Korean restaurant in Daegu for spicy hangover soup: Jeju Seobine

I visited Jeju Seobine Haejangguk Manchon Direct Branch (제주섭이네해장국 만촌직영점) in Manchon, Daegu, for spicy haejangguk (hangover soup) with seonji (blood curd). I paired spicy beef haejangguk with chilled Korean beef yukhoe mulhoe, and alternating the spicy broth with the sweet-and-tangy chilled dish worked well.

Where is the Manchon Direct Branch?

The restaurant is near Manchon E-Mart, on the first floor at 947 Gukchaebosang-ro, Suseong-gu, Daegu. Stone dolhareubang statues stood on either side of the entrance, giving me the impression that the place has a Jeju theme.

The sign said “30 years of tradition,” and a separate standing sign for beef haejangguk made it easy to spot. At the time of my visit, there was also a banner for a ₩1,000 grand-opening discount.

How do ordering and extra side dishes work?

The interior was clean and fairly spacious. Each table had a tablet, so I could order as soon as I sat down, and the staff were kind.

I could bring extra side dishes from the self-service bar. In addition to the basic sides, there were other options, and there was plenty of minced garlic to add to the haejangguk.

The basic sides were kkakdugi, minced garlic, cucumber peppers, garlic, ssamjang, and a yogurt drink to cleanse the palate. The food was seasoned suitably for me, so I did not eat many side dishes with it.

How much are the haejangguk and summer dishes?

The menu included haejangguk, spicy dishes, seasonal summer dishes, drinking snacks, and summer special sets. I could choose a regular or spicy version of the haejangguk, and there was also pork cutlet for children. The prices below are from the time of the original visit.

• Beef haejangguk (beef + blood curd): ₩11,000
• Beef haejangguk (without blood curd): ₩11,000
• Seonji haejangguk: ₩9,000
• Korean beef ox-foot gomtang: ₩15,000

I understood that the spicy version cost ₩1,000 more than the regular menu item, but I was not able to confirm the exact surcharge.

• Kongguksu (Korean-grown soybeans): ₩11,000
• Korean beef yukhoe mulhoe: ₩15,000
• Jeju hanchi mulhoe: ₩15,000
• Special Korean beef yukhoe mulhoe: ₩19,000
• Jeju boiled pork: small ₩15,000, medium ₩25,000
• Korean beef ox-foot hot pot: ₩35,000
• Chicken-foot pyeonyuk: ₩15,000

There were also summer special sets. A set with mulhoe, pork cutlet, and two 300cc alcoholic drinks was ₩31,000, while one with mulhoe, a small serving of boiled pork, and two 300cc alcoholic drinks was ₩34,000. It seemed worth considering if you want to have drinks with your meal.

How spicy and filling was the spicy beef haejangguk?

We ordered spicy beef haejangguk with beef and blood curd, Korean beef yukhoe mulhoe, and one bottle of soju. The total came to ₩31,500.

The spicy beef haejangguk was sharp enough to make me cough slightly on the first spoonful. Rather than being merely hot, the broth had depth, but I would consider the regular version if you do not handle spice well.

It had plenty of green onion, and adding minced garlic from the self-service bar deepened the broth even more. There was also a generous amount of blood curd and beef, making it a filling meal.

Did Korean beef yukhoe mulhoe go well with haejangguk?

The Korean beef yukhoe mulhoe came with yukhoe (seasoned raw beef), lettuce, shredded cabbage, cucumber, and carrot over an iced broth. The raw beef tasted fresh, and the broth was sweet, tangy, and savory.

Mixing everything together and taking a large bite was cool and refreshing. Alternating it with the spicy haejangguk created a good balance, and ordering the two dishes together was especially satisfying in this meal.