Cheongju Korean BBQ for juicy Iberico pork neck: Yugi

Aged Iberico pork neck in Cheongju’s Dongnam District

I’d like to introduce a spot that has been doing business in the same place for over 10 years and is much talked about among meat lovers as a great restaurant in Cheongju’s Dongnam District. It’s Yugi Dongnam District Main Branch (육이 동남지구 본점), said to have had its flavor recognized with inclusion in the Blue Ribbon Survey 2026. It’s also famous for Cheongju Suwon wang galbi (royal beef ribs) and beef in Dongnam District, but this time I enjoyed the Iberico pork neck so much that I came away completely won over, so here’s my honest visit.

What are the hours and parking like?

It is regularly closed on Mondays. From Tuesday through Friday, it is open 12:00–23:00, with last orders at 22:30, and has a break from 14:00–17:00. On Saturday and Sunday, it is open 12:00–23:00, with last orders at 22:30. You can use the underground parking lot or the nearby Kakao ground-level parking lot.

At Yugi Dongnam District Main Branch, I heard that ordering a full plate of pork back rib meat or Suwon galbi for four or more people includes minari yukhoe (beef tartare with water parsley) and premium cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) as part of the basic table setting. They also say you get spicy pot ramyeon if you write a receipt review.

It is right beside the main road in Dongnam District, so it’s nice to walk to if you’re nearby. And there are two places to park if you come by car, which made it really easy to get to.

A spacious setting for dates through company dinners

Yugi Dongnam District Main Branch is set up with four-person tables, and everything from the exterior to the interior felt spacious, comfortable, polished, and neat. It seems like a good choice for a date or a family meal, and it also looked more than suitable for group gatherings or company dinners.

Self-service side dishes and wrap vegetables

There is also a self-service bar right in the middle, with a range of side dishes and ssam vegetables for wrapping. The clear covers made it hygienic, tidy, and easy to see at a glance, and it was convenient to help myself to side dishes that pair well with meat.

Ordering three servings of aged Iberico pork neck

Yugi is also well known for Cheongju Suwon wang galbi, but this time I ordered three servings of aged Iberico pork neck.

There were scallion salad, pickled sliced chilies, seokbakji (cubed radish kimchi), and more, and they paired unbelievably well with the meat. In particular, the basic setting included a deep, warming beef radish soup, which was nice for settling the stomach before the main meat arrived. It was so good that I added another order for ₩1,000.

The marbling on the meat looked so good that I was excited to see how delicious it would be once the meat and fat were grilled together.

They also sprinkled just the right amount of salt over the aged Iberico pork neck.

Just from the photos alone... this aged Iberico pork neck looked incredibly delicious. Its thick cut and bright-red marbling caught my eye, and the savory aroma spreading as it cooked over the brazier was driving me crazy.

Moist juices that overturn assumptions about pork neck

When I tried a piece of the golden-brown aged Iberico pork neck... I immediately found myself genuinely impressed. It was so tender, melt-in-your-mouth, moist, and savory. The reason it surprised me is that pork neck usually has this reputation for being dry, right? But Yugi Dongnam District Main Branch’s Iberico pork neck was full of juices, with a texture that practically melted away in my mouth. It was seriously unreal.

The Iberico pork neck was honestly so delicious that I just kept eating it at full speed.

All the different side dishes were delicious and worked so well with it. Topping the meat with shredded scallions, pickled onions, seokbakji, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), fresh geotjeori kimchi, and pickled sliced chilies made the savory flavor and umami explode. Everything went together so well that it made me want rice, so I added a bowl of rice too. If you’re looking for a great restaurant in Cheongju’s Dongnam District for properly done aged Iberico pork neck and wang galbi, make sure to visit Yugi Dongnam District Main Branch, a leading restaurant in Yongam-dong, at least once!