Champon is a complex food that combines the cultures of Korea , China, and Japan. The origin of champon began in 1892 at a restaurant called “Sahaeru †set up by Chen Pingshun
, a Chinese scholar from Fujian Province, China, who settled in Nagasaki, Japan. “Tangyuksamen,â€
a noodle dish made from pork and chicken bones eaten in my hometown of Fujian, is made by tearing beef, pork, and chicken into small pieces and adding vegetables such as seafood or cabbage, to suit local tastes. This noodle became popular not only among Chinese
students and workers who settled in Nagasaki, but also among Japanese people, and became the name of the Japanese food “Chanpon.†After that, during the period of Japanese domination, Nagasaki Chinese expended into Korea, and seafood and spicy red pepper powder were
added to suit the irritating tastes of Korean people, making it a cool champon we eat these days.
The top 5 champon restaurants in the country include “Yeongbin Road†in Pyeongtaek, “Donghaewon†in Gongju, “Gyo-dong Branch†in Gangneung,
“Bokseong-ro †in Gunsan, and “Jinheung Branch†in Daegu. Seoul has “
Daesung Hall†in Daebang-dong, “Song Chef†in Sinsa-dong , “Song Chukjang
†in Yeongdeungpo, “Yeongbin Tower†in Hongdae, “Hano†in Yeouido, “Spicy Champon†in Singil-dong, “PR Gak
†in Jangchung-dong, and Banpo-dong†“Seorae-hyang â€, “Cinema†in Lee Mun-dong, “Eight Sun†in Jangchung-dong , “Dowon†in Taepyeong-ro,
“Dorim†in Sogong-dong, “Hongmyeong†in Bomun-dong, “Andong Branch†in Bomun-dong, “Yeomyeong†in Gongdeok-dong, and Yeonhui-dong
“Ewha Wonâ€, “Big Bag
†in Nonhyeon-dong, “Seogung†in Yeouido, and “Jang Sun-ro†in Gwangjang-dong are famous champon restaurants. “Champon†is synonymous with Chinese food loved by Koreans along with jajangmyeon for its chewy noodles and cool flavor. The cool soup is also perfect as a haejang soup to relieve last night's hangover. Meet the 5 best legendary
champon restaurants in Seoul
1.
'Choma' in Hongdae, with chewy noodles
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“Choma†is
a champon restaurant in Hongdae where men and women of all ages line up to eat champon. It is run by the owner chef by the third son of Songtan “Yeongbin Luâ€, one of the top
five champon restaurants in the country. The signature menu is “champon,†which is seasoned with finely
sliced pork, squid, and vegetables. It feels like finely chopped ingredients are neatly placed on top of each other. You can feel
the deep aroma spread evenly on the elastic, chewy noodles. “Sweet and sour pork,
†which is eaten with a sweet and transparent sweet and sour pork sauce, is a popular dish that goes well with champon. The texture of chewing on light lean meat using a thick tenderloin is attractive.
â–²Location: 72, Wausan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
â–²Business hours: 11:30 – 21:00 every day, break time 16:00 – 17:00), closed on Mondays
â–²Price: Champon 8,000 won, sweet and sour pork 14,000 won
â–²Review (Shikigin Drakan): The ingredients in champon are cut into
small pieces and placed on top, so they are easy to eat and blend well with the texture of the noodles. The broth is also refreshing, so it's nice that it's not salty.
2. “Kyungbalwon
†in Hwigyeong-dong, where the rich soup is delicious
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“Kyungbalwon†is a Chinese restaurant located near Hoegi Station. It's a
place with kanji signs and quaint windows showing the ages. The signature menu is “champon,†which has a light brown color like miso soup. The noodles are as thick and chewy as handmade noodles. It is characterized by the fact that it contains plenty of ingredients
such as pork , squid, Chinese cabbage, and bok choy. The rich chicken-flavored broth has a refreshing yet mild,
spicy flavor. The spiciness can be adjusted when ordering.
The spicy “kanpunggi,†which is topped with plenty of chives, is also popular for its crunchy texture. Sichuan peppers, cheongyang peppers, and red pepper seeds are added to the salty soy sauce base, so you can enjoy the spicy
flavor.
[Tips for eating food]
â–²Location: 34, Mangu-ro 21-gil, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul
â–²Business hours: 12:00 – 21:00 every day, break time 15:00-17:00
â–²Price: Champon 5,000 won, Kanpunggi 28,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigin Munju): It didn't
taste like the jajangmyeon and champon you know! It's so unique, how do you look at it at first, huh?
