Most samgyetang looks the same — a whole chicken in a milky white broth. This one is different. For samgyetang in Mullae, Neungi Beoseot Baeksuk (능이버섯백숙) serves a version made with neungi mushroom, so the broth comes out a deep, aromatic brown instead of the usual white. It’s rich, fragrant and genuinely restorative — the kind of bowl Koreans call boyangsik (body-nourishing food) — and it’s a short walk from the trendy Mullae Art Village.
What makes it different
Samgyetang is Korean ginseng chicken soup — a whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice and simmered with ginseng, garlic and jujube. The twist here is neungi mushroom (a prized, intensely aromatic wild mushroom), which turns the broth brown and deepens the flavor. Neungi is rare enough that few places serve it this way, and its aroma is earthy and pleasant rather than strong — easy to like even if you’re unsure about mushrooms.
Getting there and the wait
Neungi Beoseot Baeksuk sits near Mullae — the up-and-coming art-and-ironworks neighborhood — so you can pair a bowl with a wander through the murals and cafes of Mullae Art Village.
- From Mullae Station (Line 2) Exit 1: about a 10-minute walk (573m). Follow the main road past the Mullae Park intersection and it’s easy to spot.
- Address: 32 Seonyu-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. (Google Maps · Naver Map)
Hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–21:00 (break 15:00–17:00, last orders 14:00 & 20:00). Closed Sundays. It’s a popular spot with a wait, so note the lunch last order is 14:00 — come earlier if you want lunch. We arrived just before 2pm and waited about 10 minutes.
The space
From outside it looks like a classic old neighborhood baeksuk restaurant, but inside it’s bigger and brighter than you’d expect. You take your shoes off at the entrance — there are floor-seating rooms as well as regular tables, so it works for families or a date. Staff will ask if floor seating is okay; if you’d rather not sit on the floor, just ask for a table.
The meal comes with tidy banchan — pickled cucumber and onion, kkakdugi (radish kimchi), seasoned radish and garlic scapes — all clean flavors that suit the mild soup.
What to order
The menu is short: neungi-mushroom samgyetang (₩17,000), neungi-mushroom whole free-range chicken baeksuk (₩74,000), and neungi-mushroom duck baeksuk (₩74,000). The two big baeksuk pots are meant for sharing among a group; for one or two people, the samgyetang is the way to go — and it’s effectively the single dish most visitors want. The menu is written with English.
Neungi-mushroom samgyetang (₩17,000) — The broth is a striking brown, not white, with big pieces of neungi mushroom floating on top, and the aroma hits you the moment it arrives. One sip and you understand the Korean saying that this is less a meal than a tonic: it’s deep and rich without being salty — you won’t need to add salt.
The chicken is simmered until it’s falling-apart tender — no dryness — and the meat pulls off the bone easily. Dip it lightly in salt, or eat it with a piece of mushroom to bring the aroma back up.
The chalbap comes with it
One nice thing: you don’t need to order rice separately — your samgyetang comes with chalbap (찰밥), sweet glutinous rice served on the side, closer to Korean yakbap, chewy and nutty. (An extra portion is available for a small charge if you want more.) Spoon it into the broth and it turns even more savory and comforting. It’s a small detail that makes this bowl stand out.
Good to know
- Hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–21:00 (break 15:00–17:00, L.O. 14:00 & 20:00); closed Sundays
- Payment: cards accepted
- Menu: written with English; effectively a single dish (samgyetang) for solo/duo diners
- Getting there: 10 min from Mullae Station Exit 1
- Shoes off; floor and table seating; expect a short wait at peak times
Verdict
Neungi Beoseot Baeksuk is a great reason to combine a nourishing meal with a walk through Seoul’s coolest industrial-art neighborhood. The neungi-mushroom samgyetang is a rare, aromatic twist on a Korean classic — deep, restorative and different from any samgyetang you’ll have elsewhere — and the chewy chalbap seals it. If you’re comparing options, it’s a very different bowl from the Michelin-listed samgyetang in COEX; for the full picture, see our guide to the best samgyetang in Seoul.
