Seven-Eleven Gangdoenjang Bulgogi Bibimbap [Korean Food]

Home » K-food Review » K-Convenience Store Food » Seven-Eleven Gangdoenjang Bulgogi Bibimbap [Korean Food]

Today’s Seven-Eleven bibimbap (a Korean mixed rice bowl) is the Si-kyung Pick Secret Gangdoenjang Bulgogi Bibimbap. It is the third item in a seasonal bibimbap series made in collaboration with Sung Si-kyung. Barley rice is topped with seven toppings, including bulgogi (marinated sliced meat) and Gangwon Province gondeure (Korean thistle) namul. You mix it all with gangdoenjang (a thick Korean soybean paste sauce) simmered in clam broth. I recently reviewed the Secret Soy Sauce Autumn Radish Bibimbap too, and I remember it tasting quite good. I’m quietly looking forward to this one as well. Let’s find out what it’s all about.

Table of Contents

📋 At a Glance

Product: Secret Gangdoenjang Bulgogi Bibimbap (Bibeop Gangdoenjang Bulgogi Bibimbap), the third item in the Si-kyung Pick seasonal bibimbap series
Brand: Seven-Eleven (Si-kyung Pick seasonal bibimbap series, made in collaboration with Sung Si-kyung)
Price: 5,200 won
Weight and calories: 353 g · 515 kcal
Sales: 300,000 units of the series sold within two weeks of launch
Feature: technology that keeps chilled rice from hardening, so even a short microwave heating loosens the rice into fluffy grains
Main components: barley rice + 7 toppings (bulgogi made with domestic pork hind leg, gondeure (Korean thistle) namul from Gangwon Province, julienned carrot, zucchini, radish namul, crisp leafy greens, tofu) + gangdoenjang simmered in clam broth
How to prepare: microwave only the rice for 1 minute 30 seconds in a 1,000W microwave, then add the toppings and gangdoenjang and mix (as done in this review)
Verdict: ★4.0 — a savory, tidy country-table flavor; the gangdoenjang is on the salty side, so portion it carefully.

Secret Gangdoenjang Bulgogi Bibimbap: Price and Highlights

Seven-Eleven introduced its Si-kyung Pick bibimbap at the end of this summer season. It is a limited series that swaps in seasonal ingredients every season. Reportedly, the series sold a cumulative 300,000 units within two weeks of launch, so the response was good. Ha. I’ve already tried the Secret Soy Sauce Autumn Radish Bibimbap. So after reviewing this one, I figured I should try the beef bibimbap soon, too. Reportedly, another plus is the technology that keeps chilled rice from hardening. Even a short microwave heating loosens the rice into fluffy grains.

Bibimbap package made in collaboration with Sung Si-kyung

What comes in the Secret Gangdoenjang Bulgogi Bibimbap

The price of this item is 5,200 won. It weighs 353 g and has 515 kcal. A bowl with seven kinds of toppings in the 5,000-won range is a pretty reasonable deal given today’s eating-out prices. The calories aren’t overwhelming either, so it works well for a light meal. By the way, since it’s a bibimbap item, a spoon comes included as standard.

Price information for the Gangdoenjang Bulgogi Bibimbap

What’s Inside the Container

Let’s take a quick look at what’s inside. Lift the lid and you’ll find the secret gangdoenjang in the center, with the toppings surrounding it in octagonal compartments. Green, white, orange and brown are evenly mixed, so it looks neat and tidy. It feels just like a bowl served at a bibimbap restaurant.

Pork Bulgogi and Gondeure Namul

The star topping, the bulgogi, comes in a more generous portion than the others. Thin slices of pork bulgogi fill one whole compartment. Even though it’s bibimbap, it looks like it would give a real meat-eating satisfaction. Reportedly, the cut is domestic (Korean) pork hind leg. The product’s signature gondeure (Korean thistle) namul, a seasoned vegetable side dish, also has its own compartment. It’s a dark green namul made with gondeure from Gangwon Province. Paired with barley rice and gangdoenjang, I expect it to give a proper country-table feel. Besides these, there are julienned carrots, zucchini, radish namul, crisp leafy greens and even tofu. Every compartment holds a different topping.

Clam-Broth Gangdoenjang and Barley Rice

The sauce in the middle is not gochujang (Korean chili paste). It is gangdoenjang simmered in clam broth. It’s runnier than ordinary gangdoenjang, made so that it soaks into the rice easily. The rice is barley rice rather than plain white rice. Overall, think of it as a country-table style bibimbap. It is barley rice with seven toppings arranged around the bulgogi and gondeure, mixed with clam gangdoenjang instead of gochujang.

Heating and Mixing It Up

For cooking, I microwaved only the rice for 1 minute 30 seconds in a 1,000W microwave. Then I spread the assorted toppings and the secret gangdoenjang on top. This is how it looks. There are so many toppings that they cover the rice completely, don’t they?

