400g Jirisan black pork for two in Ruwon City, Incheon: Heukdwaeji

I love grilling pork, but I'd never actually been to one of those trendy charcoal-grill places. Incheon's Seohae district, Gajeong-dong, has been developed into the new Ruwon City town, and a lot of good restaurants are already moving in early. So as a Ruwon City restaurant pick, I went to "Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul Gajeong Ruwon City Main Branch" to try their charcoal-grilled Jiri Mountain black pork — the kind of pork that's famous just by name.

Where is Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul in Ruwon City, and what are the hours?

🏡 Address: 15 Yeomgok-ro 464beon-gil, Seohae-gu, Incheon, South Korea, 1st floor units 101–103, 3M Tower. 420 meters from Exit 4 of Gajeong Station on Incheon Line 2, with parking support in the building's basement lot. Located in the pot-shaped commercial block of the Ruwon City food alley! This Ruwon City location is the main branch, with another branch running in Paju.

⏰ Hours: Mon–Fri 16:30–24:00, Sat–Sun 12:00–24:00, last order 23:00.

A spacious hall and private rooms at Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul

This Ruwon City restaurant, "Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul Gajeong Ruwon City Main Branch," has both a wide hall and private rooms, great for family gatherings or group meetups. And since the owner pre-grills the meat himself, it's perfect for hosting guests too. You won't be too busy grilling to talk — just lightly finish off the pre-grilled meat and eat right away. OK!

The free side dishes at this Ruwon City pork restaurant are a surprise

Salad, pickled mountain leek, pickled mushrooms, fresh wasabi, sun-dried sea salt aged over five years until sweet, ssamjang (thick dipping paste) made with ingredients farmed in Jecheon, garlic, steamed cabbage, lettuce, and meljeot (fermented anchovy sauce). On top of that, egg soufflé and acorn jelly soup were included too — not just a lot of side dishes, but ones made with the flawless skill you'd expect from a chef-turned-owner. Genuinely touching.

The egg soufflé stayed dense and full all the way to the bottom, no collapsing, so satisfying. The jelly soup broth was made from bone stock simmered in-house, refreshing and tangy enough to wake up the appetite. This is just the standard service at Ruwon City's Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul. 👍

They set meljeot right on the charcoal! No fishy taste at all, so it's easy for anyone to eat, and it's a real specialty — mixed into rice with a bit of spice, it's the best. There's a charcoal brazier at every table, so the AC was blasting in the big hall — chilly walking in, but perfectly refreshing once the meat started grilling.

First bite of Jirisan black pork, dipped in sweet salt

The owner recommended dipping the first bite in just salt, and the moment I did, it was like a new world opened up. Juice burst in my mouth, charcoal smoke wrapped around it gently, and the sweet edge of the salt kept coming through to the very last taste.

Wow~ this is what black pork is supposed to taste like!

Dipping in plain salt is how you really judge the quality of the meat, and the fact that the owner of Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul recommends it shows the confidence that comes from only serving carefully selected, high-quality pork.

Meljeot (fermented anchovy sauce), the standout dip

The meljeot has a slight kick without being fishy or overly salty — great for dunking a whole piece of pork neck into. Well-made, well-fermented meljeot like this adds savoriness and just the right seasoning, and mixed into hot rice, you'll be giving it a thumbs up. For real.

Is 400g for two at 42,000 won good value?

The thickness of the black pork neck is no joke! Getting to enjoy top-grade Jiri Mountain black pork this juicy at this price is what makes this place such great value. If this were in downtown Seoul, I doubt you could dream of this level of care in the side dishes for 400g for two at ₩42,000! I've never had this kind of revelation at a frozen-pork place or an ordinary hanwoo-grade pork restaurant. Years ago, I had Jirye black pork and never forgot the taste — but today that top spot in my memory just got taken over. This Ruwon City restaurant really is different!

They grilled a whole king oyster mushroom, and when I cut into it, the inside was moist and full of its own natural flavor. The rice was good quality too, glistening with a warm aroma that wafted through — even full from the meat, I finished the whole bowl.

Naengmyeon (cold noodles) and black pork gochujang jjigae

The naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) had chewy noodles and a red but not-too-spicy sauce, refreshing to eat. The slightly sweet gochujang jjigae (spicy stew) was loaded with black pork. A truly great-value Ruwon City restaurant, great-value BBQ spot. 👍

Final verdict on Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul, Ruwon City

For a family meal out, a gathering with your parents, a group dinner, or hosting guests in a private room — go get your compliments eating great-value black pork, grilled with charcoal smoke and bursting juice, at this Ruwon City restaurant run by a chef, "Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul Gajeong Ruwon City Main Branch." Five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, going on my return list!