Bucheon Korean restaurant for tteokgalbi steak and spicy

Lately I've been eating too much flour-based, spicy food and I could feel my health taking a hit 💦 So I've been trying to make my first meal of the day Korean food when I can. But of course, a person still wants that Korean food to actually taste good. We were out buying furniture and found Hanchon Seolleongtang nearby, tasty and good for you, so we went right away!

Hours and parking

⏰ Hours: Daily 08:00–21:00 (last order 20:30) 🅿️ Parking available

This side of town is a bit far so we don't come often, but there's an Ibiga Jjamppong right next door and quite a few other places to eat out!

Not sure when it opened, but the entrance looked freshly done and pretty 🤩

Am I the only one who loses all interest in a restaurant when parking is bad? Hanchon Seolleongtang Kkachiul Station Branch had really great parking, and that made me so happy 🙏

It's a well-known franchise, but every branch is different, and the Kkachiul Station branch really felt like they put their heart into the food.

2nd-floor atmosphere and seating

It's on the 2nd floor, so you go up the stairs and there's the Hanchon Seolleongtang restaurant :)

The interior was neatly kept. They must really care about cleaning because it looked spotless. We came in during that awkward early evening lull so it was quiet, but customers kept streaming in while we ate! The tables were well arranged for groups, pairs, and fours.

They also sell meal kits that are easy to heat up at home. They'd make a great gift too! A ray of light for those of us who can't cook..⭐️

Check the country of origin info 😊 Most of it is domestically sourced.

The seokbakji (radish kimchi) and kimchi come in nice-looking jars with tongs and scissors provided, so you can portion out and cut just as much as you want to eat!

Menu and ordering — spicy seolleongtang, special seolleongtang, tteokgalbi

Here's the menu! You order via kiosk, and you can tap the photo to zoom in 😊 There's a really wide variety. I've been to Hanchon Seolleongtang many times before but I'm still surprised how everything is delicious.. everything looked so good we spent ages deciding what to order, haha 🤣 We ended up ordering the special seolleongtang (rice-mixed version), spicy seolleongtang, and tteokgalbi.

Bucheon Botanic Garden Lumi Nare tie-in event

Hanchon Seolleongtang is also running an event. If you visit Lumi Nare (paid) inside Bucheon Botanic Garden, they give you a Bucheon Love Gift Certificate. Isn't that great for people with kids, or families out sightseeing together? Sightseeing plus a discount on a delicious meal! Very nice.

There's a version where the rice comes already mixed in and a version where it's served separately — apparently this is the reason for that 🤔 More of a guk-bap (soup with rice) feel, I guess?

Self-service corner and free rice refills

At the self-service corner you'll find aprons, wet wipes, salt, and rice. Free rice refills in particular are the absolute best! This is that Korean generosity...

Spicy seolleongtang, ₩13,000 — how spicy is it?

My spicy seolleongtang arrived 🤤🤤 (Spicy seolleongtang, ₩13,000)

I agonized soooo long between this and wang-galbitang (large rib soup), but ended up craving something spicy, and I have zero regrets about the visual 😋

Isn't that visual something~~~~? It was spicy but not overly hot, spicy enough that even older adults could enjoy it comfortably!

Loaded generously with all kinds of vegetables, egg, meat, and glass noodles 🥹🥹 Spicy seolleongtang tastes a bit like yukgaejang (spicy beef soup) but much cleaner — the flavor was excellent.

Special seolleongtang, ₩16,000 — the rice-mixed version

This is the (special) seolleongtang my husband ordered. It costs ₩16,000. Apparently it's Hanchon's signature dish, with double the meat of the regular seolleongtang. The milky white broth really caught the eye.

My husband ordered the version with rice already mixed in, and there was plenty of rice, noodles, and meat too! Isn't that just the perfect carb-protein-fat combo 🐒

Say ahh, everyone ㅋ_ㅋ Looks great for recovering your strength. After cutting up the kimchi nice and neatly,

one big bite~ My husband ate it up so happily 👍🏻 They apparently don't put salt out on the tables. The reason is that some people add salt without tasting first, just assuming it's bland, so once your food arrives you can grab salt from the self-bar or ask a staff member and they'll bring it! So considerate.. 🙏

Tteokgalbi steak, ₩15,000 — pricey for a side?

We ordered the tteokgalbi steak as a side. It costs ₩15,000! I thought, isn't that a bit much for a side dish? But once I cut into it and tasted it, my mind changed completely..

The tteokgalbi steak was really thick, and the sizzling sound on the hot stone plate was pure art..

It was also packed with juice, so it wasn't dry at all — soft and great to pair with the rest of the meal. I thought the portion might be small, but it really wasn't at all 😊😊 Hanchon Seolleongtang Kkachiul Station Branch was satisfying in every way!!!!!!

Would we go back?

With such a wide menu to choose from, and not a single dish falling short on taste, why wouldn't we come back? The owner was also so kind, and I'm definitely coming again! ! ! 😊😊😊 If you're looking for a great place to eat out, be sure to check out Hanchon Seolleongtang Kkachiul Station Branch.