24,000-won hairtail stew set for two in Cheongju: Jeju Badang

I spotted this place while visiting a hair salon in the same building and knew I had to come back — Jeju Badang, a hairtail stew/grilled fish spot in Gagyeong-dong, Cheongju haha. Hairtail dishes are relatively hard to find in Cheongju, so I'd always been curious, and to cut to the chase: it was better than expected, so I think I'll be coming back whenever I crave Korean food!

Jeju Badang hours, parking and playroom at a glance

• 🕖 Hours: Daily 10:30–22:00 (last order 14:30 & 20:30)
• 🅿️ Parking: Available in front of and behind the building
• Group seating available, kids' playroom available, takeout/reservations available

The parking lot is seriously huge 🥹 I tend to avoid restaurants without parking even if the food is good, but Jeju Badang has both great food and a spacious lot!

Jeju Badang is on the 2nd floor of the building that houses Hanyang Meat Restaurant! Even the sign at the entrance makes it clear this is a hairtail stew/grilled fish specialty spot.

Inside Jeju Badang: four-person tables and the kids' playroom

The interior was bigger than I expected! And what I really liked was how spacious the tables were :) There are several 4-person tables, so group dining is no problem at all haha.

And what surprised me was that there's a kids' playroom 😳 It's genuinely hard to find Korean restaurants with playrooms these days, so it's been a while since I've seen one... This would be perfect for eating out with young kids!

What comes with the 24,000-won hairtail stew and pot rice set

We ordered the Jeju boneless hairtail stew + pot rice set (₩24,000 per person) for two. Not long after ordering, the side dishes arrived, and my jaw genuinely dropped. Stir-fried bracken, stir-fried anchovies, a salad, plus spicy stir-fried pork and seaweed soup. I wondered if there'd even be room left for the main dish 🥺

The free mini self-serve bar, boneless fried chicken included

And here's the killer point of this place... the 'free mini self-serve bar' set up on one side of the restaurant 🫠 The basic side dishes already come out beautifully arranged, but you can also help yourself to more!

But get this — the self-serve bar has 'boneless fried chicken' on it...? 🍗 Usually it's just basic side dishes, but unlimited fresh, warm boneless fried chicken at the self-serve bar? That's honestly an unreal level of service 😭💓 So I inhaled the chicken before the main food even arrived — it was crispy and so delicious!

Bone-free hairtail stew and scorched rice from the pot

After enjoying the chicken and side dishes, the main dish arrived. Freshly made pot rice and Jeju boneless hairtail stew (galchijorim) in a rich, thick sauce! The moment the pot rice lid comes off, a fragrant rice aroma fills the air — and you know the drill, scoop the rice out into a bowl first and pour water into the pot to make scorched-rice tea (nurungji) ◡̈

The biggest advantage is the plump, boneless fish! Normally the most annoying part of eating fish is picking out the bones, but with Jeju Badang's hairtail stew, you can just scoop it up with a spoon and eat it with rice — so convenient 👍🏻

The flesh is soft and tender, and the seasoning has soaked deep into it, so mixing rice into the spicy-sweet sauce is an absolute rice thief... The radish inside is also braised until it melts in your mouth!

And of course, the finale is the scorched-rice tea. Nurungji made from pot rice is my favorite thing ever..😘

Please check the origin labeling! It makes me so happy that you can now eat Jeju-sourced seafood without having to go all the way to Jeju Island 🥹

The hairtail stew portion was just right, and the flesh was unbelievably tender. Next time I'd like to come back for a proper brunch visit!

Is Jeju Badang worth a first visit in Gagyeong-dong?

With neatly arranged side dishes, a ridiculously generous self-serve bar, the convenience of a huge parking lot, and a well-equipped kids' playroom — I was impressed the whole meal at this Cheongju Korean restaurant, Jeju Badang! It was my first visit, but I was so satisfied that I think I'll be back again haha. If you're looking for a hearty, delicious restaurant in Cheongju, definitely check out Jeju Badang, a Korean restaurant in Gagyeong-dong!