Hongdae Korean BBQ, cool by the charcoal grill with Asahi: Gogikkun

This time I went with friends to one of the hottest BBQ places near the Hongdae main nightlife strip: Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch (고기꾼김춘배 홍대본점)! I heard Hongdae locals rate it and that it has a whole 10 years of know-how behind it. You grill raw meat over charcoal, a true Hongdae favorite, and as a meat lover there was no way I wasn't going haha >< The chilled-aged meat was amazingly fresh, so here's my honest review, let's goooo~~~

Where is Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch, and what are the hours?

Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch is at 36 Hongik-ro 3-gil, 3rd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, and it's open 12:00-23:00. For parking, use the Sinchon public parking lot.

• Address: 36 Hongik-ro 3-gil, 3rd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Hours: 12:00-23:00
• Parking: Sinchon public parking lot
• Hanwoo/Hanpork set for 2: ₩118,000
• Half-and-half naengmyeon: ₩7,000
• Kkakttukbap: ₩8,000

Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae: outside and inside

It's right in the middle of Hongdae, so access is really good! It's near Sangsangmadang so it's easy to find, but the entrance can be a little confusing, so please check my photos...!!

Is Korean BBQ too hot by the charcoal grill on a summer day?

The air conditioning was blasting, so we could eat comfortably in front of the charcoal grill even on a hot day. The restaurant takes up the 3rd and 4th floors, and when you go up it feels really cozy, with a proper meat-restaurant vibe haha.

It's been hot lately, so I was worried it would be way too hot sitting at a charcoal grill, you know? But the air conditioning is really powerful and works so well that it wasn't hot at all and we ate comfortably. Totally satisfied... ✨

The restrooms are on the 4th floor and are separate for men and women, which was so convenient! Being a hot spot, it was really crowded, and I was surprised by how many foreign tourists there were.

Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae menu and what we ordered

We ordered the Hanwoo/Hanpork set for two, half-and-half naengmyeon, kkakttukbap and Asahi draft beer. You can order comfortably from your seat, which was nice, and since we wanted to try lots of different meats, we went all in on the set plus sides!

• Hanwoo/Hanpork set for 2
• Half-and-half naengmyeon (cold noodles)
• Kkakttukbap (kimchi radish fried rice)
• Asahi draft beer

All the meat at Gogikkun Gim Chunbae is chilled-aged, and they say they're proud of its top freshness, so my expectations were through the roof before we even started 🤭

What meat comes in the hanwoo and Hanpork set for two?

The Hanwoo/Hanpork set for two (₩118,000) is a mix of hanwoo (Korean beef) sirloin and galbi-sal (rib meat), plus hanpork (Korean pork) pork belly. Our orders were set out one after another, and the look of it was rea~~~lly gorgeous, don't you think? First up was the main event, the Hanwoo/Hanpork set for two!

What's great about this set is that you get a mix of hanwoo sirloin, galbi-sal and hanpork pork belly, so you never get bored!!

How the charcoal-grilled hanwoo sirloin, galbi-sal and pork belly tasted

You just grill it on the charcoal grill in the order the staff tells you. I started with the beef and popped it in my mouth... wow, the juices burst out! It's springy and tender and melts in your mouth, absolutely delicious 😭 Maybe it's the charcoal with 10 years of know-how, but the smoky flavor in the meat was insane.

Next, the grilled galbi-sal was tender too, and the skin on the pork belly was chewy and satisfying, just what you'd expect from a Hongdae favorite haha.

Asahi draft beer with Korean BBQ

Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae has an Asahi draft machine, so you get fresh, smooth draft beer. Cold Asahi draft is something you can never skip with meat!!! The kind of taste that makes you go "ahh" on its own... the beer was re! al! ly good, so the meat just kept going down 🍻 It was a moment when I thought, thank goodness I didn't bring my car, haha.

Are half-and-half naengmyeon and kkakttukbap worth ordering as sides?

The half-and-half naengmyeon (₩7,000) comes with mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth) and bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles) in one bowl, which solves indecision. The half-and-half I ordered as a side was totally my taste! The bowl is split in half like jjamjjamyeon, so it's the best choice when you want both the broth kind and the spicy kind ㅠㅠ I loved it! Take a sip of the cold broth, then wrap a piece of meat in the sweet and spicy bibim noodles, and it's a perfect match. Please try wrapping them together ✨

Kkakttukbap (kkakdugi fried rice, ₩8,000) is a must-order finisher for anyone who needs their carbs. Don't miss out on this one..!! The spicy, crunchy kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) is stir-fried until nutty, and even though I was full I couldn't stop spooning it in haha. Put a leftover piece of pork belly on top and it's rea~~~lly filling and delicious.

Is a Korean BBQ set for two enough for three people? (Verdict)

One adult man and two women had the Hanwoo/Hanpork set for two plus sides, and we were pleasantly full! If you're big eaters, it might be good to add some more meat haha.

Gogikkun Gim Chunbae is a real Hongdae favorite where you grill fresh chilled-aged meat in a nicely atmospheric charcoal grill! If you're looking for a good-value, high-quality BBQ place in central Hongdae, give it a visit~~