Yulryang-dong braised pork rib restaurant, mild spice: Hongdeung 1997

I heard there was a great spot for spicy braised pork ribs in Yulryang-dong, Cheongju, so here's my review after visiting Hongdeung Sikdang 1997! (This 29-year-old local favorite for spicy braised pork ribs expanded and moved from Yongam-dong to Yulryang-dong~)

Where is Hongdeung Sikdang 1997 in Yulryang-dong, and what are the hours and parking?

Hongdeung Sikdang 1997 is located right in front of Yulryang-dong Kumho Eoullim apartment complex! There's a lot right by the restaurant so parking was convenient too~

• ⏰ Hours: Wed–Mon 09:00–24:00 (break time 15:00–17:00)
• Closed every Tuesday
• 🚗 Parking: Lot next to the restaurant
• 💚 Cheongju Pay accepted

Three spice levels, the menu prices, and the Hongdeung lottery event

Here's the menu board at Yulryang-dong favorite Hongdeung Sikdang 1997~! You can adjust the spice level in 3 steps, so even people who can't handle heat can still enjoy it deliciously haha. There's also a solo-portion braised ribs option and a variety of guk-bap (soup with rice) dishes, so I liked having plenty of choices~ They open at 9am, so I'd recommend it for breakfast or lunch too!

There's also a Naver receipt review event running — the "no losers" Hongdeung lottery — so try it out and grab some perks~ Prizes range from discount coupons to rice balls and extra noodle add-ons, so it seems fun to draw haha. Just note it's only usable the same day, and only one person per table (orders over ₩30,000)!

The interior was spacious and clean, and they have a group room, so it seems great for work dinners, family outings, or group gatherings haha.

Free sides at Hongdeung Sikdang 1997: steamed egg, corn cheese, and acorn jelly soup

Ordering spicy braised pork ribs at Hongdeung Sikdang 1997 comes with free steamed egg, corn cheese, mukbap jelly salad (made from acorn or mung bean jelly), perilla leaves, and pickled radish~! I liked that there were so many trusty sidekicks to neutralize the heat haha. And if you order the spicy braised pork ribs, the corn cheese comes with free refills!

Basic spice level braised pork ribs: can a spice-sensitive eater handle it?

We ordered the mild level of the spicy braised pork ribs, and even my spice-sensitive husband enjoyed it happily haha. Next time I think we could try the spicier levels too haha. There was also a generous amount of rice cake and glass noodle add-ons included by default, which I liked~

How to reduce the ribs like jjageuri using the table timer

The spicy braised pork ribs come out with a timer, and the owner set the timer for us, explaining that we should let it reduce down like jjaglagi (a thick pan-reduced stew) and eat once the timer rings haha. There was a lot of rib meat, and it was tender with the seasoning really soaked in — genuinely delicious!

There was also a note on how to eat the spicy braised pork ribs the best way, so here it is for reference haha.

• 1. Carefully pick the meat off the spicy pork ribs.
• 2. Place the meat, mushrooms, glass noodles, etc. on a perilla leaf or pickled radish and wrap it up.
• 3. Dip the wrap in the broth, or spoon some broth over the wrap — it's even tastier that way!

Finishing the meal with cheese fried rice

We tried adding cheese to the fried rice, and since the seasoning was so tasty, the fried rice turned out great too~ I'd recommend cooking off most of the broth first, and adding more broth back in if it seems too dry.

Is Hongdeung Sikdang 1997 in Yulryang-dong worth a visit?

True to its 29-year history as a spicy braised pork ribs favorite, there was plenty of rib meat, tender and thoroughly soaked in seasoning — really delicious~ You can also pick from 3 spice levels, so even spice-sensitive people like us can enjoy it without worry, and the mild level had just the right amount of kick without being actually hot haha.

The steamed egg, corn cheese, mukbap jelly salad, perilla leaves, and pickled radish all came as free sides in generous portions, which was great for balancing out the spice, and there was a good variety of add-ons like rice cake, glass noodles, and mushrooms that made the meal filling! The cheese fried rice cooked in that tasty seasoning was a delicious way to finish too haha.

If you're in Yulryang-dong or Sacheon-dong looking for spicy, hearty braised pork ribs, I think Hongdeung Sikdang 1997 is worth a visit~ You can choose your spice level, and there's a group room too, so it's a solid option for family meals or work dinners!