Korean BBQ in Osong, Cheongju: 600g three-cut platter at Risan

My boyfriend and I visited Risan, a Korean BBQ restaurant that recently opened in Osong.

We came for a dinner date, but once we got inside there were more families with babies than I expected. They even have baby chairs, so this is good to know if you're looking for a place to eat out with your little one.

That day we ordered the Risan assorted platter, which lets you try pork belly, pork neck, and a special cut all at once. We also had soybean paste stew (doenjang-jjigae) and steamed egg (gyeranjjim) alongside it, and left completely full.

Risan's opening hours and parking in Osong

• 📍Address: 1523 Bongsan-ri, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do
• ⏰Hours: Daily 17:00–23:00
• Last order: 22:30
• 🚘Parking: Park at iPark Apartment, then ask the restaurant to register your car
• 🚻Restroom: Outside the store, inside the building, separate for men and women

For parking, park at iPark Apartment and let the restaurant know — they'll register your car for you. Don't forget to ask for that registration if you're driving. Since they open at 5pm, this is better for dinner than lunch.

What the interior of Risan looks like

The first thing I noticed at Risan was the black interior. It felt clean and stylish overall, and I thought my boyfriend and I had made a good choice for a date.

When I visited, the storefront was open so a nice breeze came through. You could see all the way to the back of the space, so even with black interiors it never felt cramped.

The kitchen is open-style, so we could watch the owner trimming the meat himself. Coming for meat and getting to watch it being prepared naturally caught my eye.

A Cheongju BBQ restaurant you can bring a baby to

What especially stood out that day were the family customers. Seeing babies sitting in baby chairs eating with their families made me think bringing a baby along for pork belly wouldn't be a bad idea at all. We came as a couple, but for anyone looking for a place in Osong to bring a baby, the baby chairs will be welcome news.

Three cuts in the Risan assorted platter 600g

There was a menu of assorted platters as well as individual cuts. Since it was our first visit, we chose the Risan assorted platter 600g to try several cuts at once.

• Black pork belly 200g
• Black pork neck 200g
• Risan special cut 200g

This is what the three-cut set looks like. We had considered just getting pork belly, but ordering the assorted platter was nice because we could switch between cuts as we ate.

The lettuce and vegetables looked fresh, and the side dishes came out neat and varied. I liked that it wasn't just a plate of meat on its own — there was plenty to eat alongside it.

We ate some of the meat plain, wrapped some in lettuce, and had it with side dishes, and even the same meat tasted a little different depending on how we ate it.

How the black pork belly at Risan tasted

The meat had a clean taste with no gamey smell at all. It got nuttier the more we chewed, without leaving a heavy, greasy aftertaste, so it was easy to keep eating.

I especially loved the tender texture. There was little of that stiff or dry chew — it just melted apart softly in the mouth, which made me think of that phrase 'melts in your mouth.'

With pork belly, the nutty flavor is great but if it's too greasy, you stop reaching for it pretty quickly. The meat we had that day had a light, clean side to it too, so my boyfriend and I ate happily. I also liked wrapping it in lettuce — a bite of meat with a bit of side dish went really well with the crunch and nutty flavor of the vegetables.

Rather than wrapping everything from the start, it's nice to taste the meat plain first, then add toppings to your liking afterward. If you want to try several cuts, the assorted platter suits that well.

Soybean paste stew and steamed egg worth adding

The soybean paste stew (doenjang-jjigae) we had with the meat was delicious too. One spoonful of the spicy broth cleared away the greasy feeling left in my mouth.

I kept reaching for the broth in between bites of meat. It was savory and spicy in a way that paired well with the pork belly, and I actually preferred eating the meat alongside the stew rather than on its own.

The steamed egg (gyeranjjim) caught my eye the moment it arrived — it looked so appetizing, and it tasted every bit as soft as it looked.

It just melted away in the mouth, making it easy to eat a spoonful here and there between bites of meat. Having the spicy stew and the soft steamed egg together, I was glad we'd ordered both.

Is Risan worth it for dinner in Osong?

The meat at Risan was delicious, but what really stayed with me was how clean and pretty the space felt. It's a great fit if you want a bit of atmosphere alongside your pork belly on a date with a partner. With baby chairs ready and plenty of families with babies actually there, it's also worth keeping in mind for a family meal out.

If it's your first visit like it was for us, I'd recommend the Risan assorted platter to try three cuts at once. Add in the spicy soybean paste stew and the soft steamed egg, and it made for a hearty, delicious dinner.