Gwangju Yukjeon in Gangnam's Yeongdong Market
I used to come to Nonhyeon-dong (a neighborhood in Seoul) a lot in middle school for cram schools. Even back then, Yeongdong Market was this traditional market right in the middle of Gangnam that unexpectedly reeked of fish. It's incomparably cleaner now, but the sudden shift in atmosphere is still somewhat amusing and a bit bewildering. There are a few long-standing fixtures in Yeongdong Market, and one of them is Gwangju Yukjeon.
Maybe it's because of the location, but while other places are completely empty, Gwangju Yukjeon draws people from all over who've heard the rumors, so you should expect to wait about 30 minutes. Fortunately, we got a seat a bit faster today.
I've never actually been to Gwangju, so I don't know if this is what authentic Gwangju-style yukjeon (pan-fried battered beef) is like. But the taste of this egg-battered beef dipped in sweet soy sauce and eaten with scallion salad is hard to find in Seoul. Places selling yukjeon are rare to begin with, but the only other place I can think of with an atmosphere that practically forces you to order makgeolli (rice wine) is Jangseoneunnal. (Even then, Jangseoneunnal doesn't have that market vibe, so it doesn't quite suit the rough charm of makgeolli.)
