Naju Gomtang HayanjipThe Beef Soup a Whole City Is Named For

The kkakdugi matters as much as the soup

Here kkakdugi is impossible to leave out. That's the cubed radish kimchi, and it matters as much as the soup itself.

There's a reason. A clean broth needs something sharp against it. Treat the soup and the radish kimchi as one thing, not a main and a side. That one side dish tells you most of what you need to know about this place.

Clean, not heavy

Gomtang is a long-simmered beef broth, and the risk with the style is that it turns cloudy, fatty or dull.

This one is on the clean side. It doesn't sit heavily. That's why it works as breakfast, which is how a lot of Koreans eat it.

Order the suyuk

The boiled brisket was tender — the thing I remember most clearly here.

It isn't chewy; it pulls apart along the grain. If you only order the soup you're missing the better half of the meal. Get the suyuk alongside it.

What it looks like — a plate of suyuk

The plate comes heaped with suyuk, sprinkled with sesame seeds. The meat is sliced thin with its grain still visible. Beside it sit kkakdugi, kimchi, green chilies, garlic slices and a perilla leaf, and a red sauce and a yellow sauce come in separate dishes for dipping.

Expect a queue — and work around it

This is a fixed stop for anyone visiting Naju. At meal times, there is a line.

Two ways around it:

• Come at opening. Service starts at 8:00 AM.
• Book through the CatchTable app, which the restaurant uses for waitlisting.

Takeaway is also available.

Practical notes

• Where — right beside Geumseonggwan, the old Joseon-era guest hall in Naju's historic centre. Easy to combine with a walk around the old town.
• 8:00 AM opening is the simplest way to skip the wait.
• Nearby city — if you're extending the trip a short drive over to Gwangju, Hyeongje Songjeong Tteok-galbi is worth pairing with it.

For foreign visitors

• Gomtang is a soup made by simmering beef and bones for a long time. Naju gomtang has a clear broth, so it is gentle for first-timers
• Suyuk is boiled meat sliced thin and served on its own plate. Ordering it alongside the gomtang lets you compare the two
• Kkakdugi is kimchi made from cubed radish, and it is central to how this restaurant sets the table
• To order, say "Gomtang hana, suyuk hana juseyo" (곰탕 하나, 수육 하나 주세요)

Who this suits

• ✅ You're in Naju — this is the dish the city is known for
• ✅ You prefer a clear broth to a rich one
• ✅ You'll order the suyuk as well
• ⚠️ Meal times mean queuing — go early or book