Yeouido tteokbokki bar: after-work patio combo for 3, Hyeonseonine

What is the Hyeonseonine Premium atmosphere at Yeouido IFC Mall like?

Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch (현선이네 프리미엄 IFC몰점) is a premium store on B2 of Yeouido IFC Mall, so the interior was very clean and pleasant. I got off work in Magok and took Line 5 to go shopping at Zara in IFC Mall, and stopped in on the way. Maybe because it's a premium store, I really liked how tidy and comfortable it felt.

You'll find it along the path after passing about two moving walkways.

There are indoor seats at the back of the shop,

and outdoor seats outside. The shop itself is fairly big, but it was after-work hours, so it filled up fast with shoppers and office workers. We got lucky and liked the vibe of the outdoor seats, so we grabbed a spot outside.

What to order for three? The Hyeonseonine Combo Set, ₩25,000

What the three of us ordered at Hyeonseonine Premium was the Hyeonseonine Combo Set (₩25,000). When you don't feel like picking items one by one, the signature set menu is always the answer! The Hyeonseonine Combo Set (₩25,000) looked like the best value for the price, so we went with it.

You order with the kiosk.

A little later the food came out, and I was surprised by how generous it was, the table was totally full. The Hyeonseonine combo comes with tteokbokki, assorted fried snacks, sundae, and 2 hot fish cake skewers (eomuk kkobuli), the three snack-bar musketeers plus fish cake, a perfect all-in-one combo. The amount was just right for three people, nobody went short!

How spicy is the medium tteokbokki at Hyeonseonine?

The medium tteokbokki at Hyeonseonine was pleasantly spicy and sweet, enough that even a friend who can't handle heat enjoyed it. Hyeonseonine tteokbokki is originally famous for being spicy, right? But we thought very spicy would be tough, so we chose "medium." When I asked the owner, he said medium is made by mixing the mild sauce and the spicy sauce in a golden ratio!

It's the broth-style tteokbokki I love! Trying it, it really was a stroke of genius. It was mildly spicy with a sweet, savory depth, and my friend who doesn't handle spice well kept saying how good it was while inhaling it. The rice cakes were chewy wheat ones (milttteok) that soaked up the sauce nicely.

How to eat the fried snacks and dumplings with tteokbokki broth

The assorted fried snacks in the Hyeonseonine Combo Set were crispy on the outside with no sogginess at all, and they were good dipped in soy sauce or in the tteokbokki broth. Dipped in the broth, the coating stayed super crispy, not soggy at all. They're good with soy sauce and good with the broth.

Personally, when I eat a dumpling (mandu), I always put some tteokbokki broth inside the filling and eat it in one bite. The spicy-sweet broth seeps into the crispy wrapper and doubles the flavor! You don't dip the dumpling itself, you just pour broth into the filling. That way the wrapper stays crispy

How were the sundae and fish cake skewers?

The sundae at Hyeonseonine had no off smell and was sticky and chewy, and the fish cake skewers had a deep, rich broth. Dipping the sundae in the broth and scooping broth and rice cakes together with a spoon was pure happiness. For stress relief, nothing beats this kind of soul food. Korea's soul food! When your throat gets a bit dry, the fish cake skewers with their broth are deep and rich and really round out the snack-bar meal.

Right in the middle of Yeouido, inside the comfortable IFC Mall, getting this much tasty snack-bar food at about ₩8,000 per person made me totally satisfied.

Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch: pros and one-line review

• Clean, premium shop atmosphere
• A solid 3-person combo for ₩25,000
• Adjustable half-and-half spice level (medium)

It's a perfect Yeouido stop for huddling with friends when you get hungry while shopping!

If you're looking for a no-fail snack bar or tteokbokki spot in Yeouido IFC Mall, definitely try Hyeonseonine Premium.

How to get to Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch from Yeouido Station

Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch is a 3–5 minute walk via the underground passage from Exit 3 of Yeouido Station (Line 5). Public transport access is the best. Take the moving walkway toward the main IFC Mall entrance, and it's on the left just before you go in. It's next to the GS convenience store.

It's very close to the station, so it's an easy place to drop by on your way home from work or when you're hungry before or after shopping. Come out toward Exit 3 of Yeouido Station and you'll find the moving walkway. Next to the GS convenience store before the IFC Mall entrance, there's the Hyeonseonine directly run store!