Seoul Window
Most visitors who make it to Cheonho eat a bowl of cold noodles and head back to Jamsil. Stay on Line 5 for two or three more stops, though, and the neighborhood shifts again. The neon of the food alleys fades out. In its place: apartment blocks, a covered market, cram-school streets, and a noodle shop wedged between them.
Gildong, Dunchon-dong, Myeongil-dong, Godeok-dong. These four neighborhoods on the eastern edge of Gangdong-gu are not destinations — they are where people live. Nearly every customer is a resident. At lunch it is parents from the academy streets and office workers; at dinner it is the same neighbors on their way home. Prices are set by what the neighborhood will pay, not what a tourist will.
This guide picks up where our Cheonho & Amsa guide and Bangi-dong & Olympic Park guide leave off. Nothing from those two articles is repeated here — this is only the stretch east of them.
The short answer
- One subway line covers it all. From Cheonho on Line 5: Gildong is 2 stops, Myeongil 4, Godeok 5. The line splits at Gangdong Station, so always check where your train is headed.
- Gildong centers on a covered market street (Gildong Bokjori Market) and the original branch of an udon chain named after the neighborhood.
- Myeongil Station means a 50-year-old traditional market, a chicken-feet joint next to it, and an evening lane locals call "Myeongnidan-gil."
- Around Godeok Station, the strength is lunch: hand-cut kalguksu and arrowroot cold noodles in apartment-block shopping arcades.
- In Dunchon-dong, combine the traditional market near the station with a meal in the surrounding lanes.
Where are Gildong, Dunchon and Godeok, and how do you get there?
They are residential neighborhoods at the far eastern end of Gangdong-gu, right where Seoul meets Hanam in Gyeonggi Province. From Jamsil, the simplest route is Line 8 to Cheonho, then a transfer to Line 5. If you are staying near Gwanghwamun or Yeouido, Line 5 brings you here with no transfer at all.
There is one thing you have to know. Line 5 splits into two branches at Gangdong Station. One branch runs through Gildong, Gubeundari, Myeongil, Godeok and Sangil-dong on its way to Hanam Geomdansan. The other runs through Dunchon-dong, Olympic Park and Bangi toward Macheon. Trains for both branches use the same platform, so read the destination on the display before you board.
🚇 Line 5 by station — stops from Cheonho and what to eat when you get off
| Station | From Cheonho | Train to take | What to eat there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gildong | 2 stops | Bound for Hanam Geomdansan | Gildong Bokjori Market, butcher-shop barbecue, udon original branch |
| Gubeundari | 3 stops | Bound for Hanam Geomdansan | Dessert cafe |
| Myeongil | 4 stops | Bound for Hanam Geomdansan | Myeongil Traditional Market, dakbal, Myeongnidan-gil |
| Godeok | 5 stops | Bound for Hanam Geomdansan | Hand-cut kalguksu, arrowroot naengmyeon set meals |
| Sangil-dong | 6 stops | Bound for Hanam Geomdansan | Anchovy-broth kalguksu |
| Dunchon-dong | 2 stops | Bound for Macheon | Dunchon Station Traditional Market, soybean stew and kongguksu |
Why apartment-arcade restaurants rule here
- Until 1963 this area belonged to Gwangju County in Gyeonggi Province. After it joined Seoul, large apartment complexes went up and set the shape of today's neighborhoods. Godeok-dong was only split off from Myeongil-dong in 1985.
- When the complexes are huge, the arcade inside the complex and the market by the station effectively become the neighborhood's restaurant row. That is why the old-timers survive on arcade ground floors and in market lanes, not in a food alley.
- Gangdong-gu’s records give one concrete example of the area’s rebuilding: construction of the replacement for Godeok Jugong 7 ran from April 2017 to December 2019, with completion approved on December 30, 2019.
- A quirk worth knowing: many places sold as "Godeok Station restaurants" have a Myeongil-dong address, because the station straddles the border of the two neighborhoods. Don't let that throw you off when you search the map.
