Eulji Myeonok Nakwon-dong: The Beloved Naengmyeon House Begins a New Chapter

Eulji Myeonok Nakwon-dong is now the key chapter in one of Seoul’s most closely watched naengmyeon comebacks. After leaving its longtime Euljiro setting in 2022 because of redevelopment, the well-known Pyongyang-style cold noodle restaurant began operating again in Jongno-gu’s Nakwon-dong on April 22, 2024.¹

For fans of Eulji Myeonok Naengmyeon, the move was never just about an address. The restaurant’s return brought together several threads at once: nostalgia for its old Ipjeong-dong years, curiosity about the new building near Jongno 3-ga, and lively discussion about how much a bowl of classic Pyongyang naengmyeon should cost in Seoul.

Eulji Myeonok Nakwon-dong and the Move From Euljiro

Eulji Myeonok Nakwon-dong Seoul dining room concept

The path to Nakwon-dong began after Eulji Myeonok ended operations in Euljiro in June 2022 amid the Seun Sangga redevelopment area changes. Money Today reported that the restaurant had started in Ipjeong-dong in 1985 and operated there for 37 years before its final Euljiro service in 2022.²

That background explains why the reopening drew so much attention. Eulji Myeonok was not a short-lived trend spot changing neighborhoods for convenience. It was a familiar name tied to a particular old downtown Seoul food culture, especially for people who follow Pyongyang-style naengmyeon restaurants.

In March 2024, reports began to clarify where the restaurant would return. Korea Economic Daily reported on March 13, 2024, that Eulji Myeonok was preparing to reopen in a new place in Nakwon-dong, Jongno-gu, after the 2022 demolition-related closure. The same report described the new building as having one basement level and five above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 999.5 square meters.³

Chosun Biz also reported on March 13, 2024, that Eulji Myeonok had settled at 55-1 Nakwon-dong, Jongno-gu, near the Jongno Tax Office and Jongno 3-ga Station. The report said the former Jeil Building was confirmed as owned by Eulji Myeonok, and that some floors were listed for general restaurant use in building registry details.⁴

Those details matter because they show the comeback was not just a pop-up-style restart. The Nakwon-dong location was described through building records, ownership details, and construction-site reporting, giving the return a sense of permanence.

A Reopening That Drew Lines Before Service

By mid-March 2024, the reopening had become more concrete. Chosun Ilbo reported from the Nakwon-dong site that the new shop was near the Jongno Tax Office behind Nakwon Arcade, and that the existing building appeared to be undergoing remodeling for use as a cold noodle restaurant. The report also included a comment from Eulji Myeonok representative Hong Jeong-suk, who said, “Eulji Myeonok will reopen here.”⁵

At that stage, the expected timing was late April or, at the latest, May 2024. The actual reopening came on April 22, 2024, when Newsis published a photo report from the newly reopened Eulji Myeonok in Nakwon-dong and noted that the restaurant had begun service there that day after stopping operations because of redevelopment in 2022.¹

The appetite for the return was visible immediately. Money Today’s April 23, 2024, report described around 80 people waiting before opening on the morning of April 22.² That number says a lot without needing much embellishment. For some diners, Eulji Myeonok was a place they had been waiting to see again; for others, it was a chance to understand why this name carries weight in Seoul’s naengmyeon scene.

The restaurant had also signaled its seasonal intent before reopening. Korea Economic Daily reported a comment from the Eulji Myeonok side saying it would serve cool naengmyeon to customers before the heat arrived.³ In a city where cold noodles become especially meaningful as temperatures rise, that timing helped make the comeback feel neatly aligned with the calendar.

What Changed With the New Era

The most obvious change was the location: from the old Euljiro area to Nakwon-dong in Jongno-gu. The new setting near Jongno 3-ga and the Jongno Tax Office places Eulji Myeonok within another central Seoul neighborhood, close to older commercial streets and transit access rather than far from its downtown roots.⁴

Another change was the price. Weekly Chosun reported on April 30, 2024, that after the Nakwon-dong reopening, the price of Eulji Myeonok’s Pyongyang naengmyeon rose from 13,000 won to 15,000 won. The article framed the change within broader price increases at major naengmyeon and kongguksu restaurants in Seoul, while also noting online debate about the new price.⁶

That price discussion is part of the modern Eulji Myeonok story because iconic restaurants do not return in a vacuum. They come back into a changed dining economy, a different neighborhood setting, and a customer base that remembers the old version while judging the new one in real time.

Still, the central appeal remains simple: Eulji Myeonok is known through its Pyongyang-style cold noodles, and its return gave longtime followers a new place to reconnect with that identity. The sources do not provide a detailed tasting profile for the reopened restaurant, so it is better to stay with what is confirmed: the name, the move, the reopening date, the lines, and the reported price change.

Eulji Myeonok Nakwon-dong Jongno Seoul new chapter concept

Eulji Myeonok Nakwon-dong is best understood as a continuation rather than a complete reinvention. The restaurant left Euljiro in 2022, prepared a new Jongno home in early 2024, reopened on April 22, 2024, and quickly became a talking point again for people who care about Seoul’s Pyongyang naengmyeon culture. Its new chapter now belongs to Nakwon-dong, but the attention around it shows how strongly the old Eulji Myeonok name still travels.