Jamsil Korean BBQ and a first taste of beef makchang: Jinseong Hanwoo

Today I came to the Bangi-dong food alley with friends 🫶 So many places to eat here, and so many people around too — it got me excited before I even sat down 🎶 It took about a 10-minute walk from Jamsil Station Exit 10.

Where is Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch, and what are its hours?

📍Location📍 19 Olympic-ro 32-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 1st floor ⏰Hours⏰ Mon-Thu 16:00-23:00 Last order 22:00 Fri 17:00-24:00 Sat 13:00-24:00 Sun 15:00-24:00 Last order 23:00 🚗No parking

I visited early on a weekday and there were still quite a few customers. There were more tables on the left side too.

Ordering all five items on the Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang menu

The main menu at Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch was really simple — just 3 items. Domestic hanwoo (Korean beef) gopchang, daechang, and makchang, plus two dessert items, kkakdugi-yangbap and anchovy noodles! I wondered what "yangbap" meant — turns out it's fried rice with teukyang (premium beef tripe) mixed in. We ordered one of each of the 5 items! 👏

Side dishes: the kimchi trio, steamed egg and minari sauce

The basic side dishes were chives and a house-made kimchi trio. Kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), yeolmu kimchi (young radish greens kimchi), and scallion kimchi — three kinds. My friends and I each tried them and agreed this place is a legit kimchi spot!

I was so happy steamed egg came as a side dish. It had that soft, umami-rich flavor that's so distinctive of good BBQ restaurants! We took a bite, then another, and it was gone in a flash..😋

There was also minari (water dropwort) sauce, good either for dipping or mixing in. The distinct aroma of minari really boosted the appetite and cut through the greasiness! 👏 It's a soy sauce-vinegar-sugar base with garlic added, giving it a sharp kick that paired really well.

Gopchang, daechang and makchang on one pan — how did they taste?

Here's daechang, makchang, and gopchang all ordered together! Interestingly, kimchi and neatly cut cabbage were placed on top. There was also kimchi, rice cake, potato, and mung bean sprouts, so I could enjoy a variety instead of just one thing 🫶

Daechang (large intestine)

Look at that daechang! Plump and full of fat, it made my mouth water. The surface had pepper sprinkled on it, but the pepper aroma wasn't overpowering! No gamy smell either, which I loved 👍

Makchang — my first time eating beef makchang

The makchang was plump and delicious too. I've had pork makchang before, but this was my first time trying beef makchang — and yeah, beef is just good in whatever form 🫶 It was softer and chewier, and the flavor was a bit different too.

Gopchang (small intestine)

The gopchang was laid out in a long line around the outer edge of the pan! It wasn't chewy when I bit into it — soft, with a nice savory flavor! One of the tastiest beef gopchang orders I've had.

Chives, cabbage and rice cake on the side

The chives, grilled in beef tallow, were obviously delicious too! And eating them together with the cabbage added a gentle sweetness that paired really well.

My favorite part was getting to grill rice cake alongside everything else — the outside got slightly crisped like it was fried, while the inside stayed chewy, so even when I was full, my hand kept reaching for more! Anyone who loves rice cake will love this.

The staff grilled the meat for us, so we could just relax and enjoy eating.

Dipping the daechang in the minari sauce made it moist, refreshing, and slightly sweet — I couldn't stop eating it!

To finish: kkakdugi-yangbap fried rice and anchovy noodles

The kkakdugi-yangbap I'd been looking forward to! It came stir-fried separately, which I loved. I actually prefer eating fried rice alongside the meat rather than as a dessert afterward, so places that serve it separately like this earn extra points from me!

Well-ripened kkakdugi, finely chopped with teukyang and stir-fried together with rice — the savory umami plus that hint of tanginess really got my saliva going.

I ate it with chives too, and it was so good I finished it in no time!

And I finished off with the anchovy noodles too — they had egg strips and loose scrambled egg in them, so I got to enjoy a mix of textures. Fried tofu skin was in there too, adding some chew! Savory and light — a really good janchi guksu (feast noodles).

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang in Bangi-dong had a simple, clean menu that I really liked! It was a great place to chat with friends over a meal — if you visit, make sure to try the kkakdugi-yangbap!