What do locals actually eat in Gildong?
Barbecue bought straight from the market butcher, sundae-guk, and udon named after the neighborhood. After Cheonho, the streets around Gildong Station are the oldest everyday shopping district in Gangdong-gu, and there is a roofed market right in the middle of them.
Gildong Bokjori Market — a 300-meter street under one roof
This market street runs for about 300 meters near Gildong Station. In 2014 it was picked for Seoul’s “Seoul-style New Market” program, and by 2016 it had an arcade roof, a customer center, and 29 former street stalls turned into licensed, uniformly designed kiosks. A 2016 Seoul Shinmun report put foot traffic at roughly 13,000 people a day. It is still packed tight with side-dish shops, rice-cake makers, butchers and snack stalls. The unexpected bonus: it is one of the few places in the area that is pleasant to walk on a rainy day.
Yugyeong Jeongyuk Sikdang (38 Cheonjung-ro 52-gil, inside Gildong Market) — A jeongyuk-sikdang, literally a butcher-shop restaurant: tables sit beside the meat counter so you can grill what you choose. The menu includes beef and pork, including pork belly, pork jowl and beef tartare. Ask for the current menu, serving sizes and prices before ordering.
Gildong Udon original branch (1135 Cheonho-daero, between Gildong and Gangdong stations) — The company says the brand began as a small shop in Gildong in 2013. Udon, gimbap and other Korean-style quick meals remain its focus. Visiting the original branch gives the neighborhood name on the sign some context. Check this branch’s current menu and opening hours before visiting.
Gogeup Abai Sundae (127 Jinhwangdo-ro) — A place for sundae-guk and assorted sundae. If you want sausage as well as soup, ask what comes in the bowl or set before ordering. Visitors describe a pronounced pork aroma. Ask the restaurant directly about peanuts and other allergens; a review cannot establish which dishes are safe for a particular allergy.
Giljo (1173 Cheonho-daero) — A seafood restaurant serving stir-fried octopus sets and seafood hot pots. A set meal is a useful format for a solo diner, while a shared pot suits a group. Check the current menu, minimum order and hours directly with the restaurant.
What are Myeongil's chicken-feet street and Myeongnidan-gil like?
Market by day, chicken feet and lane bars by evening. At Myeongil Station, the exit number tells you which side you get. Exit 4 leads to Myeongil Traditional Market; Exits 1 and 2 lead to the evening lane known as Myeongnidan-gil.
Myeongil Traditional Market — a 50-year-old neighborhood market
Gangdong-gu Office describes it as a market that has looked after residents’ daily needs for over 50 years, about a 3-minute walk from Exit 4 (22 Yangjae-daero 138-gil). Between the fruit, side dishes, rice cakes and meat, it has two designated stretches that give it its character: a chicken-feet street and a multicultural street.
Myeongil Dakbal — chicken feet near the market
Myeongil Dakbal (86 Sangam-ro 47-gil, Myeongil-dong) — A chicken-feet restaurant near Myeongil Traditional Market. Choose this stop if you want spicy chicken feet close to the market.
The signature wonjo dakbal (original chicken feet) is braised with a little sauce left in the pan. Rice balls and steamed egg are useful dishes to look for alongside it. Confirm available portions, prices and opening hours with the restaurant before visiting.
Myeongnidan-gil — an evening lane strung with seasonal lights
One or two minutes from Exits 1 and 2 of Myeongil Station, the streets around Godeok-ro 38-gil are what locals call Myeongnidan-gil. According to Gangdong-gu Office, four alleys each carry a spring, summer, autumn or winter theme in their string lights. This is less about one specific restaurant and more about walking a loop in the evening and stepping into whatever looks good. Barbecue, izakaya and dessert spots are mixed together, along with plenty of chains, so read the signs before you pick.
Where do Godeok and Sangil-dong locals eat lunch?
