeon.

I'd been looking forward to this dish since it's said to be the nation's original seasoned crab naengmyeon. Pairing crab with naengmyeon felt a bit unusual at first, but after tasting it, I understood exactly why it's the signature menu item.

Building a chicken burger from the cheese bomb chicken katsu platter

Curious about the unusual chicken katsu, I ordered the cheese bomb chicken katsu combo. It comes with chicken tenderloin and chicken breast cuts — I got it as a side dish, and since it's chicken breast, no guilt involved haha.

I got the cheese version, western-style katsu topped with cheese, which made it taste even richer and more savory. It came with a garnish of a buttered dinner roll, coleslaw, pickles, and danmuji — everything you need to build your own chicken burger.

After slicing it into bite-sized pieces and assembling it into a burger, the chicken katsu was tender and well-seasoned — genuinely delicious.

Is parking near Sunae Station easy?

The parking lot at the Hyundai Pantheon building is spacious and easy to use, and with 2 hours of free parking, we had plenty of time to enjoy our meal without rushing.