Korean BBQ in Gohyeon, Geoje: water-aged pork platter at Dongbang

Today I've got a story about dinner (and a drink) in Gohyeon, Geoje haha. It was one of those spontaneous evenings with a friend and my son — "let's have meat and soju tonight."

If you've ever looked for a BBQ place around Gohyeon, there's one name that keeps popping up. I finally made it to Dongbang Chuksan Geoje Gohyeon Branch, known for its water-chilled, low-temperature aged meat!

I love aged meat, so I had high expectations going in — and long story short, my son was the one who said "let's come back here" haha.

What is Dongbang Chuksan Geoje Gohyeon Branch like inside?

The first thing that catches your eye at the entrance is the meat aging in water right there. You can watch the aging process from outside, so you already have a sense of what you're about to eat before you even walk in — my expectations were rising before I sat down. The orange sign makes it easy to find even if you're bad with directions haha.

Inside, the hall is genuinely spacious. With 92 seats total and group seating for up to 48, it would work well for a company dinner or a get-together too.

It felt more organized than the usual chaotic BBQ-joint vibe, and the tables were spaced far enough apart that we could chat comfortably without worrying about the next table. The ventilation was also solid, so my clothes didn't end up smelling as much as I expected.

You order through a tablet at each table, and staff bring things over right away once you tap what you need. The staff member who helped us that day was really kind, so the whole meal felt pleasant 😊 Aprons and a high chair were available too, and there was a drawer next to the table with utensils, wet wipes, and a bottle opener already set up — perfect for drinking soju haha.

Can't skip the self-serve bar either. There's a big variety — lettuce wraps, fernbrake, mushrooms, all kinds of pickled sides — and everything looked fresh and well kept. You always run out of wrap greens when eating meat, right? Being able to grab as much as you need made things really convenient.

What's in the half pork platter, and what does it cost?

What we ordered was:

• Mixed pork half-platter
• Soju (+ basic side dishes)

That was it. A full mixed platter is 1kg for ₩50,000, and since there were three of us, we started with the half-platter. After the first order, you can add in 100g increments, so we just topped up as needed.

The half-platter comes with a good mix — aged pork belly, aged five-layer pork belly, pork jowl, and black pork cold samgyeopsal — so instead of eating just one cut the whole time, you get to try a bit of everything. Three of us with the half-platter plus the side dishes ended up being just the right amount. If you want to eat meat until you're stuffed, half-platter plus an extra 100g seems like a good combo haha.

How the water-aged pork belly, five-layer belly, jowl and black pork tasted

The grill comes out with well-lit charcoal already going. Once the meat hit the thick grill plate, the sizzling sound alone set the mood haha.

🥩 Aged pork belly (samgyeopsal)

Even though it's thick-cut, it's not chewy at all — browned on the outside, juicy inside. The more you eat, the more savory it gets, with zero gamey smell. You could really tell the water-based low-temperature aging locked in the juices.

🥩 Aged five-layer pork belly (ogyeopsal)

Personally, this was the cut my chopsticks kept... well, kept reaching for all night haha. The skin part had a chewy, fun texture, and the juices burst out with every bite. Paired with soju, it needed no introduction 🍶

🥩 Pork jowl (hangjeongsal)

This cut has visible muscle grain, giving it a nice springy texture. It's not too fatty and tastes clean, so my son kept picking at it nonstop haha.

🥩 Chilled black pork belly

The thinly sliced cold samgyeopsal, grilled crisp and dipped in salt, hits differently. Even though it's thin, the pork flavor comes through strong — this was the cut that disappeared from our table the... well, the fastest haha.

There were plenty of ways to eat it too. First with salt and ssamjang (dipping sauce), then a bite with wasabi and scallion salad on top, and grilling kimchi, garlic, and mushrooms alongside the meat — the combinations kept changing so it never got boring.

The presentation was great too. Even raw, the color was vivid and the lean-to-fat ratio looked so clean it was great for photos 📸

Location, hours and parking in Gohyeon, Geoje

📍 Address: 1F, 12 Geojejungang-ro 29an-gil, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea

🕚 Hours: 11:00–22:30 (last order 21:30) ✔️ Closed days may change, so it's worth checking before you go

🅿️ Parking: Separate lot right next to the restaurant. Finding a restaurant with parking in downtown Gohyeon isn't easy, so this was genuinely convenient.

• First order is by full/half platter, additional orders come in 100g increments
• Self-serve bar available with set menus
• Gyeongnam living subsidy Zero Pay accepted
• Wi-Fi, separate men's/women's restrooms, takeout, group bookings available
• Coffee available after the meal
• There's an ongoing receipt review event — check with staff for details

Next time I want to try the beef mixed platter. I heard the beef is good value too, so I'm looking forward to it 🐂

Is Dongbang Chuksan Geoje Gohyeon Branch worth a visit?

To sum up: the springy texture of the aged pork belly and five-layer belly, the clean flavor of the jowl, and the crisp-grilled black pork cold samgyeopsal made for a satisfying dinner across the board. Spacious, comfortable hall, a well-kept self-serve bar, strong charcoal heat, and friendly service — nothing was missing.

It was the perfect spot for a soju with a friend and easy chat with my son 😊 If you're ever in Gohyeon craving meat, give this place a try — you won't regret it!