Hand-rolled kalguksu and arrowroot cold-noodle set meals. Godeok Station sits in a textbook residential district — apartment complexes, academy streets and a big-box supermarket side by side — so the places with a lunchtime line of parents and office workers are mostly noodle shops and set-meal restaurants.
Gohyangjip Son-kalguksu (23 Dongnam-ro 73-gil, technically Myeongil-dong) — A noodle shop for hand-cut kalguksu and hand-torn sujebi (dough-flake soup). Its menu also lists kongguksu, dumplings and boiled pork. Choose a noodle bowl for a simple meal, or ask about dishes to share. Check today’s menu, prices and hours before travelling.
Godeok Bapjip (266 Godeok-ro, about 5 minutes on foot from Godeok Station, behind the E-mart) — A neighborhood restaurant serving chik-naengmyeon (arrowroot cold noodles), grilled-pork and spicy-pork set meals, and earthenware-pot bulgogi. Check the current menu, prices and afternoon break. The ordering kiosk offers pictures to help you choose.
Yongmun Kalguksu (125 Sangil-ro, about 8 minutes on foot from Exit 4 of Sangil-dong Station) — The second branch of a Sangil-dong noodle shop, serving anchovy-broth kalguksu and seasonal kongguksu. Reviewers describe chewy noodles in a clear broth with vegetables. Confirm the current opening days and afternoon break before going.
Where can you eat around Dunchon-dong’s traditional market?
Start with the market streets if you want a neighborhood food walk. The lanes around Dunchon-dong Station combine everyday shopping with places to eat. Plan around the particular restaurant you choose and its current opening hours.
Dunchon Station Traditional Market and the lane beside it
Exit 3 of Dunchon-dong Station opens onto the streets around Pungseong-ro 58-gil, home to Dunchon Station Traditional Market. Gangdong-gu Office describes it as “a market and a food alley in one, drawing everyone from young people to seniors.” It isn’t large, but it is tidy, and it has everything from snacks like hotteok (sweet filled pancakes) and tteokbokki to vegetables and fish.
Gomone Wonjo Kongtang Hwangtaetang (13 Pungseong-ro 57-gil) — A soybean specialist in the lane beside the market, serving kongtang (ground-soybean stew), soybean-pulp stew, cheonggukjang and kongguksu, as well as dried-pollock dishes. A soybean dish is not automatically vegan. Ask about fish stock, pollock, meat and side-dish seasonings before ordering; confirm current hours and prices directly.
Which cafes are worth it in Gildong and Godeok?
Neighborhood cafes here lean toward bakeries and desserts. There is no roastery lane like the one in Cheonho and Amsa. Instead, each station has one or two roomy shops where apartment residents go to buy bread and cake.
Alternative (206 Cheonjung-ro, Gildong Station) — A bakery cafe with an open seating area, bread and coffee. It is an option for a break near Gildong Bokjori Market. Ask about the day’s bread, beans, prices and hours.
C:um beo (12 Myeongil-ro 26-gil, Gubeundari Station) — A dessert cafe for coffee and seasonal cakes. Recent visit accounts describe changing fruit cakes and bingsu, so choose from the day’s display instead of planning around one specific chestnut dessert. Check the current menu, prices and opening hours before visiting.
☕ Cafes by station — places to consider for a break
| # | Name | Station | Type | Go when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alternative | Gildong | Bakery cafe | You want coffee and bread with a seat |
| 2 | C:um beo | Gubeundari | Dessert cafe | You want to choose a seasonal cake |
| 3 | Bahamas | Gildong | Coffee | A coffee break in Gildong |
| 4 | Cinnamon Garden | Godeok | Coffee | After kalguksu near Godeok Station |
| 5 | This Is Fine | Dunchon-dong | Cafe | After Dunchon Station Traditional Market |
| 6 | Simo | Myeongil | Bingsu cafe | To cool down after spicy dakbal |
Which dishes should you compare before choosing a restaurant?
