Ttukseom charcoal Korean BBQ, pork set and minari: Seongsu Teojeon

What kind of Korean BBQ restaurant is Seongsu Teojeon Ttukseom Main Branch?

Seongsu Teojeon Ttukseom Main Branch (성수터전 뚝섬본점) is a charcoal-grilled aged pork belly and pork neck restaurant at 3 Wangsimni-ro 4ga-gil, 1st floor, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 238 m from Exit 7 of Ttukseom Station. On weekdays it is open 11:30–22:00 (break time 14:30–16:30, last order 21:30), on weekends it opens at 16:30, and it takes groups and reservations and has Wi-Fi.

Seongsu has plenty of stylish cafés and eateries, but if you want a proper meat restaurant, you can't skip Seongsu Teojeon. This visit left an impression: thick aged pork belly and neck, plus minari and butter-grilled vegetables, at a great spot near Seongsu Station.

Staff grill the meat for you, so you can just eat, which was incredibly convenient. (If I grill, everything burns -_-;;) The quality of the meat, the variety of sauces and the side dishes were all carefully prepared, so I was very satisfied.

What you see first inside Seongsu Teojeon

The first thing that catches your eye on entering is Seongsu Teojeon's own meat-grilling guide and its tips for eating well.

It explains in detail how to grill minari, zucchini, green onion, tomatoes and mushrooms with the meat, along with various sauce combinations, so even first-time visitors can enjoy it properly.

Does Seongsu Teojeon grill over charcoal?

Yes. Seongsu Teojeon grills the meat over glowing red hardwood charcoal placed in the table. After a short wait the charcoal arrives, and the red-hot coals really whet the appetite.

With a good meat restaurant, it's not just the meat; charcoal and fire management matter too. Here the steady heat cooked the meat evenly, and the subtle charcoal aroma lifted the flavor even further.

What comes in the pork belly and pork neck set?

The Seongsu Teojeon pork belly and neck set comes with thickly cut pork belly and pork neck, plus big king oyster mushrooms, green onion, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and minari. The set I ordered looked satisfying from the first glance.

The vivid color and marbling typical of aged meat stood out, and the considerable thickness promised a satisfying chew.

Minari, mushrooms and vegetables grilled with the pork

What sets Seongsu Teojeon apart is grilling vegetables like minari, zucchini, green onion, king oyster mushroom and cherry tomatoes together with the meat. Minari cleanly cuts the richness of the meat, while zucchini and green onion add a gentle sweetness.

The king oyster mushroom soaks up the juices and turns chewy, and grilled cherry tomatoes get even sweeter. It's fun to enjoy a variety of vegetables rather than just meat.

How does the staff-grilled aged pork belly taste?

Experienced staff slowly grill the aged pork belly over the charcoal, and it came out crisp outside with juices still alive inside. The golden color of the belly slowly cooking over the coals is appetizing in itself.

The surface turns crisp while the inside stays juicy, and a nutty flavor spreads the more you chew. The skilled staff's timing makes it even better. Thanks to the thickness, little juice is lost and the deep savoriness of aged meat comes through well.

Is the aged pork neck at Seongsu Teojeon dry?

No. The aged pork neck that came with the set was tender yet springy, not dry at all. The neck was satisfying too.

Pork neck can easily turn dry, but this aged neck kept a soft, springy texture. With a good balance of fat and lean meat, it was clean-tasting yet nutty.

How to eat the pork with Seongsu Teojeon's sauces

Seongsu Teojeon serves several sauces: salt, garlic saeujeot (salted shrimp) sauce, galchi-sokjeot (salted hairtail gut) sauce and fresh wasabi. Salt is the basic, and you can mix and match the others.

Take your first bite with salt only to taste the aged meat itself, then add garlic saeujeot and galchi-sokjeot for deeper flavor. The garlic saeujeot sauce, with its savory depth and garlic aroma, impressed me most. (First time trying it here, and it's definitely the kick!)

Why grilled pork and minari go so well together

Well-grilled pork belly and neck eaten with minari feels clean, never greasy. A little fresh wasabi on top adds fragrance, and pairing with myeongi namul (pickled wild greens) offers yet another charm. Following the combinations Seongsu Teojeon recommends is quite fun.

Cheonggukjang to finish, watermelon for dessert

After eating a fair amount of meat, I ordered cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) as a side, and watermelon came as dessert after the meal. The stew, ordered once the meat was well underway, takes care of finishing the meal.

The bubbling cheonggukjang blends a rich, earthy doenjang aroma with a mild kick, and goes well with the meat. It cleared away the greasiness and let me finish the meal feeling full to the end.

Dessert watermelon is served too!

Why Seongsu Teojeon is a Korean BBQ worth visiting near Seongsu Station

Seongsu Teojeon isn't just a place to eat meat; you also enjoy vegetables and different sauce combinations. The thick pork belly and neck were good quality, and I was very satisfied with the charcoal aroma, the minari and vegetables, and the garlic saeujeot and hairtail-gut sauces.

If you want proper aged pork belly and neck near Seongsu Station, this Seongsu Korean BBQ spot is worth a visit. The charcoal grilling and the skilled staff doing the grilling are its charm. Since they grill everything for you, you just eat, which is wonderfully easy.