Yu Chun is your go-to Koreatown spot for icy, chewy naengmyeon served in a tangy beef broth, alongside generous portions of grilled galbi and massive kimchi dumplings, all in a casual, no-frills diner vibe.
"There are a few things that are as refreshing as a bowl of cold noodles on a hot summer day. Yuchun is known for its chic naengmyeon, made with chewy, distinctly dark, arrowroot noodles. The mul naengmyeon, which pairs excellently with a serving of grilled galbi, comes with sliced beef, cucumbers, pickled radish, and chile paste in an icy, tangy broth. When the heat wave cools off a bit, try the dolpan bibimbap — a hefty portion of rice, veggies, and protein in a sizzling stone pot. Don’t forget to sip on bone broth during the meal, which is found at the self-serve station near the back of the restaurant." - Matthew Kang
"Yuchun is known for their refreshing, cold naengmyeon noodles (which is why we head there whenever LA does that thing where it’s 90 degrees every day for three months), but if the temperature hasn’t yet hit scalding levels yet, try their bibimbap. Their dolpan version is quite traditional - served in a sizzling, hot stone pot, and topped with bean sprouts, kimchi, and fresh cabbage (which will soften nicely once mixed with the other warmer ingredients). But what makes this bibimbap stand out is their protein, pork bulgogi. It comes slathered with gochujang, and is the perfect complement to the otherwise mild-tasting bowl of rice." - brant cox, kat hong
"Of all the naengmyeon spots in Koreatown, Yu Chun most closely resembles the kind of no-frills shops found in South Korea’s suburbs. Chewy noodles and a highly drinkable icy broth make this a favorite among naengmyeon neophytes and homesick Koreans alike." - Cathy Chaplin, Matthew Kang
"Everyone deals with LA’s long hot summers differently. Aside from sticking your face directly in front of a window unit, it’s hard to imagine any of them are as satisfying as an icy bowl of naengmyeon at Yu Chun. The lunch crowd at this Koreatown noodle spot usually involves a few groups of chatty aunties stirring hot mustard into their handmade arrowroot noodles and Balenciaga bros slurping the semi-frozen, vinegary broth straight from the bowl. Once the weather cools down, Yu Chun’s gochujang-slathered bibimbap served in a sizzling hot stone pot is the star of the show, complemented by trips to the self-serve bone broth station in the dining room." - brant cox, garrett snyder, jess basser sanders, nikko duren, sylvio martins
"When the temperature in LA tops 90 degrees for three months straight, head to Yu Chun. The bare-bones diner on Olympic is known for its chilled naengmyeon with arrowroot noodles and a near-frozen beef broth that’ll refresh you like nothing else. If you end up with a brain freeze (quite possible), there’s self-serve dispensers of the same broth but hot near the kitchen. Add some kimchi dumplings and grilled kalbi to make a mini feast, and don’t neglect the nose-clearing hot mustard and vinegar on every table." - sylvio martins, brant cox, nikko duren, garrett snyder