Menu choices around Gildong, Dunchon and Godeok — ask each restaurant for current prices and hours
| Restaurant | Signature dish | Nearest station |
|---|---|---|
| Gildong Udon (original branch) | Gildong udon / tuna gimbap | Gildong or Gangdong |
| Yugyeong Jeongyuk Sikdang | Pork belly / pork jowl | Gildong |
| Gogeup Abai Sundae | Sundae-guk / sundae set meal | Gildong area |
| Giljo | Stir-fried octopus set | Gildong |
| Myeongil Dakbal | Original dakbal, small or large | Myeongil |
| Gohyangjip Son-kalguksu | Kalguksu or sujebi | Godeok |
| Godeok Bapjip | Chik-naengmyeon / spicy pork set | Godeok |
| Yongmun Kalguksu | Anchovy kalguksu | Sangil-dong |
| Gomone Wonjo Kongtang Hwangtaetang | Kongtang / kongguksu | Dunchon-dong |
A one-day route — heading east from Cheonho
- Lunch near Godeok Station — Choose kalguksu or arrowroot cold noodles after checking the restaurant’s opening hours and afternoon break.
- Daytime at Myeongil Station (1 stop back) — Exit 4 leads to Myeongil Traditional Market.
- A cafe break near Gubeundari or Gildong Station — Then take a walk under the roof of Gildong Bokjori Market.
- Dinner near Myeongil Station — Check the chicken-feet shop’s hours before fixing your dinner time, then explore Myeongnidan-gil.
- Do Dunchon-dong separately — It is on the Macheon branch, so pair it with an Olympic Park walk instead (one stop from Olympic Park Station).
When should you go, and what should you watch out for?
Choose your meal first, then check the day’s schedule. The markets, noodle shops, barbecue restaurants and cafes do not share one set of hours. Check opening days, afternoon breaks and last orders for each stop.
Practical checklist
- Check the Line 5 destination. After Gangdong Station, Gildong, Myeongil and Godeok are on the Hanam Geomdansan branch; Dunchon-dong is on the Macheon branch. Get it wrong and you'll be riding back to Gangdong.
- Check afternoon breaks. Confirm the current opening days, break and last order with the restaurant before travelling.
- Search the map with the neighborhood name. Shops near Godeok Station often have Myeongil-dong addresses, and many names have multiple branches. Use the exact search terms in our buttons.
- Markets are liveliest from morning to early afternoon. More stalls close as evening falls.
- Don't expect English menus. Many places have kiosks or picture menus, so a translation app's camera is enough.
Related guides
- Cheonho & Amsa local guide — naengmyeon alley, jjukkumi alley and Amsa-dong roasteries
- Bangi-dong Food Alley & Olympic Park guide
- Seoul’s old-school kalguksu shops
- Traditional markets Seoul locals actually use
- How to order at a Korean bunsik shop
Sources and review scope
Reviewed November 1, 2026. Restaurant visit records below support inclusion in this guide; they are not official confirmation of current prices or hours. No on-site check was performed.
- Gangdong-gu · Godeok Jugong 7
- Gildong Udon · 2013
- Gangdong-gu · Godeok 1-dong
- Gangdong-gu · Myeongil 1-dong
- Gangdong-gu · Seongnae 3-dong
- Seoul Shinmun · Gildong Market · 2016
- Yugyeong Jeongyuk Sikdang · 2025
- Gildong Udon · 2025-07-04
- Gogeup Abai Sundae · 2025
- Giljo · 2025-05-21
- Myeongil Dakbal · 2025-01-24
- Gohyangjip Son-kalguksu
- Godeok Bapjip
- Yongmun Kalguksu · 2025-05-17
- Gomone Wonjo Kongtang Hwangtaetang
- Alternative · 2026-08-13
- C:um beo · 2026
- Bahamas · 2025-05-06
- Cinnamon Garden · 2026
- This Is Fine · 2026
- Simo · 2025-05-03