Lee Woo-cheol Samgyetang Review 2026: Nurungji Chicken in Goyang

During the Lunar New Year holiday this past year, my partner and I were craving some serious comfort food to boost our energy. We headed straight to Lee Woo-cheol Herbal Nurungji Samgyetang, a renowned spot in Deogyang-gu, Goyang. What makes this place special? It’s run by the actual winner of "Korean Food Battle 3"! This restaurant is famously known as a must-visit in Seongsa-dong, close to the historic Seoreung Royal Tombs.

This popular eatery near Seoreung Royal Tombs and Seongsa-dong, right in Deogyang-gu, is truly a local favorite.

Address: 1572 Goyangdaero, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Operating Hours: Daily 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Amenities: Ample parking available, group seating, self-service side dish bar, and baby high chairs.

The parking lot here is incredibly spacious! It can easily fit around 10 cars, but since it’s such a popular spot, you'll often find it quite full.

Upon entering, we were immediately impressed by the self-service coffee station, featuring Starbucks beans, ice cups, hot chocolate, café mocha, and latte options! It felt more like a café than a traditional Korean restaurant. After our meal, there was even a line of people waiting to grab a coffee. The availability of ice cups means you can enjoy any beverage, hot or cold, just the way you like it!

We ordered one Herbal Nurungji Samgyetang for ~$13 and one Dakbokkeumtang (Spicy Braised Chicken) for ~$13.

As it’s a nurungji samgyetang specialty house, most people opt for the Herbal Nurungji Samgyetang. Many also order the Nokdu (mung bean) Samgyetang. However, we were in the mood for something spicy, so we decided on one order of Dakbokkeumtang!

The individual Dakbokkeumtang, served in a stone pot, comes with half a chicken, while the larger, appetizer-style portion (for sharing) includes a whole chicken. The Nurungji Samgyetang features a whole small chicken.

The complimentary side dishes included kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi), gochujang-doenjang muchim (chili and soybean paste with vegetables), dongchimi mu (radish water kimchi), and yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi).

With spacious four-person and six-person tables, generously spaced apart, this restaurant is ideal for group gatherings, holiday meals, or family dinners.

The self-service bar offers all the basic side dishes, allowing you to refill as much as you like!

The Dakbokkeumtang arrived first, sizzling hot!

Soon after, the Herbal Nurungji Samgyetang followed. The crispy nurungji (scorched rice) on top looked absolutely incredible!

We decided to share the two signature dishes from Lee Woo-cheol Herbal Nurungji Samgyetang in Deogyang-gu, Goyang.

First, we tried the mild Nurungji Samgyetang! Lifting the nurungji revealed a whole chicken filling the stone pot.

Honestly, I thought all samgyetang places were pretty similar, but the chicken here was incredibly tender and soft. It just melted in your mouth!

And the nurungji? Absolutely divine! It felt like enjoying both samgyetang and chicken porridge at the same time, thanks to the crispy scorched rice and glutinous rice.

The Dakbokkeumtang also came with glass noodles, so we quickly slurped them up before they got too soft!

Both the Dakbokkeumtang and Samgyetang were so delicious that we scraped our plates clean!

After our meal, there was quite a line for the coffee machine by the entrance, so I opted for a refreshing cup of roasted grain tea (dungulle-cha) instead. The thoughtful touches, from the high-quality coffee machine to the herbal tea, really made a great impression.

The counter was filled with various awards and certificates, showcasing the restaurant’s numerous accolades! The owner and staff were incredibly friendly, and we even saw families with babies enjoying their meals, thanks to the available high chairs.

All ingredients for the samgyetang—the chicken, glutinous rice, and mung beans—are proudly sourced from Korea! Lee Woo-cheol Herbal Nurungji Samgyetang in Goyang Wondang Branch was such a delightful experience. I'm already looking forward to bringing my whole family here for another nourishing meal soon.