Yuchun

Until H Mart opened its store at Irvine’s Westpark Plaza, Korean noodle and soup shop Yukdaejang had no direct competition nearby. Then, despite H Mart’s H Market Eatery opening the flood gates with nine new, mostly Korean restaurants at once, Yukdaejang was better than its competition. That changed when Yuchun showed up in mid-2024.

For decades, Yuchun has been serving well-liked Korean noodles and kalbi in Los Angeles, and opened an OC location in Buena Park back in 2016 to comparatively mixed reviews. Inside the Westpark H-Mart, even surrounded by other Korean options, it’s the first place we’d choose for a meal in that food court. The star attraction is multiple types of made-to-order naengmyeon – basic, spicy, beef, fish – each of which is competitive in nearly all regards with nearby Yukdaejang’s versions.

Of note: the naengmyeon here uses arrowroot (chik) noodles rather than the more conventional buckwheat. They don’t impact the traditional chew or flavor in any significant way.