When I started learning Korean (한국어) and Hangeul (한글) seriously about two weeks ago, my goal was fairly simple: hopefully in a year or so, I'd be able to understand conversations in K-dramas without depending on the subtitles, sing along to my favourite 블랙핑크 (BLACKPINK) songs, and go for more trips to South Korea a little more confidently.
But recently, I've discovered that learning Hangeul has added a whole new layer of enjoyment to Korean food. Previously, dishes like 육개장 (yukgaejang), 순대 (sundae), and 국밥 (gukbap) were simply menu items with names I couldn't read.
Now, whenever I see a Korean menu, I find myself sounding out familiar words and quietly celebrating each small victory when I recognise a dish or even manage to pronounce it correctly.
So when my husband and I visited Seoul Gukbap 1988 at Desa ParkCity for our early wedding anniversary meal, I found myself looking at the menu as if I were reading a Korean dictionary.
Starting with Gukbap
The restaurant specialises in 국밥 (gukbap), one of Korea's most beloved comfort foods.
The word itself is wonderfully straightforward. 국 (guk) means soup, while 밥 (bap) means rice. When you put the two words together, they describe a complete meal of soup and rice, a dish that defines generations of Koreans.
It may not be the type of food that usually goes viral on social media. It is humble, practical, and comforting. Totally my kind of meal – underrated and not hyped.
시래기 뼈해장국 (Siraegi Ppyeo Haejangguk)
That day, I ordered the 시래기 뼈해장국 (Siraegi Ppyeo Haejangguk).
The name sounds intimidating at first, but let's break it down to makes it less mysterious. 시래기 (siraegi) means dried radish greens, 뼈 (ppyeo) means bone, and 해장국 (haejangguk) is often translated as a "hangover soup" traditionally eaten to recover after a night of drinking.
What arrived was a steaming bowl of properly simmered pork broth, packed with bold flavour, large chunks of pork backbone, and vegetables. It was hearty, satisfying, and exactly the kind of meal that satisfies both my heart and soul.
육개장 (Yukgaejang)
One of the words I recognised on the menu was 육개장 (Yukgaejang). A Korean comfort food classic, Yukgaejang is a spicy beef soup and also happens to be my husband's default order whenever we visit a Korean restaurant that isn't serving Korean barbecue.
Compared to the pork backbone soup, Yukgaejang has a bolder flavour profile. The broth is rich, spicy, and packed with shredded beef brisket and vegetables.
Side Dishes Worth Sharing
순대 (Sundae)
We ordered 순대 (Sundae), Korea's famous blood sausage. For those unfamiliar with Korean cuisine, sundae can seem intimidating at first. Yet it remains one of Korea's most popular traditional foods and can be found everywhere from street food stalls to restaurants.
Initially, I wanted to order the 순대국밥 (Sundae Gukbap), a hearty rice soup featuring Korean blood sausage and offal. However, the 시래기 뼈해장국 (Siraegi Ppyeo Haejangguk) eventually won me over. Not wanting to completely abandon my sundae ambitions, I simply dropped a few pieces into my soup instead.
고기만두 (Gogi Mandu)
We also ordered 고기만두 (Gogi Mandu), or meat dumplings. 고기 (gogi) means meat, and 만두 (mandu) means dumplings. These were warm, juicy, and comforting in the way good dumplings always are.
부추 바지락전 (Buchu Bajirak Jeon)
Much to our surprise, the team at Seoul Gukbap 1988 treated us to the 부추 바지락전 (Buchu Bajirak Jeon), a savoury pancake made with chives and clams. Thank you for the lovely gesture!
부추 (buchu) means chives, 바지락 (bajirak) means clams, and 전 (jeon) refers to a Korean savoury pancake. Put together, it means chive and clam pancake. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, it paired wonderfully with our rice and soup dishes.
김치 (Kimchi)
Learning Korean Through Food
As I continue learning Korean, I realise that language study is about more than vocabulary lists and grammar exercises. Sometimes, it's as simple as celebrating the small victory of being able to read a menu in Korean!
Perhaps that is why I enjoyed this meal more than I expected.
The food was delicious, certainly. But what stayed with me was definitely the quiet satisfaction of recognising a few words and feeling slightly closer to a culture that I have grown increasingly fond of.
For someone who spent her childhood reading dictionaries for fun, perhaps this was inevitable. These days, I find myself sounding out Korean words on restaurant menus. And honestly, I think my younger self would have approved.
About Seoul Gukbap 1988
Address: A-G-10, Plaza Arkadia, Jalan Residen 3, Desa Parkcity, 52200 Kuala Lumpur
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