Korean BBQ for two women in Samsong: ₩41,000 raw ribs, Neopttakjip

A review after eating Sancheong black pork raw ribs at Neopttakjip, a well-known spot near Samsong and Jichuk.

About three months ago I fell for the deliciously chewy texture of the Sancheong black pork raw ribs, and I wanted to show a friend, so we went back together.

Where is Neopttakjip Samsong Branch? 100m from Samsong Station Exit 1

This Samsong favorite is about 100m down the road as you exit Samsong Station Exit 1 — you can't miss it. The exterior, with all the side windows thrown wide open, has a retro yet distinctive look, and the sign is huge so it really stands out.

Inside Neopttakjip: hall tables and two private rooms

Down one step, the interior has a lively old-school diner feel — maybe thanks to the green chairs. The hall tables and rooms together add up to 100 seats, and there are two private rooms that seat 5–8 people. If you're planning a group gathering or company dinner, it's more convenient to book through Naver.

The new self-serve bar: free garlic scape relish refills

Last time I visited Neopttakjip there was no self-serve bar, but this time there was one. It was great that every side dish from the basic table setting was there. I refilled the garlic scape relish several times — it pairs so well with the Sancheong black pork raw ribs.

Neopttakjip menu and prices

The mixed grill, 600g + grilled vegetables letting you try four cuts — pork neck, belly, hayansal, and kkodeulsal — is good for two people. The special mixed grill adds hanger meat for five cuts total at 800g, which suits 3–4 people.

For meal items, besides doenjang stew, there's sundubu, cheonggukjang, ramyeon, perilla oil noodles, three pieces of pork skin, and beef belly kkakdugi (radish kimchi) fried rice, all priced reasonably at around ₩4,000–8,000, so nothing feels like a stretch.

Side dishes at Neopttakjip, including the pasta salad

This is the basic table setting — sesame oil, perilla seed powder, and salt.

The pasta side dish has a thick, rich sauce. It even had quail eggs in it, which was great for calming my hunger while the meat was grilling.

Sancheong black pork raw ribs 400g + grilled vegetables, ₩41,000

The Sancheong black pork raw ribs 400g plus grilled vegetables cost ₩41,000. It was just right for two adult women, and having rice cake sticks and sausage made it even tastier.

I loved that this restaurant uses ice-aged pork and a specially made cast-iron griddle you don't see elsewhere, so the meat didn't burn and the temperature stayed steady, meaning I could enjoy it deliciously right to the end.

This little flag is so cute 😍

There was a separate spot to move fully grilled meat aside so it wouldn't burn. Grilling kimchi, enoki mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, and sweet potato made the meal even richer. I ended up burning the sweet potato while I was too busy chatting, haha.

How the staff say to eat the raw ribs

A staff member told us the best way to eat it: a dab of sesame oil, perilla seed powder, and a bit of salt, then dip it in — the combination was absolute perfection.

The signature meat sauce (yukjang) completely cut through the richness of the meat — it's great to dip the meat generously before wrapping it in lettuce.

The pickled green onion and chili are this restaurant's real kick. Piling them on the meat gives it a fully flavorful taste, and the slightly fermented kimchi gets even better once grilled.

The garlic scape relish, which rattles your brain, has amazing seasoning.

The meat right off the bone was the tastiest, haha. My friend and I shared it happily.

The rice cake sticks grilled on the cast-iron griddle also came out chewy and delicious, like grilled marshmallows.

Adding the black bean snail doenjang stew

The doenjang stew we added on had a slightly black tint, and it turned out to be black bean snail doenjang stew. The chewy texture of the snails was great. They gave us a generous bowl of rice, so we mixed it all in and cleaned our plates.

Is Neopttakjip Samsong Branch worth a visit?

Anything tastes good with good company, but... this Samsong and Jichuk favorite lets you grill ice-aged pork on a specially made cast-iron griddle in a distinctive old-school diner atmosphere, dipped in the signature meat sauce. 'Neopttak' means to spread things out generously, or to be big-hearted — and this is a big-hearted place where you can enjoy a great spread with great people.