If you’re unsure of who Lee Jang Woo is, the Korean actor who frequently appears on the Korean Variety Show ‘I Live Alone’ is known for many things. He has the title of ‘Powder Chef’ because of his cooking with seasoning powders, and most recently, he lost 22kg and shot a body profile with Park Narae and Jeon Hyunmoo.
The actor is also the owner of an udon restaurant, which is unsurprising with his love of food. However, he also opened Hoseokchon, a restaurant specializing in Sundae Gukbap near Seokchon station.
Sundae Gukbap Restaurant in Seoul
Located right beside Seokchon Lake, the restaurant is situated in the middle of apartments but is known for snaking queues. It also operates for 24 hours, making it a great spot for late-night suppers or early-morning hangover cures.
The overall vibe of the restaurant screams old-school, and we were directed to the second floor which was packed with customers even at 3pm. We also noticed a significant number of solo diners, who were warmly welcomed despite the seating configuration.
The menu here is simple, focusing on Sundae-guk (10,000won) and an upsized version at 12,000won. There’s also Suyuk (13,000won/20,000won) and Sul-guk (18,000won).
If you’re dining alone and want to try both the Sundae-guk and Suyuk, the Hoseokchon Jungsik (13,000won) is the perfect option. Coming with a bowl of Sundae-guk, and a small plate of Suyuk, this was what we opted for.
There are a couple of things that differentiate the Sundae-guk here when compared to other places. Firstly, for a place specializing in Sundae-guk, the blood sausage used here is the one you typically find at Bunsik places. The blood sausages only contain glass vermicelli and nothing else.
However, the amount of meat in this bowl of Sundae-guk is on the generous side, with more unique cuts like lung included as well.
The meat is also sliced thinly as compared to other Sundae-guk places, which provides an interesting medley of textures when a big scoop is taken. While we’re a fan of huge chunk of meats, this was an interesting take, and we also enjoyed their rendition.
You’ll also realize that the soup is redder than the more common Sundae-guk, which is whiter in colour. We thoroughly enjoyed the flavors though – while it looks spicy, it’s not!
As for the Suyuk, it differs from the usual boiled slices of meat as it felt more like a cold cut. It’s made with Hangjeongsal, Boiled Meat slices as well as meat from the head before it’s thinly sliced. When it’s not paired with their special sauce, there isn’t much taste to this.
From what we know, the radish kimchi is made in-house, which is crunchy and palatable.
Lee Jang Woo Restaurant in Seoul
As fans of Sundae-guk, we thoroughly enjoyed Hoseokchon’s version of the comforting bowl. If you’re looking for something cleaner that’s leaning towards a whiter/milkier base, this might not be the spot for you.
It’s also a great spot for solo travellers looking to explore a slice of Korean cuisine!
Hoseokchon (호석촌)
서울 송파구 백제고분로39길 36
36 Baekjebun-ro 39-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul
Mon-Sun, Open 24 Hours
Nearest Subway: Seokchon Station (Line8/9), Exit 8
Naver Maps
*This was an independent review by MiddleClass
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