A 24-Hour Bone Broth Haejang-guk Spot in Gwanak-gu That Actually Delivers

There are very few restaurants in Seoul where 3am and 3pm feel equally valid. Park Makrye Cheongjin-dong Haejangguk (박막례청진동해장국) is one of them — and it's been that way since 2004.

What to Expect

Quick clarification before you show up: this place has nothing to do with Park Makrye, the famous 1.3-million-subscriber grandma YouTuber. Same name, completely different person. The restaurant is named after its founder, and it's been quietly feeding the Gwanak-gu neighborhood for over 20 years.

Haejangguk is Korea's answer to a rough morning. The name literally means "hangover soup," but you don't need to have had a bad night to appreciate it. Think of it as a deeply savory, long-simmered bone broth with pork spine — rich, slightly murky in the best way, and genuinely restorative. If you've had tonkotsu ramen and liked the depth of flavor, you're going to be fine here. The broth does most of the work.

The signature dish is the pork bone soup (ppyeo haejangguk). Order the "special" size and you'll get two or three large vertebrae in the bowl. The move is to pull the meat off the bones with your chopsticks, mix it into your white rice, and eat it straight from the bowl. Nobody's judging. The kkakdugi — cubed radish kimchi — is cold, crunchy, and cuts right through the richness. Multiple people have mentioned it specifically, and they're not wrong.

What to Order

Pork bone soup, special size (ppyeo haejangguk, teuk) — The whole reason to come. Bigger bones, more meat, same broth. Worth the small price difference.

Extra rice on the side — The broth is soup-forward, and you'll want something to soak it up. Ask for "gonggi bap" if you need more.

Kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) — It comes as a side, but actually pay attention to it. It's the best thing on the table next to the main bowl.

Pricing runs roughly 7,000–9,000 won per bowl, which for a 24-hour Seoul restaurant in 2024 is genuinely reasonable. This is local Korean food at a price locals actually pay.

Atmosphere & Vibe

It's a neighborhood joint, not a destination restaurant. The space is functional — no frills, bright lighting, practical seating. It's been featured on SBS Live Today, so it has some local name recognition, but the crowd skews heavily toward Gwanak-gu residents and nearby university students. You're not going to feel like a tourist attraction here. That's a good thing.

Because it's open 24 hours, 365 days a year, the wait situation is almost never bad. That's the actual advantage over flashier Seoul haejangguk spots that have you standing outside for 40 minutes on a Saturday morning.

Practical Info

• Address: 대한민국 서울특별시 관악구 관악로 105 / 105 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Google Maps: Open in Google Maps
• Nearest subway: Seoul National University Station (Seoul Metro Line 2), 11-minute walk
• Hours: Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
• Price range: $ — roughly 7,000–9,000 KRW per person
• Spice level: Mild to Medium — the broth itself isn't spicy, but side kimchi adds heat
• Vegetarian: No
• Halal-friendly: No — pork-based menu
• Reservations: Available
• Good for groups: Yes

Closing Tip

The walk from Seoul National University Station is technically doable but slightly annoying — take a local bus if you're not up for 11 minutes on foot. And honestly, if you're visiting between midnight and 6am, this place is one of the few real options in the area, which makes that 24-hour policy feel less like a fun fact and more like a genuine lifeline.

Quick Summary