When Bok Seung-ah (Kwon Yu-ri of Girls’ Generation) asks Han San-hae (Shin Dong-wook) for a recommendation to a restaurant to bring her client (special cameo by Kangnam), who’s also her cousin, he recommends this place in episode 11/12 (full episode 6) of Dae Jang Geum Is Watching / The Great Jang-geum Is Watching / Jang Geum, Oh My Grandma (대장금이 보고 있다) (MBC, 2018-19). To their surprise, San-hae decides to tag along since it’s “his lunch break as well”. They sit at separate seats, but Seung-ah eyes San-hae’s every move to ensure that they order and eat exactly the way he does.

Gwanghwamun Gukbap [광화문국밥 본점], also known as ‘Soul Food Korea’ is the main store of the eatery Gwanghwamun Gukbap, which specialises in gukbap (hot soup with rice), or more precisely: dwaeji gukbap (돼지국밥).

This store is located in Seoul’s neighborhood Jeong [Jeong-dong/정동] —administered by the neighborhood Sogong [Sogong-dong/소공동]— in the Jung District [Jung-gu/중구].

In 2022, this restaurant earned the MICHELIN Guide Seoul‘s 2022 Bib Gourmand Star.

Address
53 Sejongdaero-21-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
서울특별시 중구 세종대로21길 53
(정동 1-48)
Geolocation: 37.568968, 126.975409

Getting here
Gwanghwamun Station [광화문역], Seoul Subway Line 5, Exit 6
(less than 5 min walk – note that the eatery is not located along the main road, but in a hidden enclave. Look out for the following landmarks at the enclave’s entrance: Hollys Coffee on the right, signs that say ‘Metro Korean Academy’ and ‘오양회참치’ on the left.)

— submitted by Mich KDL
— Photos taken by © sianiam, 2019; Mich KDL, January 2020