Dish guide · Noodles and dumplings
Janchi-guksu and bibim-guksu
잔치국수·비빔국수
Banquet noodle soup and spicy mixed noodles
Thin wheat noodles, served two ways. Janchi-guksu comes in a light, warm anchovy broth, while bibim-guksu is cold and tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce.
What it is
- Janchi means feast. The warm soup is topped with vegetables, egg strips, seaweed and a soy-based sauce.
- Bibim-guksu is mixed with vegetables and spicy chili sauce, and it's usually served cold.
How to eat it
- 1Mix the bibim-guksu thoroughly before you start. Add the seasoned soy sauce to the soup, a little at a time.
History
- Wheat flour was once a luxury, so noodles were a party food. Long noodles stand for a long life, so they're served at weddings and birthdays.
Allergies and diet
Usually contains
- The soup is usually made with anchovy broth.
- Ask whether the sauce for bibim-guksu contains fish sauce.
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
- 🍜
Jeongeun Guksu 정은국수
Noodles · Songdo · Since 2013
A neighborhood noodle shop open since 2013, long known to Songdo residents. Come for janchi-guksu, a light anchovy noodle soup, or spicy bibim-guksu, with gimbap on the side. A simple, inexpensive meal, and an easy one for solo diners.
Try: Janchi-guksu (light noodle soup)
Locals' pick - 🥟
Kkangtong Mandu 깡통만두
Street snacks · Seochon & Bukchon · Since 1988
A dumpling house in the Bukchon lanes near Anguk Station, in the same spot since 1988 and often named among Seoul's three best for mandu. Order dumpling soup, or the noodle and dumpling combination, and expect a wait.
Try: Manduguk (dumpling soup)
1 hr+ wait - 🍜
Myeongdong Kyoja 명동교자
Noodles · Myeongdong · Since 1966
Myeongdong's most famous noodle house, serving kalguksu since 1966: knife-cut noodles in a rich chicken broth topped with minced meat and four tiny dumplings, eaten with a fiercely garlicky kimchi. Koreans and visitors alike call it a must on any Myeongdong trip.
Try: Kalguksu
Short wait - 🍜
Chebu-dong Janchijip 체부동잔치집
Noodles · Seochon & Bukchon
A cheap, cheerful noodle house at the start of the Sejong Village food street near Gyeongbokgung. Bowls of janchi-guksu (banquet noodles), perilla sujebi and kalguksu are remarkably affordable, and a pancake with makgeolli turns it into a long afternoon.
Try: Janchi-guksu (noodles in anchovy broth)
Short wait - 🍜
Gasiabang Guksu 가시아방국수
Noodles · Seogwipo & South Coast
The popular gogi-guksu stop near Seopjikoji and Seongsan Ilchulbong. Bowls of pork noodle soup come at a fair price, and sets add dombe-gogi, Jeju's boiled pork on a board. It's an easy lunch on an east coast day.
Try: Gogi-guksu (pork noodle soup)
Short wait - 🍜
Gohyang Kalguksu 고향칼국수
Market food · Jongno
The Gwangjang Market noodle stall made famous by Netflix's Street Food: Asia. Sit at the counter and watch Cho Yoon-sun roll and cut the dough by hand, then eat a steaming bowl of knife-cut noodles with handmade dumplings.
Try: Hand-cut noodle soup (son-kalguksu)
30-60 min wait - 🍜
Jamae Guksu 자매국수
Noodles · Jeju City & North Coast
The name most travelers know for gogi-guksu, Jeju's signature noodle soup: thick noodles in a rich pork broth, topped with slices of pork. It's close to the airport, so it makes a handy first or last meal. Add a bibim-guksu to share if you want something spicy, or a plate of dombe-gogi (boiled pork served on a board).
Try: Gogi-guksu (pork noodle soup)
30-60 min wait - 🍜
Jinju-jip (Yeouido) 진주집
Noodles · Yeouido & Mapo
A basement noodle shop in the Yeouido Department Store with a national reputation for kongguksu: thick, nutty, ice-cold soy milk noodles. Office workers also come for the chicken kalguksu and plated dumplings.
Try: Kongguksu (cold soy milk noodles)
Short wait - 🍜
Myeong Guksu 명국수
Noodles · Seongsu
A plain, friendly noodle shop that has fed Seongsu office workers for over a decade. The bowls are big and cheap for the area: anchovy-broth noodles, sweet-spicy bibim guksu, and in summer a thick, nutty kongguksu (cold soy milk noodles). The house kimchi is made daily.
Try: Myeolchi guksu (noodles in anchovy broth)
Locals' pickShort wait
Sources
We check every fact against at least two sources and write it in our own words. Last checked: 2026-10-31.