Hongdae Korean restaurant for a corner-seat lunch with oiji: Anok

A gomtang spot in Hongdae, full of hanok charm

Where is Anok? A hanok restaurant down an alley by Hongik University Station

Anok is a gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon restaurant tucked down an alley near Hongik University Station. I found it while looking for a lunch spot around Hongik University Station, and once you head down the alley, tiled roofs and a gravel courtyard open up — it's hard to believe you're still in the middle of the city, it feels so peaceful and hanok-like. In the evening the lighting turns soft and warm too, which made it great for photos.

Past the gravel courtyard to a corner seat, with a tablet in four languages

As soon as we walked in there were so many group diners that we were led past the courtyard to a corner seat — but with sliding doors, a low table, and hanji (traditional paper) lighting, it felt just like a traditional tea house, and I felt good the moment I sat down.

Every table had a tablet ordering system, and it was impressive that it supported English, Japanese, and Chinese besides Korean.

Anok's clear gomtang, 13,000 won: just how clear is the broth?

We ordered clear gomtang (13,000 won), Pyongyang naengmyeon mul (14,000 won), and braised pork tail (29,000 won).

First, the clear gomtang. Anok says it adds subtle depth with medicinal ingredients like astragalus root and burdock, and skims the fat precisely over 48 hours — and the broth really was clear and clean.

There was no gamey smell, just deep meaty flavor, so it went down easily without feeling heavy, and the generous portion of Korean-bred pork suyuk (boiled sliced meat) was sliced thinly along the grain and tender. The visual was simple — just a sprinkle of chives and pepper — but from the first spoonful, the richly extracted broth flavor really came through.

Pyongyang naengmyeon (mul), 14,000 won: a mild, cold buckwheat broth

We also ordered the Pyongyang naengmyeon (mul), and it matched its description exactly — buckwheat noodles with broadly sliced boiled meat in a cold broth with a subtle meaty aroma. The broth wasn't sharp, just mild, which paired well with the gomtang, and the buckwheat noodles kept their signature snappy, breakable texture.

Braised pork tail, 29,000 won: chewy with a flame-grilled aroma

The braised pork tail was simmered in an aged seasoning sauce, then finished over an open flame for aroma, keeping a chewy texture alive.

The outside had a slightly spicy-sweet sauce soaked in, while the inside was chewy — it worked well both as a drinking snack and a side dish with rice. If we'd only ordered the gomtang and naengmyeon it might have felt a bit plain, but this one dish alone made the table feel much more abundant.

Oiji muchim side dishes and Anok's self-serve broth bar

The side dishes — oiji muchim, mumallaengi, and minced seasoning sauce — were also clean and not too sharp, which paired well with the gomtang broth. The self-serve bar had water cups and bowls for extra broth, so it was easy to use.

Final verdict: is Anok worth it for lunch in Hongdae?

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for good food in Hongdae, especially those searching for a gomtang or Pyongyang naengmyeon restaurant in Hongdae. It's just the place when you want to step slightly away from the noisy streets of Hongdae for a quiet, tidy meal. The lineup felt light enough for lunch too, so it works well as a Hongdae lunch spot.

Anok's location alone is special. You step off the main street near Hongik University Station and head into an alley, where tiled roofs and gravel paths appear right from the entrance — it's quiet and full of character, hard to believe you're in Hongdae. In the evening, lights come on under the eaves, making it great for photos, and it felt like a perfectly good date spot too.

Inside, we could eat comfortably without worrying about the tables next to us. Straw lighting and hanji floor lamps glowed softly, giving it the cozy feel of a traditional tea house, and the tablet ordering system supporting Korean, Chinese, Japanese and English showed real care for foreign guests.

For food, we ordered gomtang, naengmyeon, and braised pork tail, and all three were well made. The gomtang stood out especially, with its clean, fat-free broth and thick slices of boiled meat, while the smoky aroma of the braised pork tail added a nice highlight to what could otherwise be a plain gomtang spread. Prices — 13,000 won for gomtang, 14,000 won for naengmyeon, and 29,000 won for pork tail — were reasonable for the Hongdae area.

Overall, the food, atmosphere, and service all lined up well, so I'd definitely visit again.