What kind of flavor is this, the kind of flavor you keep eating? Although kanpungki had bones, it was a bit cumbersome to apply and eat one by one, but the
flavor was amazing!
3. Euljiro 'Wonheung' , the classic of champon for 25 years
“Wonheungâ€, located in the
back alley of the Korea Tourism Organization, is a video Chinese restaurant that has been operating since 1994. It is a place where nearby
office workers line up from opening hours. The signature menu is “champon,†which has a balance between rich meat and seafood flavors. Since they are stir-fried at the same time as the order is placed, the characteristic is
that the crunchiness of the various vegetables is still alive. Champon, which contains cabbage and onions, is not irritating and has a sweet and rich flavor. “Deep-fried meat,†which is thick pork coated with tempura batter and deep-fried, is a popular menu item. Eat it with soy sauce mixed with vinegar and red pepper powder. It has a light meat flavor and is crispy and fluffy. Note that only four meal menus are available at lunchtime
: “jajangmyeon,†“stir-fried
jajang,†“champon,†and “champon rice.â€
[Tips for eating food]
â–²Location: 46 Dadong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
â–²Business hours: 11:00 to 19:30
every day, break time 15:00
— 17:30
â–²Price: Champon 7,000 won, fried meat 25,000 won
â–²Testimonial (
Strawberry Muffin): This is a slightly boring champon. It's not
irritating, so there's no stickiness at the end, and it doesn't make you feel uncomfortable. Unlike regular sweet and sour pork that contains ketchup, it is a place where you can eat sweet and sour pork from
the olden days.
4. 'Il-il Hyang' in Apgujeong, a champon full of flavor
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“
One Day Hyang†is a Chinese restaurant with the meaning of “serving aromatic food every day .†It is a place that minimizes the feeling of lunch using only 100% soybean oil. “One Day Hyang,†which has expanded to 6 stores
under a directly-managed store system, has a large store size and is a favorite place for nearby office workers to have a dinner party. The signature
meal menu is “champon,†which has a sharp flavor that stands out for its large onion. It is characterized by its spicy
flavor and deep flavor and aroma. Among the cooking menus, “Eo-hyangdongo,†made by
putting minced shrimp inside shiitake mushrooms and stir-frying them in a spicy sauce, is a popular menu. The chewy and fragrant shiitake mushrooms and the chewy texture of the shrimp are attractive.
[Tips for eating food]
â–²Location: 30 Nonhyeon-ro 168-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
â–²Opening hours: 11:30 – 21:30 every day, closed
on holidays
â–²Price: Champon: 8,000 won, Eo-hyangdongo 35,000 won, sweet and sour pork
27,000 won
â–²Review (Shiikigin Boradoli): It's refreshing and delicious~ I originally wanted to eat it as a course meal, but the course was only available when 3 or more people came, so the two of them went and ate it as a la carte. I tried
several of them as a single item, and I was satisfied that they were plentiful, delicious, and satisfying. It's a
place I want to go out to eat with my family.
5. Reservation required one month in advance,
'Mokran' in Yeonhui-dong
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“Mokran†is a Chinese restaurant known as a restaurant run by “Chef Lee
Yeon Bok.†It's a restaurant where you have to make a reservation as early as a month before your visit. Dishes such as “dongpayuk,†“menbosha,†and “grilled gyoza†must be ordered in advance when making a reservation, and the meal menu
can be ordered immediately. The signature meal menu is “champon,†which helps to finish the lunch course cleanly. Along with large ingredients such as various seafood and vegetables , it has a cool and refreshing flavor. Another popular meal is “tantan noodles,†which
contains finely chopped bok choy, roasted cashew nuts, and peanuts as ingredients.
The subtle flavor behind the rich, savory soup is appealing .
[Tips for eating food]
â–²Location: 21, Yeonhui-ro 15-gil,
Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
â–²Opening hours: 11:30 – 22:00 every day, break time 15:00-17:00
â–²Price: Champon 1,0000 won, sweet and sour pork 20,000 won, dongpayuk 45,000 won
â–²Review (Shikigami
Daewan): Reservations can be made one month in advance, and there are fixed dates for 1 day and 16 days, and it is only possible
to call back many times! Keep in mind that popular dishes such as dongpayuk, menbosha, and grilled gyoza must be ordered when making a reservation~ You can't say it's a
different flavor, but should I just stick to the basics? If you eat it, the phrase “it's delicious†came out of nowhere.
