Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap Haeundae Review: Busan's Ultimate Hangover Cure
Discover Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap in Haeundae, Busan – the top dish from my trip and easily the best pork rice soup for a true taste of local flavor. A must-visit!
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Discover Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap in Haeundae, Busan – the top dish from my trip and easily the best pork rice soup for a true taste of local flavor. A must-visit!
Words/Photos by Jinsaengsu
Hey there, I'm Jinsaengsu, and I'm thrilled to share one of the most delicious meals I had on my recent Busan trip:
🐷
It's a place in Haeundae called Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap!
This isn't just any restaurant; it's a local legend! With eight branches across Busan, the original, or main branch, is located in Minlak-dong.
Instead of heading to the main branch, I opted for the Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap Haeundae Branch, which was super convenient, just a 3-minute walk from my hotel.
But as I got closer, I started to feel a bit uneasy. What were all those people doing in front of the restaurant...???
Sunday, 11:00 AM.
I had just checked out of my hotel and rushed straight here, but...
A staggering 62 groups were already ahead of us...!!! This was insane!
Even though it was late, I knew I didn't want to settle for just any place, so I quickly joined the digital waiting list via the Table-ing app.
Thankfully, the sign mentioned that parties of two might get seated a bit faster, so I held onto some hope.
Since the restaurant is quite small,
strollers and large luggage are not allowed inside‼️
Please store your luggage outside the shop.
Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap Menu
With nothing but time on my hands, I started browsing the menu.
The Pork Jowl Gukbap (Hangjeong Gukbap for ~$8) is their most famous dish, but they also offer a variety of other Gukbap options like Pork Gukbap (Gogi Gukbap for ~$7), Intestine Gukbap (Naejang Gukbap for ~$7), Mixed Gukbap (Seokkeo Gukbap for ~$8), Sundae Gukbap (for ~$7), and Assorted Gukbap (for ~$8). You can choose from various combinations to suit your preference.
If you visit in the evening, the Pork Jowl Slices (Hangjeong Suyuk for ~$21 small / ~$28 large) or Pork Slices (Dwaeji Suyuk for ~$17 small / ~$24 large) would make a fantastic side dish to enjoy with drinks!
Weekend morning wait: 1 hour‼️
After an hour of anticipation, we finally got the call to enter!
To be honest, there were still 9 teams ahead of us, but since we were a party of two, they seated us a bit faster. What a relief!
This is a look at the first floor of Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap Haeundae. There are about 5 tables for four people, and it feels a bit cramped.
We were guided to the second floor. The stairs are narrow and quite steep, so elderly visitors or those with young children might find the first floor more comfortable. Please be careful‼️
Here's the second floor of Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap Haeundae. The building itself isn't very large, so the second floor wasn't expansive, but it felt a bit more spacious than the first.
They also have high chairs available‼️ If you're traveling with a baby, keep this in mind.
Ordering is done at your table, and it's pre-paid. One menu item per person is required✨
The signature dish is the Pork Jowl Gukbap (Hangjeong Gukbap). You can choose a spicy level for an additional fee.
Level 1: Similar to Shin Ramyun spice (moderate)
Level 2: Similar to Yeol Ramyun spice (hot)
Level 3: Similar to Samyang's Hek Buldak Ramyun spice (extremely hot)
The spicy flavor is added via a topping of spicy green onions.
The basic side dishes include fresh kimchi, kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi), chili peppers, sliced onions, garlic, chives, ssamjang (spicy dipping sauce), salted shrimp, and gochujang paste. The kimchi was absolutely delicious~~👍🏻
Finally, the Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap that made us wait for an hour arrived!
I ordered the Mixed Gukbap (original flavor) for ~$8.
My friend ordered the Pork Jowl Gukbap (Level 1 spice) for ~$8.
With its milky white broth, I initially thought it might be light on ingredients, but when I stirred it with my spoon, I discovered an incredible amount of tender meat and other delicious goodies tucked inside...!
I took a sip of the broth, and it seemed to be perfectly seasoned already. For someone like me who prefers less salt, it was a tad on the savory side, but it was SO incredibly delicious!
Perhaps because of the rich pork jowl, the slightly oily broth was incredibly savory and comforting👍🏻
Refilling and adding a generous amount of fresh chives felt like a healthy, nourishing boost for my body.
The Mixed Gukbap contained a delightful blend of pork jowl, lean pork, and a bit of offal. There was absolutely no gamey smell, which was fantastic. While pork jowl alone can sometimes feel a bit rich, the mixed gukbap was perfectly balanced and wonderfully savory.
✔️If you think the Pork Jowl Gukbap might be too rich for your taste, I highly recommend opting for the Mixed Gukbap.
This is my friend's Pork Jowl Gukbap. Even though it was only Level 1 spice, I took a bite and...
Spice-sensitive folks, beware! Haha.
For my palate, it was intensely spicy and quite stimulating. But my friend, who absolutely loves spicy food, thoroughly enjoyed it‼️
The rice was perfectly cooked and delicious, so I mixed it into the broth and finished the whole bowl in no time. It's an unstoppable flavor✨
You can use the self-service corner for side dishes. The kimchi and kkakdugi were so good that I went back for refills!
Out of all the many things I ate during my 3-day, 2-night trip to Busan, Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap was hands down the absolute best👍🏻
If you're ever in Busan, you absolutely have to stop by. I highly, highly recommend it!!!
📍 Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap Haeundae Branch
39 Gunam-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea
Another great Busan restaurant to check out:
According to an article, there were 62 teams waiting at 11 AM on a Sunday, and the actual waiting time was about 1 hour. You can join the waiting list using 'Tableing' (a waiting app), and parties of two might be seated a bit faster.
Due to the limited space at Subyeon Chwego Dwaeji Gukbap Haeundae Branch, strollers and luggage are not permitted inside. Luggage must be stored in front of the store.
Hangjeong Gukbap is the signature dish at Subyeon Chwego Dwaeji Gukbap Haeundae Branch, and you can choose your spice level. Level 1 is similar to Shin Ramyun, Level 2 is similar to Yeol Ramyun, and Level 3 is similar to Haek Buldak (Extremely Spicy Buldak). The spice level is adjusted using spicy green onion topping.
The first floor of Subyeon Chwego Dwaeji Gukbap Haeundae Branch is quite small, with about 5 tables for 4 people. The second floor is more spacious than the first and has high chairs for babies. Since the stairs are narrow and steep, it is recommended for the elderly or those with babies to use the first floor.
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