Hongdae Korean restaurant for soy yukhoe bibimbap: Baengni Gomtang

While looking for a Korean restaurant in Hongdae where I could have a filling meal that wasn’t too intense, I visited Baengni Gomtang (백리곰탕) :)

This time, I ordered Korean beef gomtang (beef soup), Korean beef soy-marinated yukhoe bibimbap (seasoned raw beef rice bowl), and handmade tteokgalbi (grilled minced beef patties)!

Baengni Gomtang is at Unit 1, 1F, 40-18 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 to 23:00, with a break time from 15:00 to 17:00 and last orders at 22:00. Everything had a clean, mild flavor, making it easy to enjoy as a meal without feeling weighed down, and the portions were more generous than I expected, so I left feeling full.

I think it would be especially worth keeping in mind for anyone who likes clear-broth gomtang or is looking for Korean food in Hongdae.

Neat and welcoming Baengni Gomtang on a side-street hill

Baengni Gomtang really stood out, even tucked away in a side street. The restaurant is on the uphill side of an alley. Since it was my first visit, I wondered whether I would find it easily, but the large, atmospheric sign reading Baengni Gomtang was more noticeable than I expected.

It looked clean and orderly even from outside, and once inside, the overall interior had a warm, neat atmosphere that suited a Korean restaurant really well.

The wood-tone tables and warm interior came together nicely, making it a comfortable place to eat. The whole restaurant also felt well kept, which made for a great first impression. It had the feel of a good spot for a relaxed meal when you want to step away from Hongdae’s busy, crowded atmosphere for a bit.

Clear, mild Korean beef gomtang

First up, the Korean beef gomtang! Rather than the milky-looking style of broth you might expect from the photos, this was a clear-broth gomtang, and its flavor was clean and mild overall.

What I liked most was how much meat there was inside. This wasn’t a gomtang that was all broth; it came with plenty of meat, so having it with rice made one bowl feel filling on its own. The rice portion was generous too. It looked ordinary at first, but as I ate, I realized there was more food than I had expected.

Scooping up the scallions and meat with rice, then having some of that clear broth, felt like a comforting way to fill my stomach! If you prefer a clean, mild gomtang over a broth that is overly strong or rich, I think this would suit you well.

The Korean beef soy yukhoe bibimbap I kept reaching for

Personally, the dish I especially enjoyed was the Korean beef soy yukhoe bibimbap.

The yukhoe was soft and tender, so it was easy to eat. Since this yukhoe bibimbap was flavored with soy sauce rather than gochujang (Korean red chili paste), my mouth still felt clean after I finished it. When you think of yukhoe bibimbap, the spicy-sweet, bold flavor of gochujang usually comes to mind first, but this soy version was milder, which somehow made me keep reaching for it.

I also liked that the taste of the yukhoe was not hidden by the seasoning, so I could enjoy its tender texture too. It was the kind of flavor that kept drawing me in as I ate, with a different charm from the Korean beef gomtang. And such a thoughtful touch: soup comes with the bibimbap! Taking a sip of warm broth now and then while eating the bibimbap was a great combination.

Handmade tteokgalbi unlike the store-bought kind

For a side, I ordered the handmade tteokgalbi. You can see how thick it is in the photos, and when I actually tried it, the inside was soft. Perhaps because it was handmade, there was a noticeable difference in both texture and flavor from the ready-made versions you often eat.

The meat itself was savory and tender, and it went nicely as a bite between the gomtang and yukhoe bibimbap. If gomtang alone feels a little lacking, or you are visiting with several people and want to add one side dish, it is a good combination to order together.

Trying all three dishes together

If you are looking for a clean-tasting Korean meal in Hongdae, I tried the Korean beef gomtang, Korean beef soy yukhoe bibimbap, and handmade tteokgalbi at Baengni Gomtang this time, and all three dishes were mild and easy to enjoy.

In particular, the Korean beef gomtang, with its clear broth and generous amount of meat, made for a satisfying meal. The soy yukhoe bibimbap was the dish that personally stayed on my mind, thanks to its tender yukhoe and clean soy seasoning.

I noticed there was a free photo zone beside the restaurant’s main entrance, haha. It was so nice for taking a commemorative photo after eating, and it made for a different kind of experience because we could keep our meal at Baengni Gomtang as a memory with friends!

On a day when you want comforting, filling Korean food amid all the intense flavors in Hongdae, keep Baengni Gomtang in mind if you are looking for Korean food, gomtang, or a good place for a rice meal :)