Dongtan bar open till 3am: pork belly kimchi stew at Jusangnakwon

After work, I checked out a bar that's hot right now at Dongtan's North Plaza — Jusangnakwon (주상낙원)! Even though it's a two-story building, it's popular enough that I had to wait a bit before getting in!!!

Jusangnakwon Dongtan Bukgwangjang: hours, location and parking

Jusangnakwon is located in the shopping complex at Dongtan's North Plaza, open from 17:00 to 03:00, year-round with no days off. Parking is available in the underground lot.

• Location: 87-6 Bansong-dong, Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: 17:00 – 03:00
• Closed: Open year-round
• Parking: Underground parking available

Jusangnakwon is a two-story building. Even with quite a lot of tables on both the 1st and 2nd floors, seats were still in short supply 😭 I visited on a weekday evening and there was a bit of a wait!

How long is the wait at Jusangnakwon?

Even on a weekday evening, Jusangnakwon had a brief wait. If you go at an awkward time you might wait a bit longer, and I'd guess weekends have some waiting too. If possible, I'd recommend getting there early rather than treating it as your second stop of the night!

The basic side snack is crispy shrimp chips! They're so crunchy that the crackling sound echoes all the way up to your head when you bite into them.

What we ordered: pork belly kimchi stew, rice, pineapple sherbet and candied sweet potato

Since I came straight from work, I was pretty hungry. The first thing I ordered was pork belly kimchi jjigae with a side of rice.

Pork belly kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew)

Jusangnakwon's pork belly kimchi jjigae comes in a pot loaded with thick tofu, mushrooms, well-fermented kimchi, and generous amounts of pork belly. Maybe because it's simmered for a long time, the broth is truly rich and deep. I ordered rice on the side to eat with it, and wow — it's seriously intense!

Wrap tender pork belly in well-ripened kimchi for a bite, then spoon up some of that spicy, clean broth — honestly, your spoon just won't stop. Add fluffy rice on top of that, and it's the perfect rice thief and the ultimate drinking snack.

Pineapple sherbet

There's nothing better than this when you need something to cleanse your palate after drinking or eating something spicy! It comes served in a halved pineapple shell, packed full of icy slush. The moment you take a spoonful, all the spiciness and heaviness in your mouth gets washed away! Cool, sweet, and tangy — perfect as a final dessert. Just looking at the photo makes me want more, haha.

Goguma ppasu (candied sweet potato)

This is seriously something else. Sweet fried sweet potato comes topped with snow-like shredded cheese and a sprinkle of parsley — crispy on the outside, moist and sweet on the inside, so you can't stop picking at it. The sweet, nutty flavor is strong, and alternating it with the spicy kimchi jjigae makes for the ultimate sweet-and-salty combo!!

Who will enjoy Jusangnakwon most?

Overall, the seasoning on everything was spot on, and above all the combination of anju was so good that I left that day full, satisfied, and well fed! If you're near Byeongjeom and want a good drink with tasty food to go with it, definitely stop by once!