BANGKOK RESTAURANT

Ko Kung

Korean comfort food that hits the spot without venturing into Korean Town. 

3
Average: 3 (1 vote)

Unless you happened to catch the energetic servers popping their heads out with a harmonized “anyoung haseyo!,” you may well have passed this not-so-tiny Korean restaurant without noticing. The menu sees a long list of classic Korean dishes and barbecue ingredients, including sirloin, marinated beef, prime rib, bibimbap and tteokbokki. The attentive staff is led by a caring Korean chef/owner, who walks around to greet the customers and genially ask whether the food is okay.

This review took place in September 2018 and is based on a visit to the restaurant without the restaurant's knowledge. For more on BK's review policy, click here.


Unless you happened to catch the the energetic servers popping their heads out with a harmonized “anyoung haseyo!,” you may well have passed this not-so-tiny Korean restaurant on Sukhumvit Soi 26 without noticing.

Inside, the two-story space is a very casual affair—beige walls and wooden tables with barbecue stoves—all the elements you would expect from a traditional Korean restaurant.

The menu sees a long list of classic Korean dishes and barbecue ingredients, whereas the drinks side isn’t overloaded with crazy varieties of soju like many other places. They recommend a bottle of Chum Churum Soju (B280), which has a clean taste and mild flavor that goes down effortlessly with the meal.

As for the grill, the plates of sirloin (B650/200g), marinated beef (B650/150g) and prime ribs (B550/150g) are pretty flavorful, whether enjoyed plain, dipped in sauces or wrapped in lettuce. We like the smoky, slightly spicy ssamjang, a thick and flavorful dip made from soybean paste, hot pepper paste, onion, garlic and sesame oil that goes great with just about everything.

The bibimbap (mixed rice topped with carrot, spinach, pickled radish and egg, B250) features the perfect balance of salty and sweet flavors—we were a little surprised by the unconventional addition of shredded crab sticks, but it tasted fine when it was all mixed together.

The spicy stir-fried pork in bright orange sauce (B300) is satisfyingly thick and flavorful on its pillow of crisp lettuce leaves, if unfortunately a tad too sweet. Same comment goes to the tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cakes, B300)—rich but too sweet—served sizzling on a hot stone.

And, of course, a Korean meal wouldn’t be complete without the presence of kimchijjigae (kimchi soup, B250); here, the flavors are pretty well-rounded, just not quite as aromatic and powerful as we hoped for.

To finish, a plate of sliced watermelon and a tiny mug of sweet ginger-cinnamon tea are served to help both refresh the palate and satisfy that sweet-treat craving.

The attentive staff are led by the caring Korean chef/owner, who walks around to greet the customers and genially ask whether the food is okay. Does this restaurant have anything that particularly stands out? Probably not, but if you’re looking for a great place that’ll hit the spot for Korean comfort food without venturing into Korean Town, this could be it.

Venue Details
Address: Ko Kung, 74 Sukhumvit Soi 26, Bangkok, Thailand
Phone: 02-261-0560
Website: www.facebook.com/KOKUNG.Korean.Restaurant
Area: Phrom Phong
Cuisine: Korean
Price Range: BB - BBB
Open since: February, 2016
Opening hours: daily 10am-10pm
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