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Soups & stews · Myeongdong, Seoul

Yonggeumok

용금옥

Locals' pickSince 1932On TVLocal classicFine on your own ⓘ

A loach-soup house in a Dadong back alley near City Hall, open since 1932. It serves Seoul-style chutang, a red, peppery soup with whole loaches left in, where most of Korea grinds them. The regulars are office workers and older Seoulites, not tour groups.

서울특별시 중구 다동길 24-2

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How it works here

🥢 How Korean restaurants usually work

Waiting

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What to order

📖 What is Chueotang?
  • Chutang (Seoul-style loach soup)추탕

    Whole loaches in a spicy beef-stock soup with tofu and vegetables. Rice comes on the side.

  • Chueo-twigim (fried loach)추어튀김

    Crisp whole fried loaches, good with a drink.

  • Modeum-jeon (assorted pan-fried bites)모듬전

How much to order

  • 👤 1One chutang.
  • 👤 2Two chutang and one plate of fried loach to share.
  • 👤 3–4A chutang each, plus fried loach and assorted jeon.

Insider tips

  • There is a second Yonggeumok near Gyeongbokgung Palace (Tongin-dong), run by the same family. Check the address before you go.· 2 reviews

Why it's famous

Opened in 1932 and listed as a Seoul Future Heritage restaurant, one of the oldest in the city.· 4 reviews

  • On TVFeatured on Heo Young-man's Baekban Gihaeng and MBC's Hangout with Yoo.· 4 reviews
  • Local classicOn Seoul's Future Heritage list of historic restaurants.· 2 reviews

Did you know?

  • In Seoul, loach soup made with whole fish was called chutang, and the ground version chueotang. Yonggeumok still makes it the old Seoul way.· 2 reviews

Good to know

  • In the Dadong and Mugyo-dong restaurant alleys behind Seoul City Hall, a short walk from City Hall and Euljiro 1-ga stations.· 2 reviews

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Where this comes from (16 reviews)

Summarized in our own words from Korean diners' blog reviews; each fact is backed by at least two reviews. Last checked 2026-11-09.