Three Korean Actors’ Favorite Restaurants in Jeonju

Each Korean movie star seem to have one’s own favorite restaurant in Jeonju. Although this years’ Jeonju International Film Festival is held without audiences, we can still visit the movie stars’ favorite local restaurants.

Shin Goo’s Pick!: Sambaekjip

The first restaurant is Sambaekjip, the actor Shin Goo’s pick. The founder of Sambaekjip refused to sell more than three hundred (‘sambaek’ in Korean) bowls of kongnamul gukbap (bean sprouts stew with rice) per day. Hence its name Sambaekjip or ‘Three Hundred House’.

The actor Shin Goo has been active in television series, films, and theatrical plays. You might recognise him from the television show <Grandpas Over Flowers> depicting the four elderly male actors venture outside Korea. Recently, he’s been active in theatrical plays such as <Jangsoo Sanghoe> and <Last Session>.

I visited Sambaekjip on Saturday morning. The venue was already crowded with both tourists and locals. I ordered the two signature dishes: kongnamul gukbap and seonji onban (ox blood curd stew with rice). Also on the menu are: green chilli pepper fried dumpling, soy sauce hard-boiled pork belly, and the like.

Fried egg, seaweed, and other side dishes are served with the kongnamul gukbap. The side dishes are: Chinese cabbage kimchi, turnip cube kimchi, pickled shrimp, and beef boiled down in soy sauce. They all go well with the signature menus.

The ox blood curd stew is rich in iron, protein, and other necessary nutrition. This style of stew is nowhere to be found other than here. The broth has very deep and clean flavor.

The bean sprout stew is made with fresh broth and locally grown organic bean sprout. This dish has been loved by the locals for almost six decades. The bowl remained warm until I finished it.

Sambaekjip

Address: Jeonjugaeksa 2gil 22, Wansangu, Jeonju

Opening hours: 00:00-24:00, every day

Yeo Jin-goo’s Pick!: Gyodong Tteokgalbi

The second restaurant is Gyodong Tteokgalbi, the actor Yeo Jin-goo’s pick. Located in Jeonju Hanok Village, Gyodong Tteokgalbi specializes in tteokgalbi (seasoned and grilled short rib patties) made from 100% Korean pork. The venue is very popular among tourists.

 

The actor Yeo Jin-goo started his career as a child actor, debuting in the film Sad Movie (2005). He is known for playing the title character in the action thriller Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013), for which he won Best New Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. Recently, he appeared in the popular K-drama Hotel Del Luna (2019).

I visited Gyodong Tteokgalbi on Saturday evening. The venue was crowded with tourists. The lunch special consisting of soy bean soup, rice, cold noodle, and tteokgalbi is the most popular. I ordered tteokgalbi with mini Jeonju bibimbap and tteokgalbi with rice wrapped in lotus leaf.

The deliciously aromatic tteokgalbi is served with the soybean paste soup enriched with perilla seed powder. The tteokgalbi is kept warm by solid alcohol throughout the meal.

The tteokgalbi here is made by battering and shaping fresh ground pork. The well-marinated tteokgalbi has both chewy and soft texture and rich in umami. You may make salad wrap with a piece of tteokgalbi. The aroma of charcoal is mouth-watering.

The rice wrapped in lotus leaf is very aromatic. It’s made with brown rice, which is healthier than the usual white rice.

Also, eating Jeonju Bibimbap with tteokgalbi feels like a total treat to the taste of Jeonju, the gourmet city of Korea.

Gyodong Tteokgalbi

Address: Eunhaengro 52, Wansangu, Jeonju

Opening hours: 10:30-21:00, every day.

Baek Yoon-sik’s Pick!: Budnamu Soondae

The last restaurant is Budnamu Soondae, the pick of the actor Baek Yoon-sik. Located in a narrow alleyway next to Joongang Market, Budnamu Soondae is locals’ hidden spot. This restaurant also accepts Jeonbuk Tour Pass.

The actor Baek Yoon-sik started his acting career in 1970. He’s famous for his charismatic roles in the movie Tazza: The High Rollers/The War of Flower (2006), The Face Reader (2013), Inside Men (2015), and many more.

Budnamu Soondae is frequented by more locals than tourists. Most visitors are long-time regular customers who take comfort with a bowl of soondae gukbap (Korean blood sausage stew with rice).

The owner was curious why I was taking photos in such a humble soondae venue. When I talked about the actor Baek Yoon-sik, she showed me the signatures by him and other actors.

We ordered modum gukbap (with everything) and soondae gukbap. The customers can help themselves for more servings of the scallion and side dishes.

The broth of Budnamu Soondae is made with only pig femur bone. So the broth tastes clean and neat without weird smell. A soondae gukbap is usually served with perilla seed powder. However, I didn’t need it for the soondae gukbap here, because the broth was already flavorsome.

Soondae dish is also popular. I ordered makchang modum soondae, which includes, the blood sausage, entrails, intestines, and others.

I finished the whole rice bowl with the soondae gukbap. I can’t praise enough the clean but rich broth of Budname Soondae.

​Budnamu Soondae

Address: Taepyung 3gil 54-4, Wansangu, Jeonju

Opening hours: 08:30-22:00, every day

It’s sad that the 21^st Jeonju International Film Festival is held without audiences due to coronavirus. However, you can still connect with your favorite Korean actors by visiting their favorite restaurants in Jeonju!