24-hour gopchang restaurant 10 min from DDP, Seoul: Jinseong Hanwoo

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Sindang branch: 24-hour beef gopchang outside Sindang Station Exit 7

I went to Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang, which operates only 3 locations in Seoul. This is a place I visit whenever I'm craving beef gopchang, and the Sindang branch in particular has the huge advantage of being open 24 hours, so you can drop by comfortably no matter the time.

The location is also super accessible, right outside Sindang Station Exit 7. We came from DDP and it only took about 10 minutes on foot. On a day with cool breezes like these, you kind of want to walk on purpose anyway, haha! When we arrived, sure enough — folding doors wide open, that outdoor-tent vibe, and the smell wafting out from Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang!

How long is the wait, and who eats here?

Since this is a place with a waiting line, you're basically guaranteed one during weekday peak hours! Still, there are chairs to sit on and a fair queue system in operation, so waiting is manageable. It's clearly popular with a great table turnover — word has apparently spread to international visitors too, since about 40% of the customers were foreign.

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang's aged garlic soy sauce and pickled garlic

They give you bottled water too, which makes it even better, and honestly I think this special sauce is the reason I don't really go to other gopchang places anymore.

The pickled garlic made specifically for the sauce is aged in-house, so of course it can't be anything but delicious!

The menu introduction and guidance notes are all posted on the wall! And there's a steady stream of visits from celebrities too.

What's on the menu at Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang?

Everything is hanwoo beef — you choose between gopchang, daechang, or makchang. For dessert, it's only kkakdugi yangbap or anchovy noodles. They don't even sell plain rice, and they're proud enough of their gopchang to hand out an explanation sheet about it.

Orders start from 2 servings! We ordered one serving each of gopchang, makchang, and daechang. I'd always just gotten gopchang and daechang before, but this was our first time ordering makchang — and the thickness alone did not disappoint. The staff member times it for 5 minutes and goes off to do other work, then comes back.

Three kimchis made in-house at Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang

The kimchi on the table is apparently all made in-house. There's a lot of talk about kimchi these days, but here you can eat with confidence!

If you like it, you can even buy some to take home, so I definitely recommend trying the three house-made kimchis.

Grilling gopchang, makchang and daechang, plus the free steamed egg

Is that gopchang visual even real... My number one food to eat before I die is hanwoo daechang, so seeing this makes me drool every single time, haha.

The moment the 5 minutes were up, the staff member came over and personally cut up all the gopchang, flipped the vegetables, and brought over the steamed egg. This place gives steamed egg as a free side! It's really hot, so give it a bit of time and eat it together with the gopchang — you'll get a different, interesting flavor combo!

Once the edges are trimmed, the oil is drained off, and the heat is turned down to low, it's ready to eat! We like ours cooked a bit more well-done, so we waited a little longer. Chives can be refilled, so grill more if you want! Personally, aside from the sauce, I think it's most delicious paired with chives, so I always refill at least once.

Gopchang: how the beef small intestine tastes

We started with the gopchang! Dip it fully in the special sauce and take a bite — it'll genuinely melt away a whole day's worth of stress, haha.

Makchang, ordered here for the first time

This was my first time trying makchang at this restaurant — thick, chewy, and with zero off smell, so it was delicious. The rice cake included in the set is also a nice touch worth tasting in between bites.

Daechang: the richest cut on the grill

The daechang was genuinely on another level — it's hard to even put into words how delicious it was. Knowing they use same-day-slaughtered hanwoo beef makes it even more trustworthy, and this one absolutely must be eaten with the aged garlic soy sauce.

Piling on minari (water dropwort) and chili peppers, which I don't usually eat much of, plus kimchi, on top of gopchang — that's love right there. I really like that the gopchang here is packed full of fat inside, so the rich flavor lingers a long time.

Finishing with kkakdugi yangbap and anchovy noodles

They don't sell plain rice separately, so if you want rice you have to order the kkakdugi yangbap. The spoonful of minced garlic seasoning on top is the real kicker, so I recommend mixing it thoroughly right from the start.

It looks spicy but has zero actual heat — just a strong garlic aroma with crunchy onion and kkakdugi (radish kimchi), which is absolutely superb. After a while, the slightly crisped scorched rice at the bottom is delicious too! It's a flavor you can't leave unfinished, so it's a dish I order without fail every time I go!

With the weather suddenly turning cold, I wanted something hot and soupy, so we also ordered the anchovy noodles! The noodles, topped generously with fried tofu skin and not overly heavy, were a nice addition. If you've been enjoying bold, intense flavors, finishing off with this noodle soup might be a great choice.

Is Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang worth a return visit?

Even though it's been featured on multiple TV shows, Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang keeps operating without losing its original spirit! The staff were all kind too — at the table next to us, which had a lot of bags, they even set a big bag over the luggage to keep the oil from splattering on it, which was such a thoughtful touch. I really wish they'd open a branch in Gangseo-gu too, haha. Finished everything today, and left completely satisfied!