Nam-gu Korean restaurant for boiled pork sets: Geumsu Dwaeji Gukbap

A clean pork soup restaurant near Gyeongseong University

When I’m craving a hot bowl of soup, dwaeji gukbap (pork-and-rice soup) is naturally one of the first things I think of. While looking for a filling meal near Gyeongseong University, I visited Geumsu Dwaeji Gukbap Gyeongseong-Pukyongdae Branch. Anyone looking for a gukbap place in Daeyeon-dong may have heard of it at least once, so I was curious about the atmosphere—and when I visited, it was conveniently located and clean enough to enjoy a meal comfortably.

From outside, the restaurant looked quite clean and orderly. It had the overall fresh feel of a newly opened restaurant, and the exterior felt welcoming enough to walk into without hesitation, so the first impression was a good one.

The country-of-origin information is clearly displayed. This Gyeongseong University favorite is a certified safe restaurant that follows practices including serving food onto individual plates, hygienic utensil management, mask use by staff, and never reusing food that has been served to customers.

Once inside, it was much brighter and more pleasant than I had expected. Rather than the old-fashioned feel typical of some gukbap restaurants, everything was neatly arranged, and the tables were well maintained, so it was easy to sit down and eat comfortably. It seemed like a place where dining alone would not feel awkward, while also being an easy choice with friends or family.

Aprons are self-serve. They use premium domestic Han-don pork.

• Three things Geumsu Dwaeji Gukbap does not have
• No old ingredients
• No old rice
• No factory-made side dishes

The owner’s philosophy is explained clearly here. It is a reassuring detail.

Leave a receipt review and receive a service item.

They use rice cooked within two hours, rice milled within 15 days, and 100% single-variety rice. Geumsu Dwaeji Gukbap has strict standards for cooking rice. No wonder the rice was so delicious and pleasantly sticky.

Wow, bowls of rice and noodles come with unlimited refills.

Ordering pork jowl soup and a boiled pork set meal

After sitting down and looking over the menu, we ordered pork jowl soup and a boiled pork set meal. I usually choose the standard option when I have pork soup, but that day I wanted to try something a little different, so I picked the pork jowl soup. And since I love meat, we ordered the boiled pork set meal too.

You can order using the T-order system at each table.

The basic side dishes were neatly set out. If you need more, you can take an appropriate amount from the self-service bar.

Our food came out quickly.

A set meal paired with tender boiled pork

First up was the boiled pork set meal. With everything laid out as a full spread, it looked quite generous. I liked that the boiled pork came separately from the soup, so we could enjoy it however we wanted.

The boiled pork was tender rather than dry, so it was good on its own and also paired nicely with the wrap vegetables.

Warming ourselves up with the gukbap and having boiled pork alongside it made for a truly satisfying meal. Since the two of us ordered different dishes, it was also nice to taste a little of each other’s food.

Pork soup enriched with savory pork jowl

Next was the pork jowl soup. It was generously filled with meat in a milky-white broth, so it looked filling at first glance. When I tasted a spoonful of broth first, it was rich without feeling overly heavy, and it went well with the rice too.

The pork jowl had a slightly different texture from regular pork, as expected. Its moderate fattiness gave it a savory flavor, and it became more tender as I chewed. Mixing rice into the soup and topping it with a piece of meat was a pretty great combination. It was good with chives, and seasoning it with saeujeot (salted shrimp) gave it another flavor, so it was easy to enjoy according to your taste. With kimchi and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) alongside, I finished the bowl in no time. In particular, the broth and pork jowl together made it feel a little richer and more generous than a typical pork soup.

Welcome makgeolli before the meal

Another detail that caught my eye at Geumsu Dwaeji Gukbap was the welcome makgeolli (Korean rice wine). It is prepared so you can enjoy a light glass before starting your meal, and it seems like a fun service for anyone who enjoys a drink with pork soup.

After eating at Geumsu Dwaeji Gukbap, I thought it would be a good place to visit for anyone seeking a Gyeongseong University favorite or a hearty meal in Daeyeon-dong. From the exterior to the interior, it was clean and made for a comfortable meal, and the food left me feeling like I had eaten a proper, satisfying meal. On days when I crave hot soup, a menu like this really feels the most filling.