Jonggak Korean BBQ after World Cup cheering: Gogikkun Kim Chunbae

A Jonggak BBQ spot after World Cup cheering in Gwanghwamun

My brother and I had just cheered for the World Cup in Gwanghwamun and were completely drained, so we headed for a protein recharge at Jonggak-ap Nosang (고기꾼김춘배 종로직영점) in Jonggak. I went for the first time a few years ago, liked it, and now I come back whenever it crosses my mind.

It's the Jonggak BBQ place I think of when I want meat. You can eat beef and pork in one go, so it's great for team dinners and get-togethers too.

Location and how to get to Jonggak-ap Nosang

Jonggak-ap Nosang is on the 5th floor of a building in the middle of Jonggak Station's Youth Street. Cheonggyecheon is right in front, so you can stroll before or after your meal. For anyone looking for food in Jonggak, the access is honestly the best.

It's on the 5th floor, but there's an elevator, so getting up is easy.

Go all the way up and you reach today's protein charging station.

Inside Jonggak-ap Nosang: is there group seating for a team dinner?

The inside is much bigger than I expected, with plenty of group seating. The tables are nicely spaced too. The wood-tone interior gives it that proper BBQ-house atmosphere: lively but clean.

There are also partitioned seats, so it's easy to chat and feels private. If you're looking for a Jonggak BBQ spot for a team dinner, I highly recommend it.

Jonggak-ap Nosang menu and what we ordered

The menu runs from single items to sets. The sets that let you enjoy beef and pork together are especially good. Here's what we ordered.

• Recommended set ₩99,000 (today's hanwoo 150g + pork neck 200g + pork belly 150g)
• Kkakdugi fried rice (rice stir-fried with diced radish kimchi) ₩8,000
• Mixed naengmyeon (cold noodles) ₩7,000

Hanwoo from the recommended set, grilled over charcoal by the staff

We had booked ahead, so the table was already neatly set.

The meat arrives. The stars of today's show, and they pass on looks alone.

The staff grill the meat for you at Jonggak-ap Nosang. All we have to do is get ready to eat. This is happiness.

We started with the hanwoo (Korean beef). The moment it hit the charcoal, the smell was insane.

See that marbling? That rosy color just melts my heart. Hurry up and cook!

I figured a charcoal BBQ place wouldn't have fried rice, but then the hidden card appeared: kkakdugi fried rice. It comes in a separate pot, perfect to eat with the meat.

First bite with salt, of course. The juices burst the second it's in your mouth. Pang pang para para pang pang pang~ I could join the Pangpang club (a reference to a Korean viral song/meme). Haha.

Pickled onions and the special garlic sauce. Quite a good match with the beef.

Maybe because the marbling is a work of art, the meat wasn't tough at all and tasted great.

I'm drooling over how juicy it looks. Ah, I'm getting hungry again just writing this post.

Are the sides, kkakdugi fried rice and mixed naengmyeon, any good?

Both sides we ordered, the kkakdugi fried rice (₩8,000) and the mixed naengmyeon (₩7,000), were a success. They go so well with the meat.

My brother, the naengmyeon expert (a ₩300-naengmyeon expert, haha), scraped his bowl clean, which made his sister proud.

Pork neck and pork belly with meljeot and green onion salad

Beef done, now it's pork's turn. The good thing about this recommended set is that you get both beef and pork.

Dip it in the meljeot (salted anchovy sauce) that comes with it. The older I get, the more I like salted seafood, haha.

As always, pork's partner is the shredded green onion salad. They're a perfect match.

We grilled the mushrooms too, and ate them up. Gently cooked over charcoal, they soaked up the smoky aroma and tasted wonderful.

Finishing with charcoal-grilled corn

Last, we had corn as a dessert, and guess what? Charcoal-grilled corn is so good. The kernels pop in your mouth and the texture is spot on. My brother normally finds corn a hassle, but he ate it happily to the very end.

On the way out I saw they sell wine too. Corkage is free and there are lots of kinds of alcohol, so if you're looking for a Jonggak BBQ spot for a team dinner, I really recommend Jonggak-ap Nosang.

Verdict: what occasions suit Jonggak-ap Nosang?

• Walking distance from Jonggak Station
• Right in front of Cheonggyecheon
• Fine for team dinners
• Fine for dates
• Beef + pork set
• Staff grill for you
• Satisfying sides too

If you want meat quality, atmosphere and access all in one among Jonggak BBQ places, I recommend Jonggak-ap Nosang. It's a good Jonggak spot after a Gwanghwamun date, after a Jonggak team dinner, or before or after a Cheonggyecheon stroll.