Horse meat course restaurant in Seogwipo, Jeju: Marijoa

A horse meat course restaurant near Daepo Jusangjeolli

One thing that absolutely cannot be left out when planning a Jeju trip is eating delicious food, right? This time, rather than the dishes I usually eat, I wanted to try something distinctive that you can properly enjoy only in Jeju, so I gave horse meat a go. On this Jeju trip, I visited Marijoa Seogwipo Jungmun Branch (마리조아 서귀포중문점), known as a good restaurant in Jungmun. I heard I could try horse meat as a course, so I went in feeling excited.

Hours 12:00–21:30 · Parking available · Naver Booking available

This Jungmun restaurant is near the Daepo Jusangjeolli tourist site, so it is easy to pair with a visit there. It is also only about 5–10 minutes by car from the Jungmun Tourism Complex, making it a nice stop on a Jungmun itinerary.

There is a spacious parking lot in front of the restaurant, so parking was easy even though I came by car. Best of all, I could see the sea across the road, which made me feel refreshed before I even went in.

JOA Course selection and price

You can order individual dishes here, but the course menus, which let you try many things at once, seem especially popular. There are broadly the Mari Course and the JOA Course, and I ordered the JOA Course for two.

JOA Course, ₩39,000 per person: extract, sashimi, yukhoe, sushi, makkas, braised ribs, grilled meat, and shabu-shabu

The Mari Course adds a special cut called heukjireum to this.

As I read the explanations on each table about horse meat, horse bones, and horse fat, the course dishes began arriving one by one.

From horse-bone extract to sushi, sashimi, and yukhoe

Horse-bone extract

The course began with horse-bone extract. It had a flavor somewhat like traditional herbal medicine. The note on the table had all sorts of information about horse bones. It was fascinating because I had never encountered it before, but I knocked it back in one gulp anyway. Haha.

Then the sushi, sashimi, and yukhoe (seasoned raw meat) arrived. At Marijoa, every dish was plated so neatly that it looked lovely and put me in a good mood before I even ate.

Sushi

After drinking the extract, I started with Vietnamese fresh rolls as a palate cleanser. Their bright, refreshing flavor filled my mouth.

Next, I tried the horse-meat sushi, which had such a vivid red color. There was no gamey smell at all, and it felt as though it melted softly in my mouth. A staff member told me this Jungmun restaurant specializes in meat horses raised for food. Perhaps because of that, even though it was my first time trying it, it felt far less intimidating than I expected.

Sashimi

The sashimi was really fresh, too. I dipped it in sesame oil sauce, and it tasted similar to beef. Like a leaner beef, perhaps?

Since I had never eaten horse before, I was a little worried deep down. But once I tasted it, it was so good that an “Oh!” slipped out without me realizing it. If I had known it would taste like this, I would have tried it long ago.

Yukhoe

I had the yukhoe with crisp, sweet pear. The soy-sauce-based seasoning was so savory that I kept eating it up. Haha, I just kept reaching for it~

Makkas, braised ribs, and albap

Makkas

Next came makkas, a horse-meat version of tonkatsu. Imagine living long enough to eat makkas instead of tonkatsu! It was genuinely fascinating. It seems like a dish children would enjoy in particular, so this is also a nice Jungmun restaurant for families traveling in Jeju.

Braised ribs

Braised ribs are one of those dishes everyone enjoys, whatever their age. The meat, soaked through with seasoning, was incredibly tender. After raw dishes such as sashimi and yukhoe, the braised ribs were cooked meat, so they offered a different experience.

Albap

After trying all these different things, I was starting to crave rice, and piping-hot albap (fish roe rice) arrived at just the right time. Paired with the makkas and braised ribs, it soon had me feeling satisfyingly full. The course kept bringing such a variety of dishes that it was fun to eat my way through it.

Staff-grilled horse meat and shabu-shabu

Grilled meat

Next came grilled horse meat. Tenderloin and sirloin cuts were prepared, and I heard horse meat, like beef, tastes best only lightly cooked. A staff member grilled it directly to the perfect doneness, so I could eat it right at its best moment.

I was puzzled when they grilled the fatty part too, but hearing about horse fat made it fascinating as well. I tried it in small amounts with the meat, and it was less rich than expected, with an impressively soft texture.

Shabu-shabu

The final course of the day was shabu-shabu. They added assorted vegetables to broth made from horse bones and brought it to a rolling boil. They said to swish the meat for exactly five seconds—no more, no less—before eating it. So I followed what I had learned.

I usually love shabu-shabu, and this, this~ was really something special. It was my first-ever horse-bone broth, but it had a deeper flavor than I expected and went down so smoothly—it was delicious. It also included distinctive kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) noodles made with goji berry and citrus, so I could finish feeling full right to the end.

Before eating, horse meat felt a little unfamiliar, but once I tried it, it had no distinctive smell and was light and tender, so I enjoyed it far more than expected. I also loved being able to try everything from sashimi, yukhoe, and sushi to makkas, braised ribs, grilled meat, and shabu-shabu in one course. Of all of it, the tender grilled horse meat and the shabu-shabu made with horse-bone broth stayed with me most. Haha. If you are looking for a special change from the usual food on a Jeju trip, or are searching for a good restaurant in Jungmun, stop by Marijoa Seogwipo Jungmun Branch for a horse-meat course. First-timers like me should be able to enjoy it without feeling intimidated!