Gangseo Korean BBQ restaurant with pear-marinated pork: Ihwajeong

I visited Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch, a great spot for a group dinner in Magok.

Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch: location and hours

Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch is a five-minute walk from Balsan Station. I recommend it for pork ribs near Balsan Station.

• Hours: Monday–Sunday, 11:00–22:00
• Last order: 20:30
• Location: 42 Gangseo-ro 54-gil, 1st floor, Unit 1, Gangseo-gu, Seoul

It is connected to the parking garage, so getting there is easy. The tower-style parking garage is neat, too.

Ihwajeong's rib marinade is especially delicious. They say it starts with organic Korean pears. They actually drizzle freshly grated pear right in front of you when serving it.

A spacious restaurant for group dinners

The entrance is grand, and everything is neatly kept. Rather than separate little rooms, think of it as large individual spaces.

The ceramics and upscale interior looked great for hosting clients or guests.

There is group seating, and the regular tables are spread far apart, so it felt comfortable. The tables are huge and the chairs are comfy, too.

Marinated pork grill menu and our order

They offer many choices, from beef and pork to yukhoe (Korean beef tartare). I had the fresh Korean beef ribs last time, and they melted in my mouth, haha. This time, we ordered two servings of marinated pork grill for ₩46,000. It was 600 g.

This is the portion for two servings of marinated pork grill. They drizzled pear sauce directly over the thick meat. It was finished with a subtle marinade and sesame salt.

The perilla-oil geotjeori (freshly dressed kimchi) was tangy, nutty, and lightly sweet—really delicious and fresh.

The baek kimchi (white kimchi) was excellent, too. I loved its crisp bite.

The potato egg salad was served beautifully. It tasted great and was perfect as an appetizer.

The yuzu salad, with radicchio, lettuce, baby greens, and tomatoes, was delicious and refreshing.

The pickles, garlic scapes, and onions were nicely sweet—just right when things started to feel rich.

The shredded scallions were lightly seasoned, giving them an upscale flavor. From the dishes to the food itself, everything felt refined.

The cheongpomuk muchim (seasoned mung bean jelly) was covered in seaweed flakes and plenty of perilla oil. It was so good that I got one more refill. Refills were easy to order from the table-order system, too.

Charcoal-grilled pork ribs

The staff grill the meat beautifully over quality charcoal from beginning to end. Marinated meat is not easy to grill, but they kept it from burning even over charcoal.

Once they have pre-grilled everything, you only need to cook it a little more to your preferred doneness.

Since they grill it all for you, it seemed especially great for company dinners. The youngest person at the table does not have to do the grilling! I recommend it for group dinners in Magok, so do visit.

You cannot resist the combination of perfectly cooked pork ribs and rice, right? We ordered one bowl each, and the rice was glossy and nicely sticky. The seasoned scallions were not overly strong, so they did not get in the way of the meat's flavor.

Finish with bibim naengmyeon and pear sherbet

After finishing all the pork ribs, which had a nice balance of fat and lean meat, we ordered naengmyeon (cold noodles), too.

We chose bibim naengmyeon, a mixed cold noodle dish with a little broth. It came with egg, cucumber, and pear. The arrowroot noodles were chewy and springy, too.

You cannot resist pork ribs with cold noodles either, right? The bibim naengmyeon was so delicious. I wanted to order mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth), too, but I was so full—next time, I will try that one!

Be sure to have the pear sherbet after your meal. They make it with organic pears, and you can simply order it from the kiosk.

The organic pear sherbet had a refined flavor and a pleasantly chewy texture. It was a lovely way to finish.

Recommended for pork ribs near Balsan Station