Spending the holiday staying at home felt like a waste of a golden day off, so my friend and I headed straight to Busan. On the way, we pondered what to eat and quickly agreed on traditional pork soup (dwaeji gukbap). When you visit the coastal city, trying an authentic Busan pork soup restaurant is an absolute must.
Busan Pork Soup Restaurant Info & Hours
Hours: Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Facilities & Services: Takeout, group seating, reservations, separate restrooms for men and women.
Parking: Public parking lot in front of the restaurant is recommended.
During my previous trip to Busan, I really wanted to visit the famous Subyeon Choi-go Dwaeji Gukbap. I was thrilled to finally visit with my friend this time. However, since we traveled spontaneously without a strict plan, we made the mistake of not signing up for remote queuing in advance.
Waiting System and Parking Tips
Subyeon Choi-go Dwaeji Gukbap Minrak Main Branch near Gwangalli Beach is extremely popular, with consistently long wait times. It is highly recommended to register online using the Tabling app for remote waiting beforehand. The drive from Changwon to Busan took about an hour and a half due to heavy traffic, during which we could have significantly shortened our waiting time if we had registered earlier.
When we registered on-site, we were 116th in line, which resulted in a total wait time of three hours. Fortunately, we passed the time browsing and shopping at the nearby Millak The Market. Regarding parking, street parking around the restaurant is strictly regulated on normal days, as explicitly posted outside the building. On public holidays, street parking may be more flexible, but using nearby public parking structures is always the safer choice.
The interior was cleaner and more spacious than anticipated. Given the lengthy wait, one might assume the dining room is tiny, but there are actually around 13 to 15 tables inside. While the layout is cozy, it is well-organized. Since pork soup is a classic local comfort food, there were also solo diners enjoying their meals.
Upon taking our seats, we noticed the interior walls completely lined with framed autographs and photos from various celebrities and famous personalities who have visited over the years.
There is a self-service corner where diners can refill side dishes. However, aged kimchi (mukeunji) and fresh chives (buchu) are served directly by the staff upon request, while other side dishes can be reloaded freely from the bar.
Menu Options and Dining Order
Orders are placed right upon entering the restaurant. Although I initially intended to order the pork neck soup (hangjeong gukbap), I ended up ordering the combo set in the heat of the moment. We chose the Couple Set priced at 39,000 KRW (about $29), which included two bowls of Assorted Pork Soup (Modeum Gukbap), a 2-person platter of Assorted Boiled Pork (Modeum Suyuok), and a side of spicy shredded green onions.
The standard side dishes include two varieties of kimchi, radish kimchi (kkakdugi), fresh chives, raw garlic, onions, chili peppers, lettuce for wrapping, dipping sauces, and shredded green onions. You can select the spiciness level for the green onions from levels 1 to 3; even level 1 carried a surprisingly potent kick.
Salt and black pepper are provided on each table for seasoning, though the broth came perfectly pre-seasoned to my taste, so no extra adjustments were needed.
After waiting for three hours, our expectations were exceptionally high. When the Couple Set finally arrived, the table was completely filled with generous portions, making an excellent first visual impression.
The pork soup arrived promptly after ordering. Instead of a clear broth, it featured a thick, milky-white bone broth. Stirring through the hot soup revealed an extraordinarily generous amount of tender meat submerged inside.
The Assorted Boiled Pork platter was equally impressive in size, featuring thick slices of pork cheek (gabrisal), pork neck (hangjeongsal), pork belly (samgyeopsal), and traditional Korean blood sausage (sundae).
Taking the first spoonful of broth immediately revealed why this place is famous. The soup base was deep, savory, and rich, making the long wait entirely worthwhile.
Adding fresh chives into the steaming broth enhanced the flavor further. The soup maintained a clean yet intensely deep flavor profile reminiscent of rich ox-bone broth, while the pork cuts were completely free of any gamey odor.
Wrapping slices of boiled pork with fresh lettuce, garlic, and sauces made each bite meltingly tender and deeply satisfying.
Final Review and Overall Impressions
Choosing the assorted soup set was a great decision, as it allowed us to sample both the pork and the blood sausage. The combination of rich soup, tender meats, and flavorful side dishes made this one of the finest dining experiences in Busan, easily justifying the three-hour wait.
The rich broth remained clean and satisfying without feeling overly greasy despite the abundance of meat. The combination of savory boiled pork, well-seasoned kimchi, and spicy green onions complemented the meal perfectly, delivering a memorable culinary highlight in Busan.