Balsan Station Korean BBQ: pork belly vs five-layer, Chamdwaejitgan

Today's story is about a trip to Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch for some delicious pork!

Do the staff grill the meat at Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch?

Yes! At Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch, the staff grill the meat for you, so this Balsan Station BBQ place lets you chat with your group while you eat. You want samgyeopsal (pork belly), but sometimes frantically grilling it yourself is a bit of a letdown, right?

Before visiting, I booked a 6:30 pm table through Naver reservations!

How is the table set up when you reserve?

I arrived at my reserved time and the table was already set. Thanks to that, I could sit down and start eating comfortably.

The grill came with kimchi, bean sprouts and minari (water dropwort) as standard, along with basic side dishes that go well with the meat.

I love grilling kimchi and bean sprouts alongside pork belly, and I really liked that you can grill minari with it too!

If you're looking for a BBQ place near Balsan Station, it's worth a look!

Pork belly and Jirisan black pork: what do they cost?

The first two items I ordered at Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch were Boseong nokdon (a pork brand) pork belly and Jirisan black pork five-layer belly. I ordered two different kinds of pork so I could compare them.

• Pork belly (Boseong nokdon): ₩16,000 per serving
• Jirisan black pork five-layer belly: ₩19,000 per serving

Best of all, the staff grill the meat for you! You don't have to worry about it cooking properly and can just chat with your group. I think it's a great plus for anyone who struggles with grilling timing or just wants a relaxed meal.

And there was one point at Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch that really stuck with me!

Thin potato slices grilled with the meat

They also grill thinly sliced potatoes along with the meat.

I wrapped the meat in a golden-brown potato slice, and it was a totally different combo from the pork belly I usually eat. So good!

Instead of just eating plain meat, you can add kimchi, bean sprouts, minari and potato, which made it more fun to eat. Both kinds of pork were satisfying with the different sides.

Running low on side dishes? Use the self-serve bar

If you need more side dishes beyond the basics, Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch has a self-serve bar. It's handy to be able to grab more whenever you run low.

We started with 2 servings of meat, but the amount felt a little small, so we ordered 1 more serving of each, 2 extra servings in total!!

With nicely grilled meat and all the extras, before I knew it we'd ordered more! If you love meat, it might be worth planning your quantity from the start.

Finish with fried rice, of course!

After eating our fill of meat at Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch, we had fried rice as dessert before leaving! It would have felt wrong to just stop there, right? Filling up on meat and finishing with fried rice made the meal feel complete.

Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch: when I'd recommend it

I picked a time in advance through Naver reservations, and I was happy that the staff grilled the meat so I could eat comfortably. The combo of meat with thin grilled potato is what I'll remember most!

If you're searching for a good samgyeopsal place near Balsan Station or Magok Station, check out Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch!! It's a great spot for a day when you want to eat comfortably without grilling the meat yourself!!