In Korea, one of the foods people always eat the morning after drinking heavily is dried pollack soup (bukeo-guk). This is because drinking hot broth is the best way to soothe the stomach. Although I don’t drink much, I visit this place whenever I crave hot soup and a hearty meal. That place is Mugyodong Bugeokukjib(무교동 북어국집), located in Mugyo-dong.
I suffered from a cold last week. So, a friend suggested we have some warm soup together, and we visited around 5:30 PM last Friday after I got off work. Fortunately, perhaps because it was before dinner time, there was no waiting line, and there were empty seats, so I was able to sit down comfortably. Today, I will write a post about this Mugyodong Bugeokukjib. Let’s begin!
Let’s visit Mugyodong Bugeokukjib
It is easy to find as it is close to Gwanghwamun Station, City Hall Station, and Euljiro-ipguk Station. Exit Euljiro-Inpgu Station (Line 2) via Exit 1 or 2. Walk straight down the alley until you see The Venti; the shop is located in the alley on the right from there.
Another way to get there is to exit City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2) via Exit 4 or 5. Head towards the McDonald’s behind City Hall, then turn into the alley next to The Venti or the alley in front of Starbucks; you should be able to find it right away. I will attach the Google Maps for Mugyodong Bugeokukjib.
Business hours are from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday through Friday. On weekends, they are open only from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Please keep this in mind.
If you are curious about good restaurants or walking paths near City Hall Station or Jongno, please refer to “Seoul night route (Jongno ~ City hall) that tourists should walk.”
Here is a tip
- The last order is at 7:30 PM, so please make sure to arrive before then!
- Mugyodong Bugeokukjib is frequented by many office workers in the area during lunchtime. If you find waiting difficult, please make sure to avoid visiting during lunch hours!
The Kindness and Heartfelt Side Dishes Here
Upon entering, simply state the number of people in your party, and a staff member will kindly guide you to your seat. Once seated, the staff will bring you side dishes and plates even before you place an order. The menu here consists of a single item: Dried Pollock Hangover Soup (10,000 KRW). Simply stating the number of people counts as your order.
There are three containers of side dishes on the table, containing seasoned chives, kimchi, and seasoned pickled cucumbers. While seasoned chives and kimchi are easily found at other restaurants, seasoned pickled cucumbers might be a bit unfamiliar to foreign travelers. To put it simply, it is a side dish made by taking cucumber pickles, squeezing out the liquid, and then mixing them well with chili powder seasoning. It is a truly delicious side dish that is crunchy, spicy, and sweet, so I highly recommend giving it a try.
Here is some information
The staff will bring you white plates; please transfer the side dishes onto these plates to eat. You must absolutely not use chopsticks that you have already eaten with! There are shared chopsticks in each side dish container, so please make sure to use them to take only as much as you intend to eat.
Milky White Broth Dried Pollock Hangover Soup
As soon as you sit down and start serving yourself side dishes, the food arrives immediately. It is even faster than fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s or Burger King. A large bowl of soup containing the dried pollock hangover soup is served along with rice. Foreign travelers might worry about a fishy smell or spiciness when eating fish soup. However, there is no need to worry, as this dish is made by simmering dried pollock thoroughly, so it does not smell fishy at all. Also, as you can tell by the color, the broth is milky white. Once you take a spoonful and taste it, all your preconceptions will vanish.
Among foreign travelers visiting Seoul, there may be some who cannot eat spicy food at all. I think this is the perfect dish for them. It is not spicy at all; it is light and allows you to experience the deep flavor of the broth. If you are curious about other soup dishes, please refer to “2 Best Gukbap in Seoul where you can taste the refreshing flavors of Korea.“
Here is a tip from me on how to eat it
- First, I taste the broth, and then I add about a spoonful of the salted shrimp paste on the table to adjust the seasoning. It adds much more flavor than adding salt, and the seasoning is just right.
- I put all the white rice into the broth.
- I take a big spoonful, top it with seasoned chives and seasoned pickled cucumbers, and eat it.
- It feels like a brief visit to heaven. Sorry for the exaggeration.
The Big Advantage of Mugyodong Bugeokukjib
If you happen to finish everything because the broth is so delicious, please let a staff member know. If you politely ask the staff for more broth or dried pollock, they will kindly bring it to you. There is no extra charge, so please do not feel pressured or afraid to ask if you need anything.
Takeout is also available for those who wish to take some home.
Today, I wrote about Mugyodong Bugeokukjib, located in the heart of Seoul. Since this place has already been featured extensively on TV and YouTube, it is always bustling with customers. There might be a long wait, but as I mentioned earlier, the food comes out quickly as soon as you sit down, so the turnover rate is good. If you are traveling to Seoul, you have undoubtedly enjoyed a drink, so I think this dish would be perfect for breakfast or lunch the next day. I highly recommend visiting if you want to soothe your stomach for a more enjoyable trip.
- Mugyodong Bugeokukjib, a must-visit restaurant the day after drinking
- Seoul snack tour (paid for by me) When you feel hungry after lunch
- Chungmuro grilled fish near Myeongdong Station – Paid for myself
- Reasons to recommend Ikseon-dong hanok cafes (Seoul Coffee & Silladang)
- Seoul night route (Jongno ~ City hall) that tourists should walk