Features of the new Secret Gangdoenjang product

I gave it a few quick stirs with the secret gangdoenjang. The moment I mixed it, a savory soybean paste aroma rose up, clearly different from the bibimbap I usually eat. It makes me want to taste it right away.

Bibimbap with a different topping in each compartment

Taste Test: Savory Gangdoenjang and Sweet Bulgogi

Now let’s dig in. First, I took a big bite of the rice mixed with the gangdoenjang sauce. The sauce is savory and quite salty. Maybe thanks to the clam broth, a cool, refreshing depth of flavor lingers behind it. However, the seasoning is quite strong, so I’d suggest mixing in only about half at first.

Details of the bibimbap made with seasonal ingredients

The gondeure namul has a distinctively soft, mild aroma that went well with the barley rice. The barley rice has a pleasant pop when chewed. It felt much more savory and fun to chew than a regular white-rice bibimbap. The toppings weren’t overcooked either, so each kept its own texture. Even the tofu raised the flavor a bit when paired with the gangdoenjang.

The bulgogi had a sweet seasoning that matched the salty gangdoenjang in a sweet-and-salty combo. With so much meat in the bowl, I was clearly satisfied to find meat in every spoonful of bibimbap. Past the midpoint, the crisp leafy greens and radish pop up here and there. They clean up the palate in a refreshing way.

Nutty-tasting Secret Gangdoenjang bibimbap

Even though the rich gangdoenjang flavor continues, the vegetables kept me from getting tired of it to the end. However, for people who eat their bibimbap spicy, it might feel a little light. Ha. At home, adding a little gochujang for some heat could be a good idea, too.

Scene of the bibimbap mixed up and ready to eat

Sales information for the Si-kyung Pick bibimbap

Final Verdict: Savory, Tidy Country-Table Gangdoenjang Bibimbap

Personally, I felt this menu’s charm lies in a savory, tidy flavor completely different from gochujang bibimbap. It is clearly a welcome taste for people who love soybean paste (doenjang). Those sensitive to salt should definitely adjust the amount of gangdoenjang.

The savory gangdoenjang, the sweet bulgogi and the pleasantly chewy barley rice work well together. You get a tidy, country-table kind of flavor. However, the gangdoenjang is on the salty side, so controlling the amount is a must. I recommend it to anyone who likes soybean paste bibimbap or is tired of gochujang bibimbap. It also suits anyone who wants a light but filling meal. For readers curious about a bibimbap without gochujang, this 5,200-won bowl is an easy way to try one.

Bibimbap with toppings that keep their texture

Lineup of the Si-kyung Pick gangdoenjang bibimbap

This item, with its gondeure and clam-broth gangdoenjang, belongs to the seasonal bibimbap series Seven-Eleven launched with Sung Si-kyung. The launch is covered in this (Korean source) Money Today report on the Seven-Eleven and Sung Si-kyung limited-edition bibimbap series.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How much is the Seven-Eleven Secret Gangdoenjang Bulgogi Bibimbap?

It costs 5,200 won. The bowl weighs 353 g and has 515 kcal. It comes with barley rice, seven toppings, clam-broth gangdoenjang and a spoon as standard.

Q. Does this gangdoenjang bibimbap taste good?

Personally, I loved its savory, tidy flavor, which is completely different from gochujang bibimbap. The gangdoenjang is savory and salty with a cool depth from clam broth, and the sweet bulgogi matched it well. The seasoning is quite strong, though, so start by mixing in about half of the sauce.

Q. How do you prepare it?

I microwaved only the rice for 1 minute 30 seconds in a 1,000W microwave. Then I added the toppings and gangdoenjang and mixed. Reportedly, the technology that keeps chilled rice from hardening loosens the rice into fluffy grains even with a short heating.

image sources

성시경 협업 비빔밥 포장: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
비법강된장 불고기 비빔밥 구성: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
비법강된장불고기비빔밥 가격 정보: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
보리밥 강된장 비벼먹는 장면: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
아삭한 잎채소 비빔밥 구성: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
비빔밥 밥 식감 사진: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
정갈한 비빔밥 비주얼 사진: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
시골 밥상 느낌 비빔밥: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
구수한 강된장 맛 사진: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
신상품 비법강된장 특징: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
비빔밥 칼로리 정보: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
구수한 된장 비빔밥 맛: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
각기 다른 고명 비빔밥: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
비빔밥 음식 추천 사진: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
제철 재료 비빔밥 상세정보: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
가볍고 든든한 한끼 메뉴: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
비빔밥 시리즈 특징 사진: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
고소한 맛 비법강된장 비빔밥: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
맛있게 비벼진 비빔밥 장면: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
시경픽 비빔밥 판매량 정보: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
비빔밥 고명 색감 비주얼: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
고명 식감 살린 비빔밥: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net
시경픽 강된장 비빔밥 구성: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net