“Can’t you even season it properly? The soup is too salty.”, “The soup has cooled down, so serve some more, my dear.” Elderly characters in TV dramas were always arguing over soup. It wasn’t a side dish, nor was it a meal eaten every day.

“Why is your meal so unappetizing! Mix the rice into the soup and at least take a spoonful before you leave.” There are people who say that rice can only go down with soup. When your mouth feels dry and you have no appetite, mixing the rice into soup and slurping it down makes it go down easily. After all, even without a single proper side dish, a bowl of rice mixed into the soup is enough. It is perfectly fine to serve just kkakdugi or kimchi without any other special accompaniments.

People say, "Hot broth is the best," when it's cold, and "fight fire with fire" in the summer. Ultimately, it is practically the same as eating it all year round. It would be a shame to leave out broth in Daegu, a city with so much to offer. There is *toryeom-sik* gukbap, where hot broth is poured over and drained multiple times to warm the soup, and *ttaro-gukbap*, where the rice and soup are served separately. Some dishes are spicy and hot, while others feature the pungent aroma of pork offal. No matter what you choose, this is the story of Daegu's broth, which heartily fills a hungry stomach and warmly replenishes your energy.

The home of Yukgaejang, Yetjip Restaurant

Old House Restaurant

As indicated by the sign reading “Yukgaejang Specialty,” Yetjip Restaurant, which opened in 1948 and is now in its third generation, offers only one item on its menu: Yukgaejang. It demonstrates the true value of Daegu-style Yukgaejang with a deep and rich broth flavor that has matured over the years. It is truly, without a doubt, ‘Yukgaejang Specialty Yetjip Restaurant.’

48-5, Dalseonggongwon-ro 6-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu

Yukgaejang, a dish where green onions simmered gently until sweet, radish providing a refreshing broth, and finely shredded brisket and shank harmonize perfectly with thick chili oil. As with all dishes, Yukgaejang tastes best when cooked in large quantities, so surprisingly, opportunities to eat it in Seoul are rare. An acquaintance who recently devoured two bowls of delicious Yukgaejang at a funeral remarked , "If you want to eat proper Yukgaejang, you have to go to Daegu!" I agree. It is generally accepted that Yukgaejang originated in Daegu and spread nationwide, having been created by replacing the polarizing Bosintang—also known as Gaejang—with beef.

Yetjip Sikdang has been serving Daegu-style yukgaejang for three generations since opening in 1948. At the end of a narrow alley, a charming sign that looks distinctly old welcomes you. In the small courtyard facing you upon opening the door, ingredients are being prepared in full swing. They truly deserve to be called artisans who cook soup with the same dedication as they would pottery. Although you can enjoy instant soup in just three minutes these days, this is a flavor you can never find there. It is rich but not heavy, and red but not spicy. Facing the mother-of-pearl inlaid cabinet, I even feel as if I have stepped into my grandmother's house from long ago. After enjoying the savory broth for a while, adding some coarsely crushed garlic creates a completely different taste. They generously pour in more broth as much as you want. Their hospitality is truly generous.

Rice and soup served separately, Gukil Ttaro Gukbap

Kookil Ttaro Gukbap

If you want to taste the original version of Daegu's traditional dish, Ttaro Gukbap, Kookil Ttaro Gukbap is the perfect choice. Despite the name, the ingredients in the soup blend harmoniously together, boasting a refreshing broth. Founded in 1946 by the late Seo Dong-sul, the restaurant is currently run by his grandson, Seo Gyeong-deok, as the third generation.

571 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu

Ttaro-gukbap is a hangover-style beef soup that originated from Daegu Yukgaejang. It is said that after the Korean War, people flocked from all over the country and ordered Yukgaejang and Jangteo-gukbap slightly differently according to their individual tastes and preferences; in particular, the noblemen wearing traditional hats and robes reportedly requested that the rice and soup be served separately. Thus, it got its name, Ttaro-gukbap. It is indeed the same word used to scold someone for lacking unity or creating discord.

Kookil Ttaro Gukbap , which has been making headlines daily after being visited by the President who recently visited Daegu, boasts a history of over 70 years. The word "Original," clearly engraved alongside the phrase "SINCE 1946," is a source of pride. True to its name, Ttaro Gukbap (separate soup and rice) is served in an earthenware pot overflowing with red soup and a bowl of rice, accompanied by side dishes. The impressive combination of a spoonful of finely minced garlic, along with chunks of green onion and radish, is striking. Add to that the savory flavor from the blood sausage, and it truly possesses a robust charm that surpasses even Yukgaejang (spicy beef soup).

