Cheonan Dujeong Station BBQ, pork belly three ways: Cham Dwaejitgan

What kind of place is Cham Dwaejitgan Cheonan Dujeong Branch?

Cham Dwaejitgan Cheonan Dujeong Branch is a pork belly grill house on Wondujeong 5-gil in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan. I've been craving really good pork lately, so this time I headed to Cham Dwaejitgan Cheonan Dujeong Branch in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan.

Pork always tastes best grilled properly over charcoal or a hot plate, way better than pan-frying at home. Especially in the evening, when you walk into a place and every table has that sizzling smell drifting up — just the smell alone makes you hungrier haha.

This time I visited Cham Dwaejitgan in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan! The name itself sounds like they're serious about pork, so I went in with high expectations.

An easy spot for grilled pork in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan

Dujeong-dong has so many restaurants and bars that it's a great neighborhood for dinner or a drink in the evening. Plenty of places are good for a second round after grilling, or for meeting friends for dinner, but this time pork was the whole point, so I went to Cham Dwaejitgan.

Pork looks like a simple menu item, but the quality of the meat, the way it's grilled, and what comes with it can change the taste a lot, so I pay close attention to the condition of the meat when choosing a BBQ spot.

And personally, one of the most important things at a BBQ place is not getting sick of the meat! Some places taste great for the first two or three bites but get greasy after that — this time I ate all the way through happily thanks to the variety of sides to pair it with.

Starting with the basic pork order and the side dishes

After sitting down, I looked over the menu and ordered the cuts I wanted to eat. At a BBQ place, the constant question is 'what do I eat first?' — personally I think the best approach is to start with the basic pork cut and then add whatever suits your taste after that.

If you order too much from the start, you end up full before you've really tasted each cut, and by the end your chopsticks barely move haha. So I decided to order a moderate amount and add more as we went.

Once the order was placed, the basic banchan (side dishes) arrived, and the spread paired well with pork — I found myself picking at them even before the meat came out. Especially when a BBQ place brings out good side dishes like this, it just puts you in a good mood.

How thick is the pork belly at Cham Dwaejitgan?

The pork at Cham Dwaejitgan Cheonan Dujeong Branch wasn't too thin, with a good thickness that held onto some juiciness once grilled. And then the pork I'd been waiting for finally showed up! The moment it hits the grill, the meal really starts.

Once the meat hits the grill, there's a sizzle and the smell of grilling pork spreads through the air — this is probably the happiest moment.

If pork is too thin, it cooks fast, which is convenient, but it can also turn dry with just a bit too much time on the grill. With a good thickness, grilled slowly while adjusting the heat, the outside turns golden brown while the inside stays juicy — I really like that.

The first bite, with nothing dipped

While grilling, at first you want it to cook quickly, but once it starts turning golden brown you suddenly want to eat slowly haha. As the surface turns golden, a little fat rises to the top and that savory smell spreads everywhere.

I picked up a well-cooked piece and tried it plain, without dipping in anything. The first taste was clean and savory. You get that signature savory pork flavor plus the browned aroma from the grill, so it's genuinely tasty even on its own. Good meat really doesn't need much sauce.

Pork belly three ways: salt, ssamjang and lettuce wrap

At Cham Dwaejitgan Cheonan Dujeong Branch, I alternated between one piece with salt, one with ssamjang, and one wrapped in lettuce. You can't skip the wraps when you're at a BBQ place, after all.

Put a piece of meat on a lettuce leaf, add a bit of garlic or other toppings, dab on a little ssamjang, and eat it all in one bite — the savoriness of the pork and the crunch of the vegetables come through together, cutting the richness.

Personally, I like eating the first piece plain or with salt, then switching to wraps from the second piece on. That way you get to taste both the meat itself and the full flavor of the wrap. And of course, pork tastes best in one big bite haha.

The taste really changes a lot depending on what sauce you pair the meat with. Dipped lightly in just salt, you taste the meat's own savoriness; with ssamjang, it gets salty and rich with umami; and with vegetables, it eats a lot fresher.

• One piece with salt — the pork's own savoriness
• One piece with ssamjang — salty, umami-rich
• Another piece as a wrap — crisp and fresh

So I tend not to stick to just one method — I like switching up the combinations. Eating this way, the pork disappears faster than you'd expect.

Is Cham Dwaejitgan good for drinks near Dujeong Station?

A BBQ place like Cham Dwaejitgan Cheonan Dujeong Branch pairs really well with a drink. Meeting friends or acquaintances in the evening, grilling meat and having a soju or beer alongside it — that's basically a proper dinner right there.

Especially in a neighborhood like Dujeong-dong with so many places to eat and drink, it's easy to grill for round one and move nearby for round two, which makes it a good spot to set as a meeting point.

It works whether you're just stopping by for a casual dinner or settling in for a longer, chattier meal — pork really suits both. Grilling meat while chatting about this and that, time just flies by.

Finishing the meal: cold noodles, rice or stew?

Once you've had enough pork, your stomach starts filling up, and that's when the debate begins again. Cold noodles? Rice? Stew? Haha.

I always make sure to add a rice-menu dish after the meat. Ending with just the meat feels somehow incomplete. Especially after pork, something cold and tangy like naengmyeon (cold noodles) cleans up the palate nicely, and it pairs really well with the meat.

On the other hand, a hot soup or a rice dish makes for a heartier finish, so it's worth picking based on your mood that day.

Atmosphere at Cham Dwaejitgan and who to come with

Eating at Cham Dwaejitgan Cheonan Dujeong Branch, the overall vibe felt easygoing and comfortable for enjoying pork. BBQ places naturally suit all kinds of groups — friends, couples, family, coworkers — and if you're craving meat for a dinner plan in Dujeong-dong, this is worth adding to the list.

It's good for chatting over the meat, good for a drink alongside it, and above all, it fills you up properly — that's the advantage.

Final verdict on Cham Dwaejitgan Cheonan Dujeong Branch

This visit to Cham Dwaejitgan Cheonan Dujeong Branch was a good pick for a day when I really wanted to eat proper pork. Pork really is best eaten right off the grill while it's golden and hot.

The savory flavor of the pork itself was great, and pairing it with wraps and sauces meant I could enjoy it in various ways. Above all, pork is a food that tastes so much better shared with a group rather than eaten alone.

If you're meeting friends and craving pork, or looking for a dinner spot in Dujeong-dong, and you like pork, this is worth a visit. I left this day full, and oddly enough, on days I eat pork, the smell of it grilling keeps coming back to me even after I get home haha. Pork really never lets you down.

On a day you want a hearty pork meal in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan, a day you want good pork and rice done right, or a day you want to eat and drink comfortably with friends, Cham Dwaejitgan Cheonan Dujeong Branch is worth keeping in mind.

Next time I'll have to try other cuts one by one and compare which one suits my taste best. Another delicious meal, success!