Gukil Sundaeguk
국일순대국 · Soups & Stews
ABOUT
Gukil Sundaeguk is a straightforward neighborhood restaurant in Seogyo-dong, within walking distance of Hongdae. The menu is intentionally small, centered on Sundaeguk, a hot Korean pork soup served with rice, with suyuk and sulguk available when you want something more substantial. A regular bowl is currently around ₩10,000, making it an accessible way to try a traditional Korean gukbap meal without committing to an expensive restaurant. The restaurant has a practical, local character rather than a polished tourist-dining atmosphere. Its weekday-only schedule is also notable in busy Hongdae, suggesting that its customer base has traditionally included nearby workers and residents. It became more widely known after appearing on Sung Si-kyung's “Mukbang Ten”, but the appeal of the restaurant is still its simple bowl of gukbap, generous toppings, and everyday neighborhood setting.
WHAT LOCALS SAY
The soup is generally described as clean, savory, and relatively light rather than thick or heavily seasoned. The broth is served with seasoning sauce and perilla seed powder already added, although you can ask for them separately if you prefer to adjust the flavor yourself. Several descriptions highlight the absence of a strong pork smell, which makes the soup more approachable than some richer varieties of sundae-gukbap. The bowl is generous with meat and pork cuts. Reviews particularly mention sizeable pieces of meoritgogi (pork head meat) together with dangmyeon-based sundae and other pork ingredients. The texture is therefore more about tender meat and chewy pork cuts than simply eating the sundae itself. The restaurant also serves suyuk, which is described as clean-tasting and tender, although availability can vary. The experience is simple and fast, making it suitable for a solo lunch or an uncomplicated Korean meal. Reviews are not universally enthusiastic—the broth can feel too light or oily for diners expecting a rich, thick soup—but that is useful context rather than something to hide. If you want a cleaner, meat-forward introduction to sundae-gukbap, Gukil is a reasonable choice; if you specifically want a very rich or intensely seasoned bowl, another restaurant may suit you better.
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PRACTICAL INFO
Know before
you go.
11AM–9PM
3PM–5:30PM
CLOSED Sat–Sun
₩10,000–₩11,000 / serving
Gukil Sundaeguk is a particularly useful choice if you are staying around Hongdae and want to try a traditional Korean gukbap without going to an expensive restaurant. The restaurant is within walking distance of Hongik University Station, but it is not a late-night or weekend option: current listings indicate weekday opening only, with a long afternoon break. Check the hours before going, especially because some sources differ on the exact break time. For a first visit, regular Sundaegukbap is enough. Choose the special bowl if you want more meat. The soup is relatively clean and mild compared with some heavier sundae-gukbap styles, but it still contains pork cuts and sundae, so this is better for travelers who are ready to try a traditional Korean pork-and-offal soup rather than someone looking for a familiar Western-style soup. The restaurant is also suitable for solo dining.
서울 마포구 월드컵북로5길 22 국일빌딩 1층22 World Cup buk-ro 5-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
+82-2-338-5823
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