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Dish guide · Soups and stews

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Gomtang

곰탕

Clear beef soup

♨️ Served hot🙂 Not spicy🥬 Not vegetarian

A clear, savory beef soup made by slowly simmering meat, typically brisket. It is lighter and clearer than seolleongtang, which is made mainly from bones.

What it is

  • Beef cuts such as brisket, and sometimes tripe, are simmered slowly so the broth stays clear.
  • It is usually served with rice already in the bowl.
  • Versions made with other meat go by the name too: dak-gomtang uses chicken and dwaeji-gomtang uses pork.

How to eat it

  1. 1Season it at the table with salt, pepper and chopped green onion.
  2. 2Kkakdugi (radish kimchi) is the classic side dish.

History

  • Records from the Joseon era describe gomtang as a dish of the upper classes.
  • Today the line between gomtang and seolleongtang is blurry, and some restaurants use the names loosely.

Allergies and diet

Usually contains

beef
  • It often includes tripe or other parts of the cow.

Recipes differ between restaurants. If you have an allergy, always ask the staff before you order.

🗣️ Allergy card for the staff

Pick your allergy to see the sentence in Korean.

📍 Where to try it

Sources

We check every fact against at least two sources and write it in our own words. Last checked: 2026-10-26.