Seoul Korean restaurant bar-table dinner for one in Insadong

Before heading home, I wanted something nourishing with a clean broth, so I stopped by Wolhadong (월하동) near Anguk Station~! I just went for a filling soup, but I ended up eating something way better than expected. Let me introduce this Insadong Korean gomtang restaurant that was great from the atmosphere to the taste!

Where is Wolhadong, and where do you park?

Wolhadong is on the 1st floor at 16-1 Insadong 8-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea, tucked in an alley near Anguk Station. If you're driving, it's convenient to use the nearby Suun Hoegwan parking lot (457 Samil-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea).

• Parking fee: ₩6,000 per hour

What do the hanok exterior and Insadong alley feel like?

It's tucked inside an alley, and visiting in the evening, the alley had such a stylish vibe? I really liked it.

It's not hard to find if you follow navigation or a map.

Maybe because it's a hanok (traditional Korean house) exterior, it feels calm and pretty. But unlike the elegant old-style look, the entrance is an automatic door, which surprised me a bit haha.

The menu board is also outside the store, so it's good to scan through the menu before going in~

There's also a restroom before you enter the restaurant.

Eating alone at Wolhadong's bar table

Inside Wolhadong, there's a bar table and regular hall tables set up.

This time I visited alone, so I took a seat at the bar table.

The seats were spaced comfortably apart and the overall atmosphere was quiet, so it was really great for eating alone.

There were a few other people around me who'd also come to eat alone. 😊

The staff member was also very calm and spoke gently and kindly, which made me feel really at ease.

They said it's a Korean restaurant that brews its gomtang using cheonggeunjang, a secret method from a Joseon-era old cookbook~

Wolhadong's menu and how QR ordering works

Ordering is done by QR code.

What we ordered: Wolhadong gomtang and cold jeyuk

Wolhadong gomtang is flavored with cheonggeunjang, made from fermented radish, and is known for its clear, clean broth.

I got the cold jeyuk (boiled pork) through the review event. They said it's a side dish of gently boiled pork chilled and served with sauces and seasonings.

How does Wolhadong gomtang taste?

Chili oil, salt, and pepper are set out, and — barley tea! That's a bonus point in my book. 😄

First, the amount of meat really surprised me. The bowl was practically half rice, half meat, packed with meat.

And the meat was so tender and soft that it easily pulled apart with just chopsticks and a spoon, making it easy to eat.

The dipping sauce the restaurant provides isn't regular soy sauce — apparently it's a special sauce made with cheonggeunjang.

Dipping the meat in this sauce added a savory depth that made it so much more delicious.

When I'd eaten about half the gomtang, I tried adding a bit of chili oil, and it brought a whole different flavor that I loved. (If you like eating things spicy, I definitely recommend it!)

Cold jeyuk with doenjang: the best pairing

The cold jeyuk was also quite satisfying. Topping it lightly with the doenjang (soybean paste) that came alongside gave it this indescribably welcome flavor? That kind of feeling! (Meaning it was really delicious)

The salt and pepper seasoning came together perfectly, making for a flawless doenjang-and-cold-jeyuk combination.

And the kimchi! I genuinely wanted to take a whole box of this kimchi home! Both the kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and the kimchi were so delicious, and I wanted to know where they make this seasoning ㅜㅜ

Is Wolhadong worth it for a solo dinner?

★★★★★ (5.0 / 5.0) I went for a bowl of warm soup and left feeling like I'd eaten a huge amount of meat. It seems like a wonderful Korean restaurant near Anguk Station where you can enjoy deep, clean broth and generous meat.

You can eat comfortably alone without any burden, and the atmosphere is nice enough that it'd be great with anyone. If you have plans near Anguk or find yourself craving a gentle, nourishing dinner, definitely check out Wolhadong.