South Korean restaurant Um Yong Baek has officially opened its first shop in Hong Kong at Central. The eatery is bringing its popular Busan-style pork rice soup to the city, which is a favourite among local Koreans and even K-pop stars. Now, Korean food lovers in Hong Kong can try it too without needing to travel out of the city.

South Korean restaurants have been opening nonstop across the city, and we are all for it. More and more have been opening, including Young Dabang, which recently opened its second Hong Kong branch. Now, we have Um Yong Baek, which is famous for its dwaeji gukbap or pork rice soup. Its first shop in the city is located along Stanley Street, and is officially open for business starting this February.

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What to get from Um Yong Baek Hong Kong

Of course, the star of the show from the menu is the pork rice soup. Um Yong Baek offers four different versions, with two under “Signatures” and two under “Local”. Customers can choose between a thick broth or a clear broth for the “Signatures,” with both featuring a variety of different pork cuts. Meanwhile, the “Local” selection includes a Busan-style with a clear broth and Milyang- or Miryang-style with a thick broth, both topped with premium fresh boiled pork. The soup is served unseasoned, and diners can use the seasonings on the table to adjust the flavours to their liking. In Hong Kong, each bowl is HKD 120 (approximately USD 15).

The sides are also worth a try. The ogyeopsal suyuk is a platter of boiled skin-on pork belly for those looking to add some extra protein to their bowl. Or, get the ohsorigamtoo suyuk or boiled pork maw for a different texture. The myeongran-jeot or steamed salted pollack roe adds a different layer of flavours when added to the soup.

While the Korean locations only serve the pork rice soup and sides, its Singaporean outposts — the restaurant’s first overseas locations — offer Korean barbecue for dinner. At night, the restaurant serves Jeju-style “three-way aged” pork. The meat has been water-aged, dry-aged, and then wet-aged for soft, juicy, and flavourful cuts. A variety is available for grilling, including pork collar, belly, and jowl. Customers can also enjoy various stews and noodles, as well as grilled stuffed mushrooms, during dinner.

Favoured among K-pop stars

Um Yong Baek might not have a long history, but it’s become a popular spot for a reason. Its Busan location has even seen celebrities among its guests. Mingyu of SEVENTEEN posted a picture of himself enjoying some soju while dining at the restaurant. It was also featured in the Netflix Korean food show The Hungry and the Hairy, starring Rain and Ro Hong-chul.

Location: G/F, 22 Stanley Street, Central

This story first appeared here.

(Feature image credit: Busanpedia/Facebook)

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Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

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