Sindang beef gopchang before a Chungmu Arts Center musical: Jinseong

I had to go to Chungmu Arts Center for a musical, so I searched for good places to eat in Sindang. This beef gopchang place had great ratings and even a waiting line, so I went to Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang (진성한우곱창) with my sister and my mom.

• Fri, Sat 12:00 - 24:00 (last order 23:00)
• Other days 12:00 - 23:00 (last order 22:00)
• Indoor restroom, separate for men and women

Will your clothes smell of gopchang after Jinseong in Sindang?

Jinseong's Sindang branch has an open-air-style (yajang) layout, so I figured there was no real need to worry about the smell sticking to my clothes. It's not open 24 hours though~

It was dinner before a musical, so smell mattered a lot. I tucked my clothes into the storage space inside the chair, and they didn't really smell.

Is there a wait at Jinseong on a weekday evening?

The inside stretches long toward the back, so there were more seats than I expected. We came at 5pm on a weekday and it was already almost full, and within 30 minutes it was totally packed. If it's like this on a weekday, I bet there's a real wait on weekends T_T

I heard Jinseong has already been on TV 4 times, and that last year it was ranked number 2 of Seoul's top 3 beef gopchang places on the show Saeng Bangsong Tonight. That made me even more excited!!

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang menu and banchan

The menu is simple: gopchang, makchang, daechang and 2 side dishes. We ordered gopchang, makchang, daechang and kkakdugi yangbap (radish kimchi rice bowl).

Once you order, you get steamed egg, 3 house-made kimchis (mustard leaf, green onion and young radish kimchi), seasoned scallions, and even a pickled minari (water dropwort) garlic sauce for dipping, which they call 'Mijeolma sauce'!!

Staff grill your gopchang at Jinseong in Sindang

The staff at Jinseong were super kind. The server's voice sounded just like the comedian Hong Yun-hwa, which made it even funnier, and she was so nice. She cut up every piece of kimchi for us, and she set up a panel in front of us so the gopchang oil wouldn't splatter. Such a thoughtful place.

She sets a timer beside the grill, walks back and forth, and flips the gopchang whenever the timer rings. Since they grill everything, we could just chat comfortably.

✔️ Only up to 3 portions fit on one grill, so even if you want 4 portions, you have to eat 3 first and then add 1.

When you order gopchang, it comes with rice cakes and lots of vegetables like potato, bean sprouts, cabbage and scallions, which were great to eat alongside. It seemed like you can get vegetable refills too.

Hanwoo gopchang, makchang or daechang: which was best?

Hanwoo gopchang: the winner, with 2 extra portions

For me, Jinseong's hanwoo gopchang was the best. I normally don't like grilled gopchang much because it's greasy, and I can't eat a lot of it, but this was so good that we ordered 2 more portions… The best gopchang I've ever had.

Crazy, right? Look at the photos, the gop (creamy fat inside) is insane. This is truly a great Sindang gopchang spot… The inside is plump with nutty, rich gop and it's so good!!!

Hanwoo makchang: chewy, but less nutty for Mom

The hanwoo makchang (abomasum) is chewier than the gop and a bit liver-like. It was my kind of thing, but my mom said it's less rich and nutty than the other items. It's also a little meat-like, so I think even people who can't handle gop could eat it well.

Hanwoo daechang: Mom's favorite and the most filling

The hanwoo daechang (large intestine) is really plump and the most filling item. Maximum greasiness! Maximum gop too! I think people who like gopchang will love daechang. My mom liked the hanwoo daechang best. It also seemed like the biggest portion, and it's soft and plump, full of nutty flavor, and even though it's thick, I never got tired of it.

Pickled minari garlic sauce and green onion kimchi cut the grease

But the sneaky thing is, if you dip everything in this pickled minari sauce, the greasiness vanishes. And of the 3 kimchis, the green onion kimchi is the strongest. It's good grilled on top alongside the meat, and good on its own too, wiping out the greasiness. If three good eaters come, you'll need to order 3 to 4 portions to be full. Just so you know!

Kkakdugi yangbap at Jinseong: watch out for the garlic

Maybe because the kkakdugi yangbap isn't cheap, the portion was big. On top of seasoned rice there's seaweed flakes, minced garlic, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), seasoned radish strips, and even a fried egg!! It's a combo where nothing can go wrong, and it was tastier than I expected. It had a deep savory flavor, and since the kkakdugi is house-made, it was really great…

🚨 One warning though: there's quite a lot of minced garlic, so the garlic flavor is strong at first. If you're not a fan, I recommend setting some aside at the start and adding it back later~!

Jinseong as a dinner before a Chungmu Arts Center musical

Even though I usually can't eat much greasy gopchang, Jinseong was so good that I ordered extra! The hanwoo gopchang full of nutty gop and the plump daechang were especially good, and pairing them with the pickled minari garlic sauce and green onion kimchi cut the greasiness, which I loved haha. The kkakdugi yangbap was satisfying too, with great savory depth!

It's a Sindang spot where the staff grill for you, so you can eat comfortably. If you're looking for Sindang beef gopchang in an open-air atmosphere, I'd recommend it! Popular enough to have a wait, it's a great Sindang gopchang place, and Jinseong was a nice place to eat while enjoying that Sindang yajang vibe :)