As the year comes to an end, I often have dinner meetings with friends and work colleagues at the end of the year. After enjoying drinks and snacks until late in the evening, Haejang soup is a must the next day. There are haejang cultures all over the world that soothe aches and pains, but it's rare for them to have as many varieties and the name of the menu is “haejang soup†as in Korea. Here are 5 of the best Haejang soup restaurants for the end of the year, such as seonji, bean sprouts, drumfish, cockles, and bonito flakes.
1. 'Gwanghwamun Dukgam' in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, boasting an extraordinary sense of spaciousness
Image source: yeon1255's Instagram
Image source: weekly.jmt's Instagram
“Gwanghwamun Dukgam†is famous as a lunch spot for nearby office workers for its reasonable price and hearty portion. The signature menu, “Tukgam (earthenware pot gamjatang),†is made by putting a lot of pork backbone in an earthenware pot and putting a whole potato on it. The rich texture of the potato and the pork backbone with the meat firmly attached fill the filling. If you visit at lunchtime, an additional meal is provided free of charge.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 21 Saemunan-ro 3-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 00:00 — 24:00 every day, B/T 15:00 — 17:00
â–²Price: Dukgam (earthenware pot gamjatang) 8,500 won, gamjatang (small) 25,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Don't eat meat): It's really delicious when you wrap the meat in the sesame leaves that come on top of the rice cake. It contains about 3 spines, and each one is so big that even an adult man would be full of hunger.
2. 'Yongmun Haejang Guk' in Yongmun-dong, Seoul, which has kept the same taste for many years
Image source: sygamuk's Instagram
Image source: byungwoo0079's Instagram
“Yongmun Haejang Soupâ€, which has a history of over 50 years, is considered one of the top three haejang soup restaurants in Yongsan. The signature menu is “Haejang soup,†which has a rich flavor using beef bone broth made by adding beef backbone to the broth. Ingredients such as green onions, Chinese cabbage, bean sprouts, radish, and beef stew were added and boiled one more time to bring out the refreshing flavor of the soup. The soft flesh attached to the plump tendon and beef bones adds richness.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 110 Hyochangwon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 02:00 — 13:00 every day, closed on the second and fourth Mondays
â–²Price: Haejang soup 8,000 won
â–²Review (Shikigin's natural beauty): It's my favorite place in Yongsan Haejang soup. It contains plenty of senji, and it goes very well with the rich soup. The moment you roll up the rice and put a cool kakuteki on it, it feels like it's going to melt right away.
3. 'Wansanjeong', a refreshing soup that relaxes the inside, Seoul Haengdong
Image source: muk_hoon2eyo's Instagram
Image source: neogur2_food's Instagram
“Wansanjeong†has continued for the second generation. The signature menu, “Jeonju Bean Sprout Haejang Soup,†is served with a raw egg placed over the simmering soup in an earthenware pot. It features a refreshing yet sharp soup made by putting bean sprouts and finely chopped fresh kimchi in broth made from natural ingredients such as green onions, hwangtae, and kelp. Depending on your taste, you can mix the shrimp and wild sesame powder on the table with the soup and eat it.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 484 Bongcheon-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 00:00 — 24:00 every day
â–²Price: Jeonju bean sprout haejang soup 6,500 won, redfish sashimi (small) 18,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigin young0126): It was nice that the rice was rolled up in the soup and was hot. If you eat the egg yolk on top, the soup is thick yet savory, so it's delicious. It goes well with the seaweed sauce that comes as a side dish.
4. 'Jangwon Drumfish Guk' in Yeouido-dong, Seoul, where you can fully feel the savory taste of drumfish
Image source: i_am_jdh's Instagram
Image source: your_youngchul's Instagram
“Jangwon Buk Fish Soup†is located near Yeouido Station Exit 5. The signature menu is “drumfish soup,†which uses broth made by frying pufferfish in sesame oil and simmering it thoroughly for over 10 hours, and has a rich flavor like beef bone. The puffy egg, soft tofu, and moist pufferfish mixed with the immaculate soup gently soothe the inside. If you visit before 10 a.m., you can enjoy Bukit Ngok at a discounted price.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 11 Gukjegeumyung-ro 8-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
▲Opening hours: 06:30 — 15:00 every day, closed on Sundays
â–²Price: Pufferfish soup 7,000 won, Dongtaetang 7,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Mrs. Park Jil, Shikigami): I started my business early in the morning and stopped by on the day I went to work before going to work. If you eat the pork soup lightly at the beginning and eat it halfway through, you can enjoy it even more if you add a little bit of shrimp sauce.
5. Where chewy cockles meet savory soup, 'Cheongcheon Olgang Haejangguk' in Hwagok-dong, Seoul
Image source: kmp925's Instagram
Image source: kmp925's Instagram
“Cheongcheon Olgang Haejangguk†is easy to visit with a 24-hour store. The signature menu, “Olgang Haejang Soup,†brings out the rich texture of chewy oysters mixed with a savory miso-based soup. You can choose from three types of vegetables for Haejang soup: leek, mallow, leek, and mallow. I also like “Olgang chujeon,†which is a mixture of oyster roe and chives that are cooked until golden brown.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 24 Gangseo-ro 5-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 00:00 — 24:00 every day
â–²Price: Olgang Haejang soup 9,000 won, Olgang leek soup 15,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigin Mango BOH): You can find a variety of dishes, such as haejang soup, rice crackers, and sauces made with whole grains. My favorite menu is haejang soup, which is great for haejang and food. If you like spicy food, I recommend eating it with red pepper!