Kalguksu restaurant near Hongdae for bossam medium and bibim noodles

Hi, this is Sweet. This is genuinely one of my most frequent regular spots. It's not just that I tried it once and liked it — it's the place that comes to mind naturally whenever I'm wondering what to eat around here: Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch.

I especially love the combo of bossam (boiled pork) and kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup), so I come here often for meals. This time too, I ordered my favorites — bossam and bibim kalguksu (spicy mixed noodles). If you're looking for a good bossam spot around Hongdae and Mapo, this is worth a visit, so let me introduce it.

Location and hours of Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch

• Address: 84 Yanghwa-ro 7-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (427m from Mangwon Station Exit 1, Line 6)
• Hours: 11:00 – 22:00
• Break time: 15:00 – 17:00 / Last order 14:30, 21:30
• Signature menu: Bossam (large), ppyeo tangbap, spicy ppyeo kalguksu, perilla oil kalguksu, pork and chive dumplings (5pc)
• No parking available

Exterior

What's on the menu, and how much?

Pyeongidambaek has more kalguksu varieties than you'd expect, so it's fun to pick something different each visit.

• Ppyeo kalguksu ₩12,000
• Spicy ppyeo kalguksu ₩12,500
• Perilla oil kalguksu ₩11,000
• Kongguksu (cold soybean noodle soup) ₩11,500
• Namhae anchovy kalguksu ₩10,500

There's also ppyeo tangbap for those who aren't into noodles.

• Ppyeo tangbap ₩12,000
• Spicy ppyeo tangbap ₩12,500

Beyond the soup dishes, there are anju (drinking snacks) like skate salad, stir-fried squid, seafood chive pancake, and acorn jelly salad, so it's a good spot for a meal or drinks with friends.

• Skate salad ₩19,000
• Stir-fried squid ₩28,000
• Seafood chive pancake ₩19,000
• Acorn jelly salad ₩18,000
• Oyster salad ₩15,000
• Half plate bossam ₩15,000
• Grilled tofu with perilla oil ₩12,000
• Pork and chive dumplings (5pc) ₩7,000

They also have seasonal dishes — oyster salad in winter, kongguksu in summer — which I think is a nice touch, letting you try something different each season.

How was the bossam (medium)?

Bossam (medium)

It's boiled five-layer pork, cooked until soft — and it tastes even better with the radish salad that comes alongside than eaten alone. The pork wasn't dry at all, tender enough to eat without any effort, and the tangy, crunchy radish salad paired so well with the mild pork that I kept reaching for more. Honestly, this combination is one of the main reasons I keep coming back to Pyeongidambaek.

The pork itself isn't too heavy, and the radish salad refreshes your palate in between bites, so you end up reaching for piece after piece. If you're hunting for bossam in Hongdae, definitely order the bossam here.

Pyeongidambaek is best known as a kalguksu specialist, but the bossam is just as satisfying. Especially when dining with a group, adding a bossam as a side rather than just ordering kalguksu alone makes the meal much more filling.

Having visited many times and tried different menus, I personally love pairing the mild ppyeo kalguksu with bossam, and I also love pairing it with bibim kalguksu like this time. Ordering one meat dish and one noodle dish lets you enjoy contrasting flavors, which makes choosing easier too.

Bibim kalguksu and bossam combo

The bibim kalguksu — the spicy sauce is well mixed into the noodles, and one bite really wakes up your appetite.

The bibim kalguksu especially looks so appetizing that chopsticks naturally reach for it first once it hits the table.

Eating it alongside the mild bossam, the spicy tangy flavor of the bibim kalguksu adds a great contrast — it's a really good combination. A bite of pork with the bibim noodles is delicious, and adding the radish salad on top brings all the flavors together so well that you keep eating.

Maybe that's why every time I go to Pyeongidambaek, I end up debating between the ppyeo kalguksu and the bibim kalguksu. The bibim kalguksu especially suits summer well, and it's great for when you have no appetite on a hot day.

Final thoughts

Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch is a place I've visited so many times as a regular that I came back this time without much thought — and once again, it didn't disappoint. This time I had the medium bossam and bibim kalguksu, and the soft five-layer pork with tangy crunchy radish salad plus the noodles made for a really satisfying meal.

If you're looking for good bossam in Hongdae or Mapo, or good boiled pork in Mapo, I'd recommend the bossam here. There's a wide range of kalguksu options too — from ppyeo kalguksu to spicy ppyeo kalguksu, perilla oil kalguksu, Namhae anchovy kalguksu, and kongguksu in summer — plus bossam, pancakes, and salads, making it a great spot for group visits.

There's clearly a reason I keep coming back for the Nth time. Whenever I want to enjoy mild kalguksu together with soft bossam, I think I'll keep choosing Pyeongidambaek.