Hongdae Korean BBQ with thick pork neck: Gogikkun Gimchunbae

The September weather was just so lovely!! Gani and I happened to have the same weekend day off, and while deciding where to go, we chose to head to Yeonnam-dong’s Gyeongui Line Forest Park for the first time in ages and soak up autumn haha. We looked up a good Hongdae restaurant before our walk and settled on the nearby Hongdae Korean BBQ spot, Gogikkun Gimchunbae Hongdae Supgil Branch (고기꾼김춘배 홍대숲길점)!!

Gogikkun Gimchunbae before a Gyeongui Line Forest Park walk

Walk straight out of Hongik University Station Exit 6 and you’ll come across such a pretty barbecue restaurant that you might go, “Wait, is this the place!?” It’s a single-story building, so it doesn’t feel cramped at all, and it has a café-like atmosphere. It felt like such a date spot even before going in, though it would be great with friends too hahaha.

And corkage is free, no less..!!

A dining room with picture windows and outdoor tables

The inside was neat too!! The big picture windows made it feel wonderfully open.

There are outdoor tables here too, but we visited at lunch so only indoor seating was available. I think the outdoor tables would be so nice in the evening for that casual outdoor-drinking vibe!!

Aprons are by the entrance, so grab one if you need it.

Ordering the Hanwoo and Korean pork set plus sides

The menu had Hanwoo/Korean pork sets, individual Hanwoo and Korean pork cuts, plus lots of sides! We ordered the Hanwoo/Korean pork set for two, half-and-half naengmyeon (cold noodles), and kkakdugi fried rice haha.

Banchan and the set for two

The banchan (side dishes) were all just right with grilled meat: myeonginamul (pickled garlic leaves), bean sprouts, and pickled onions! And the meat came out piled high on a whole spread like this haha. Today’s Hanwoo cut was sirloin!!

They also bring minari (water celery) and different mushrooms to grill alongside the meat!

The Hanwoo/Korean pork set includes pork neck, boneless short rib, and today’s Hanwoo cut (sirloin), and it looked more than generous for two people!

More than anything, this overwhelmingly thick pork neck was the dish I was most excited for before we had even started eating!

Staff-grilled sirloin with garlic sauce

They started by grilling the beef sirloin haha. I especially loved that the staff provide grilling service from start to finish! Thanks to that, Gani and I could chat away, and before we knew it!! this juicy beef was ready haha.

The beef sirloin looked absolutely glowing.. It had just the right amount of marbling, so I wanted to eat it immediately just looking at it haha.

A cheers with beef~

For the first bite, I had the meat on its own, and it was tender and nutty the moment it hit my mouth!! There was also a garlic sauce, and having it together added that garlicky aroma, which was such a good match with the rich sirloin!! This was my favorite!!

Crisp-outside, juicy-inside pork neck and short rib

After eating some beef, it was time to move on to the Korean pork.

I really think the person grilling the meat matters ㅠㅠ Maybe that’s why I usually like places that grill it for you, and with the grilling service here, it looked perfect for a date too! They grill it up this amazingly hahaha.

When you have the pork neck and short rib, they grill kimchi and minari with them, and that’s such an essential combination, right? The pork neck was already impressively thick, but once grilled it looked even more delicious!

I tried the pork neck I’d been curious about first, and wow, it wasn’t dry at all—crisp on the outside and juicy inside..

And above all, there were so many accompanying dishes that I ate deliciously the whole time without getting tired of it!

The beef was delicious too, but the pork neck was my favorite!!

Finishing with half-and-half naengmyeon and kkakdugi fried rice

Then the half-and-half naengmyeon came out at just the right time. Honestly, whenever we go to a barbecue restaurant and share noodles, it’s always a debate over mul-naengmyeon (broth cold noodles) or bibim-naengmyeon (spicy mixed cold noodles) hahaha. But here, they have this half-and-half naengmyeon, so there’s no reason to deliberate!!

It was so hot at lunch that day, so I was thrilled the moment I saw the noodles ㅠ hahaha. The portion was quite generous too, so splitting it between the two of us was just perfect!! And bibim-naengmyeon with pork neck is, well... a flavor everyone knows, but it’s delicious every time ㅠㅠ

They also bring meljeot (fermented anchovy sauce), and that combination was quite different and delicious too haha. I like that Gogikkun Gimchunbae has so many sides for enjoying the meat in different ways!

And the real final bang: kkakdugi fried rice!! Honestly, it would have felt sad not to have fried rice ㅠㅠ

The crunchy kkakdugi texture was still there, making it perfect as the final dish after the meat haha. We saved a few pieces of meat and ate them with it like this, which made for such a satisfying finish to the meal haha. We thoroughly cleared even the remaining meat!

An easygoing meal from Hanwoo to Korean pork

It had been a while since I’d enjoyed such a generous spread of Hanwoo and Korean pork at Gogikkun Gimchunbae Hongdae Supgil Branch!! The staff grilled everything themselves from beginning to end, so Gani and I could relax and chat while we ate haha. I also loved being able to enjoy both Hanwoo and Korean pork at once! The thick pork neck was especially memorable for me haha. It’s right near Gyeongui Line Forest Park, making it a great place to enjoy delicious meat and then take a walk!! I recommend Gogikkun Gimchunbae Hongdae Supgil Branch to anyone looking for a good Hongdae restaurant or Hongdae Korean BBQ spot, and to anyone planning a Gyeongui Line Forest Park date.