Jeonmunim Near Gwangmyeong Station: Kalguksu with a Twist

I went back to Jeonmunim, one of my favorite restaurants near Gwangmyeong Station, after hearing it had moved into a bigger space! Its old location was a small spot across the way, and there always seemed to be a queue when I visited. At peak times, a 30-minute to one-hour wait was pretty normal there. Naturally, I had to check out the expanded restaurant.

Location, hours and parking Jeonmunim is in the retail section of Urban Bricks Building C near Gwangmyeong Station. It is easy to find if you come up from the AK Plaza parking area, and it is not far from the station either. Opening hours: 11:00–22:00 Last order: 21:00 Closed: Every Tuesday Parking is available. If you park in the AK Plaza underground parking lot, the restaurant provides two hours of free parking validation.

The new restaurant is much bigger and feels more polished than before. There is now a separate waiting area by the entrance, too. As on my previous visits, all the staff were friendly, and the owner seemed genuinely attentive to guests. The owner told me they take care with their ingredients, aiming to serve food that leaves diners feeling comfortable afterward. There are also notification sign-up and coupon promotions, so it is worth checking what is available before your visit.

Our order • Basil bone-broth kalguksu • Hong Kong–style mixed kalguksu • Shrimp mung bean pancake

We ordered Jeonmunim’s signature basil bone-broth kalguksu, my favorite Hong Kong–style mixed kalguksu, and—after some deliberation—a shrimp mung bean pancake to share. Kalguksu are Korean knife-cut noodles, and this menu offers some unusual ways to enjoy them. Beyond the noodle dishes, there are also braised pork bones and gamjatang, a Korean pork bone stew. Those sounded like good options for an evening meal with a drink.

After ordering, I headed to the self-service station. I picked up tongs and scissors for cutting the pancake, along with geotjeori, or fresh kimchi, and baek-kimchi, the white variety. A sign said the kimchi was made in-house every day. The geotjeori here is especially delicious!

The staff set out mustard dipping sauce for the meat in the bone-broth kalguksu and soy sauce for the mung bean pancake. I found that the fresh kimchi went particularly well with the bone-broth noodles, while the white kimchi was a lovely match for the mixed noodles.

The food arrived quickly, and everything came out together, which made sharing easy. What a spread! Even writing about it now is making me hungry again.

My favorite: Hong Kong–style mixed kalguksu I have tried everything at Jeonmunim except the braised pork bones, and the Hong Kong–style mixed kalguksu is still my favorite. It has a light mala spice aroma and reminds me a little of tantan noodles. To me, it has the feel of a Hong Kong–style noodle dish, but the flavor is unlike anything I have tried elsewhere. It is the dish I always tell friends to order when I bring them here. Another way I would describe it is mazesoba with a touch of mala. If you enjoy aromatic spices and unusual noodle dishes, this could be your favorite too.

The signature basil bone-broth kalguksu This dish combines bone broth with basil pesto. It might sound like an unlikely pairing, but the broth was fantastic. The basil flavor is not overpowering. I think the name might make some people hesitate more than the actual taste would! There was also plenty of shredded egg garnish and scallion, making it a lovely bowl to eat.

The restaurant says it uses Iberico pork neck bones for more tender meat than the usual backbone cuts. The meat really was soft and came away from the bones easily. A dip in the mustard sauce made it even better.

Shrimp mung bean pancake This is the side dish I always order at Jeonmunim. It has a mung bean pancake base with a large shrimp in the middle. For two people, our kalguksu dishes plus one pancake made a satisfyingly filling meal. One useful detail: when each diner orders one menu item, rice is also provided to add to the soup or mix into the noodles. If you have a bigger appetite, ask for some rice to finish your meal.

Finish with homemade pudding Finally, we had the homemade pudding I received through the notification sign-up promotion. Honestly, this pudding alone makes me want to come back! It is a wonderful way to finish the meal, and I love that it is not overly sweet. I even liked it more than the pudding I had tried in Japan. If you visit Jeonmunim, I really recommend trying it. Quantities are limited, though, so it may be gone if you arrive late.

Before leaving, register your parking yourself at the front of the restaurant. The two-hour validation was plenty of time for our meal. If you are looking for something a little different to eat in Gwangmyeong—or want braised pork bones or bone-broth kalguksu—Jeonmunim is well worth considering. And do not forget the pudding! #GwangmyeongStationFood #GwangmyeongIKEARestaurants #GwangmyeongAKPlazaFood #GwangmyeongRestaurants #GwangmyeongKalguksu #GwangmyeongStationKalguksu #GwangmyeongStationLunch #GwangmyeongLunch #GwangmyeongBraisedPorkBones #GwangmyeongBoneBrothKalguksu #GwangmyeongGamjatang