Cuisine

Chinese (중국 음식점)

District

Junggu (중구) , Seoul

Address

Seoul Jung-gu Myeongdong2-gil 26

150m from Myeong-dong Station. Ilpumhyang is an authentic Chinese restaurant near the Chinese Embassy in Myeongdong, Seoul, with a history stretching back seventy years. An ethnic Chinese chef runs the kitchen, and most staff communicate in Mandarin, lending the dining room a genuine overseas atmosphere. The house specialty, samseon-jjamppong, ranks among the finest in the country. Built on a chicken-stock base, the broth is simultaneously smooth and deeply layered, with Sichuan-style dried chili peppers contributing a sharp, pleasant heat rather than brute capsaicin burn. The noodles are cooked with just the right amount of chew, and the seafood - shrimp, sea snail, squid, octopus, and even small cuts of pufferfish - arrives in generous quantity with impeccable freshness. In winter, the limited-edition oyster jjamppong packs in a staggering volume of fresh oysters for a truly seasonal treat. The off-menu fried eggplant is an essential order that does not appear on the printed menu. Thinly battered eggplant is topped with a soy-rich sauce and savory pork soboro, and mixing this with egg fried rice creates one of the most addictive flavor combinations the restaurant offers. The pan-fried dumplings are packed tight with meat, leaving no room for blandness, and the accompanying pickled mustard greens and peanut sauce add depth. The ohyang-jangyuk serves thinly sliced spiced pork on a bed of shredded scallion and cabbage with crackled salt flakes - a classic pairing with Chinese baijiu. The tangsuyuk uses lean, fat-free cuts of pork with a thick sweet-and-sour sauce. The restaurant draws a heavy crowd of corporate groups and drinking parties, making the atmosphere lively and loud. Seating is split across two main halls with additional private rooms available. Hours run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a break from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Parking in Myeongdong is extremely limited, so public transportation is the strongly preferred option.