Sangju Restaurant, a place available for only 8 months

Sangju Restaurant

Sangju Restaurant, which started as a small pub and has now become Daegu's representative loach soup restaurant. They make the broth by simmering beef shank and create a clean taste using domestic loach, fresh highland cabbage, and garlic.

598-1 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu

Sangju Restaurant , specializing in loach soup renowned for its nourishing flavor , is famous not only for its taste but also for its unique business policy. There have been several instances where I entered in high spirits, anticipating a steaming bowl of soup, only to turn away after reading a sign that read, "Please visit on April 1st." Open only from April 1st to November 30th, this place has an unusually long winter break. They explain that they cannot maintain the flavor during the dead of winter because they cannot procure highland cabbage. They chose to close rather than endure that, and I believe this dedication and conviction are the driving force that allows them to continue serving loach soup for generations. Even today, upon entering, the sight of cabbages stacked in picturesque rows creates a magnificent spectacle.

From the gleaming wooden floors to the doorframes bearing the marks of time, it feels as if I’ve instantly time-warped right in the middle of Dongseong-ro. There is no need to even look at the menu. Just one thing: Chueotang. The cabbage filling the earthenware pot ensures a refreshing flavor in a mild, non-spicy broth. You can set aside any worries about it being slightly fishy. Add ground green chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorn powder to your liking and mix in a bowl of rice. Before you know it, you will find beads of sweat forming on your forehead and your spoon moving faster. It is that delicious.

Not all pork soup is the same. Cheongdo Pork Soup

Cheongdo Pork Soup

A savory soybean paste-based broth, and generous portions of meat that come up in abundance when you scoop them up with chopsticks. Ssamjang sprinkled with perilla seeds to mask any gamey smell adds the finishing touch. And finally, rice grains that have absorbed the clean broth perfectly, prepared in the traditional toryeom-style soup. The quintessential pork soup is right here.

65 Daebong-ro, Nam-gu, Daegu

Pork soup with rice is the dish that evokes a particularly strong sense of nostalgia for people raised in Gyeongsang Province who move to Seoul. Although Seoul is the capital where delicious foods from all eight provinces of Korea gather, it seems that pork soup with rice is not quite what one would expect. Imagine the taste of eating it generously filled with chives—which taste best when called 'jeongguji'—combining a primal flavor and pungent aroma more than any other soup.

While cities like Miryang and Busan argue over who is the originator of pork soup, Daegu is also a city that cannot be left out. In truth, who cares who is the true originator? It is simply a matter of enjoying it according to one's taste. The Daegu style is characterized by generously adding offal alongside the pork and topping it with a refreshing spicy seasoning paste. Cheongdo Pork Soup , located in a corner of Bongdeok Market , inspires confidence simply by remaining bustling even after lunchtime. While the first impression is no different from any other market stall with just the right amount of grease, it is a place that has received rave reviews from renowned food connoisseurs, being hailed as the "Soup of the Year ." From pork soup and blood sausage soup to tripe soup—the names may differ, but the basic base is the same. Only the offal varies. First, I drink the milky white broth without adding any seasoning. I welcome the broth with a slight gamey smell that might be polarizing, and I am captivated by the generous amount of meat, which seems to embody the saying "half broth, half meat."

As I write for quite a while, I find myself desperately craving gukbap. Come to think of it, I am someone who has a particular fondness for broth. I crave refreshing soup for a hangover, and spicy broth when the weather is cold. During my perpetually hungry school days, a single bowl of gukbap would fill my stomach and leave me feeling weary the rest of the time; after recovering from an illness, I needed to mix rice into the soup and take a spoonful to regain my energy. Isn't that precisely the Korean sentiment and palate? I think I will have gukbap for dinner tonight. It is a shame I can't go all the way to Daegu, though.

Han Seok-dong

Han Seok-dong, a marketer equipped with a discerning eye who has worked for fashion and beauty brands such as Beanpole , Kuho , and Estée Lauder , possesses a keen eye for recognizing good products better than anyone else. Active on social media under the name #coolishdong , he established a marketing company of the same name after leaving his previous firm and took charge of marketing for the life etiquette brand 'hinok ' . Experiencing diverse cultures without limiting himself to fields such as fashion, beauty, and lifestyle, he is currently building content filled with his unique perspective under the hashtag '#CoolDongCityTour'. Han Seok-dong continues his work of capturing, experiencing, and introducing the very best among good things.