Hapjeong Korean BBQ with pressed scorched fried rice finish: Ijjok

This is [Just Went Out], where I go somewhere new every week, try it myself, and record it :) This time I went to Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal for dinner in Hapjeong. Even the name is unusual — the sign just says 'This Way' (이쪽, Ijjok) in huge letters, so it stood out from a distance. I'd been wanting pork belly, kimchi, and pan-fried rice at the end, all in one meal, so here's my story of this Hapjeong Station Korean BBQ restaurant.

Where is Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal, and what are its hours?

Follow the big 'This Way' sign inside.

Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal is located at basement floor, 20 Dokmak-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It's within walking distance of Hapjeong Station, which made it convenient for setting up a dinner meetup.

• 📍 Location: 20 Dokmak-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, basement floor
• ⏰ Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30-23:00 / break time 15:00-17:00
• Saturday 17:00-23:00, last order 22:00
• Closed every Sunday

This is the entrance! The restaurant is on the basement floor, so just follow the stairs down.

Inside the basement dining room and seating

The interior had more seats than I expected.

Once inside, there were quite a few tables, which seemed good for two people or for a bigger group. Even though it's a Korean BBQ place, the interior overall was tidy, so my first impression was clean.

The grill and menu were already neatly set at the table. At Korean BBQ restaurants, one thing that quietly bothers me is smoke smell getting into my clothes or bag.

Here they had separate personal item lockers, so it was easy to stash coats or bags before eating. That's exactly the kind of detail I quietly check for when looking for a good Korean BBQ restaurant near Hapjeong Station.

What comes in the 55,000 won 2-3 person set

The menu had sets ranging from 2-3 people up to 3-4 people. We ordered the 55,000 won 2-3 person set. It wasn't just meat — it also came with steamed egg and doenjang jjigae, so we had plenty of side dishes to enjoy along with it.

There are sets for both 2-3 and 3-4 people, so you can just check the menu and pick based on your group size.

The small grill detail we noticed first

Looking closely at the grill, there was a shield panel installed on the side so you don't accidentally touch the hot part. When you're eating meat, your hand often reaches around the grill, so this small detail really stood out to me.

The table also had instructions on how to pair the meat and enjoy it best.

How to ask for the sesame oil salt dip

Wasabi and salt were set out, and the basic side dishes that came along were pretty generous too. Personally, one thing I recommend trying here is asking for sesame oil to mix into the salt and make a sesame oil salt dip.

When we asked, they brought sesame oil and cheongyang chili (spicy green chili) separately. Adding sesame oil to salt and dipping the meat in it worked really well for me, so I'd recommend trying this combination too.

Staff grill the pork belly for you

The meat came out and went straight onto the grill. One of the most comfortable parts of eating at Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal was that the staff grilled the meat for us themselves.

While the meat was cooking, the doenjang jjigae included in the set and the fluffy steamed egg came out too. Being able to pair the stew and steamed egg along the way, rather than just eating meat alone, made the set feel more filling.

Even in front of the hot grill, they kept checking on the meat and grilled each piece carefully. If it were me, I probably would have kept flipping it with tongs and missed the right timing haha. What I especially liked about this Korean BBQ restaurant near Hapjeong Station was being able to just chat and relax while leaving the grilling to them.

Once the meat was well cooked, they moved it to the side of the grill so it was ready to eat instead of leaving it over the heat. Thanks to that, I could just focus on eating without worrying about it burning.

Finishing with fried rice pressed on the iron plate

Ending with just meat felt a bit lacking, so we added an order of fried rice at the end. Once we'd finished most of the meat and let them know, they stir-fried the rice evenly right on the same pan. Having them handle everything from grilling the meat to making the fried rice made things really easy.

You can eat it right after it's done, but personally I liked waiting a little longer too. Depending on your preference, pressing it down on the pan a bit more lets the bottom turn golden and crispy, almost like scorched rice. Even though I was already fairly full, the pan-fried rice was on a whole different level haha.

Worth it for a Hapjeong Korean BBQ that grills at your table?

On this visit, the 55,000 won 2-3 person set at Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal let us have fresh pork belly, whole pork jowl, steamed egg, and doenjang jjigae all together. What stuck with me most was how the staff grilled the meat carefully and then made the pan-fried rice on the same grill at the end, making the whole meal comfortable. There were also little details you actually notice while eating, like the item lockers and the shield panel beside the grill, and personally, the sesame oil salt dip I asked them to make was a combination I kept pairing with the meat. If you want to eat everything from pork belly to pan-fried rice in one sitting, this Korean BBQ restaurant near Hapjeong Station is worth checking out before your visit :)