Hapjeong Korean BBQ where a set for two fed 3 adults: Gogikkun

I went to Gogikkun Gim Chunbae (고기꾼김춘배), a famous Hongdae pork belly spot that also counts as a Hapjeong favorite. I met up with friends I hadn't seen in a while, and we tried their newly arranged hanwoo (Korean beef) and hanDon (Korean pork) set. You get beef and pork in one go, so yes, it really is a Hongdae pork belly place through and through.

Where is Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch and how do you find the entrance?

Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch is in the alley behind the Su Karaoke intersection, which you reach by walking from Exit 9 of Hongik Univ. Station toward Hongdae's main street. The restaurant is on the 3rd and 4th floors of the building, and the ground-floor entrance is smaller than you'd expect, so it's easy to walk past. Keep your eyes open! Inside, it's mostly 4-person tables, with group seating at the back.

Weekday evening atmosphere and seating at Gogikkun

There are partitions between the seats, so even though it was lively and noisy, it felt reasonably private. I went on a weekday evening and it was still really crowded. I saw families, friends getting together and company dinners. Quite a few foreign guests too at this Hapjeong-area favorite.

What's in Gogikkun's hanwoo and pork set for two?

Gogikkun's hanwoo-hanDon set for two comes with 150g of pork belly, 250g of raw galbi-sal (rib-finger meat) and 200g of hanwoo of the day. The place is known for good-value set menus, and this time I noticed a set that lets you have hanwoo and hanDon together, so I ordered it.

We added kkakdugi bap (diced radish kimchi fried rice) and half-and-half naengmyeon (cold noodles). I worried a set for two might be a bit small, but with the fried rice and naengmyeon it was just right for three.

How did the hanwoo and pork set taste?

The set arrived with beef and pork prettily arranged together: hanwoo of the day and galbi-sal with moderate marbling, plus thick-cut pork belly, all in one set.

Grilling the meat ourselves this time

On my earlier visit the staff grilled the meat for us from time to time, but this time we grilled it ourselves. None of us is good at grilling, so I feel we didn't really taste Gim Chunbae's meat at its best. A little disappointing, sob. I need to practice my grilling.

The hanwoo of the day had moderate marbling, so the texture was tender, and the juices rose the more I chewed.

The pork belly was still the star

The best part is that you can try several cuts at a lighter price than ordering a hanwoo-only set. This Hapjeong-area spot serves good-value hanwoo, but honestly... it's a Hongdae pork belly place, haha.

The fat ratio of the pork belly was really good. The fat wasn't excessive and was just right, so I could properly enjoy the chewy texture, and the meat had plenty of lean too. Best of all, there was no gamey smell at all! Grilled over charcoal, it turned crispy outside and juicy inside. Seriously delicious.

Are the kkakttukbap and half-and-half naengmyeon worth adding?

Gogikkun's kkakdugi bap is a fried rice with a subtle smoky grill aroma, perfect with the meat. After eating nothing but meat, the carbs felt fresh and tasty. Fried rice at a BBQ place is the best, hahaha!

Finally we ordered half-and-half naengmyeon. You get both mul naengmyeon (cold broth noodles) and bibim naengmyeon (spicy mixed noodles) at once, which made it a great side.

Is a Korean BBQ set for two enough for 3 adults?

With the kkakdugi fried rice and half-and-half naengmyeon added to the hanwoo-hanDon set for two, the amount was not too little for three adults. If you want good-value hanwoo and hanDon together in Hapjeong, visit Gogikkun Gim Chunbae. It's a Hongdae pork belly place, after all!