If you watched Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars (흑백요리사), you may already know this one. Okdongsik (옥동식) is the original Seoul shop of the chef who took his pork gomtang all the way to New York — and it’s listed in the Michelin Guide too. It sits in Hapjeong, right on the edge of the Hongdae area, and serves what is essentially one perfect dish. If you want the best pork gomtang in Hongdae, this is it.
What makes it special
Most Korean pork soup (dwaeji-gukbap) comes in a milky, cloudy broth. Okdongsik does the opposite: a clear, clean gomtang simmered until it’s light and delicate, with thin slices of tender pork. It’s refined rather than heavy — the kind of bowl that shows how good a simple soup can be. The Michelin listing and the Netflix fame are well earned.
Getting there and the wait
- From Hapjeong Station (Lines 2 & 6) Exit 2: about a 5-minute walk (304m). Head past Belief Coffee, and it’s about 50m down the Seven-Eleven alley across from Tamashi Izakaya.
- Address: 44-10 Yanghwa-ro 7-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul. (Google Maps)
It’s popular, so expect a wait. Okdongsik uses the CatchTable app for its waitlist — register on the kiosk by the door (or in the app) and wait for your turn.
The space
Inside it’s small, simple and clean — the focus is entirely on the food. You’ll spot the Blue Ribbon and Michelin marks on the wall.
The menu (basically one dish, done perfectly)
The menu is refreshingly short. Pork gomtang is the whole point — regular ₩14,000, large ₩19,000. The only real side is kimchi mandu (kimchi dumplings) — ₩3,500 for two, ₩7,000 for four. There’s also takeaway gomtang (2 servings, ₩25,000) and frozen kimchi mandu to take home. To drink, they pour Korean traditional makgeolli (rice wine, ₩3,000) and bori-soju (barley soju).
At the table you’ll find spoons, an empty plate for kimchi, and a dish of gochuji (pickled green chili). A local note printed on the wall: don’t add the pickled chili into the soup — eat it with the pork instead. And the broth, rice and kimchi are free to refill; just ask.
Kimchi comes in a big shared bowl — serve as much as you like onto your plate.
The pork gomtang
Here it is — the reason you came. The broth is clear and clean, not milky, with a gentle savory depth and slices of soft pork. It’s light enough to drink to the bottom, and it tastes refined in a way that makes total sense once you’ve had it.
The kimchi mandu
Don’t skip the dumplings. The kimchi mandu are savory and well-balanced, a great counterpoint to the delicate soup.
Cut one open and you get a generous, tangy kimchi filling.
Good to know
- Hours: Mon–Wed 11:00–22:00 (break 15:00–17:00, last orders 14:30 & 21:30); Thu–Fri same; Sat–Sun 11:00–21:00 (last order 20:30). Closed January 1.
- Payment: cards accepted
- Menu: no English menu — check Naver Map beforehand
- Waiting: via the CatchTable app / door kiosk
- Getting there: 5 min from Hapjeong Station Exit 2
- One order per person is requested
Verdict
Okdongsik is a rare thing — a genuinely famous restaurant (Netflix, Michelin, a New York outpost) that’s still a small, honest shop serving one dish beautifully. The clear pork gomtang is light, refined and deeply satisfying, the kimchi mandu are a must-add, and the whole thing is easy to reach on the edge of Hongdae. Get on the CatchTable list, come hungry, and taste why this bowl travelled all the way to New York. If you’re eating your way around Hapjeong, the Pyongyang-style handmade mandu at Deoki Son Mandu is another local favorite nearby, and over in Yeonnam the giant salmon sushi at Yeonhadong is a fun, unusual meal. For more, here’s our full food guide to the area.
