Korean BBQ in Uwa-dong, Jeonju: beef brisket at World Naengsam

I've been craving naengsam (frozen pork belly) a lot lately, so this time I went to World Naengsam Uwa in Uwa-dong. I was looking for somewhere to eat meat near Jeonju Station and ended up here — since they serve chadolbagi (beef brisket) as well as naengsam, I ordered both :)

Where is World Naengsam Uwa near Jeonju Station?

World Naengsam Uwa is on the 1st floor at 9 Uwa-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk State, South Korea. It's open Mon–Sat 17:00–24:00, closed every Sunday. Street parking is available.

A storefront that looks like a proper Korean BBQ joint

Even before going in, the place had that classic BBQ-restaurant feel. The bright, bold sign really catches your eye, and there's a kind of old-school local-favorite look to it? Looking at the photos now, it's honestly so charming.

If you're looking for a place to eat meat in Uwa-dong, the location is pretty decent too — good to stop by when you're eating near Jeonju Station.

Inside World Naengsam Uwa: easy, casual seating

The atmosphere was comfortable and easy to eat in. It seemed good for a casual meal with friends, or for having a drink over meat in the evening. It'd work fine for a work dinner too, honestly. Since the meat cooks so fast, you don't have to wait around much, haha.

What we ordered: chadolbagi and naengsam for two each

We ordered 2 servings of chadolbagi + 2 servings of naengsam + a bowl of rice. Honestly, even that much turned out to be a pretty big amount of food. I was curious about other menu items, but I was too full to try them, which was a little disappointing haha.

Side dishes at World Naengsam Uwa: two stews and steamed egg

The basic side dishes served before the meat arrives were quite varied. What I especially liked was getting two stews AND steamed egg! For a standard BBQ-restaurant side spread, the table was set surprisingly full, which felt satisfying even before the meat showed up. There were also sides to pair with the naengsam, which was great for wrapping in lettuce.

A photo of 2 servings of naengsam + 1 serving of chadolbagi! The chadolbagi was so good we added one more serving partway through.

Beef brisket first, because chadolbagi cooks in seconds

We grilled the chadolbagi first. Since the slices were thin, they cooked almost instantly on the grill — barely any waiting. Once nicely browned, one bite gave that proper savory flavor. The first bite has to be with salt-and-sesame-oil dip >_< I also loved eating the chadolbagi wrapped in lettuce.

Frozen pork belly grilled crisp, the main event

After having our fill of chadolbagi, we put the naengsam on the grill. Frozen pork belly has that distinctive thin, crispy-when-cooked texture, which made for a totally different experience from the chadolbagi. Since the slices are thin, there's real fun in grilling them golden-brown and eating them right away. If you're looking for naengsam in Uwa-dong these days, I think you'd like this style.

How to wrap naengsam in lettuce with the side dishes

Eating just the meat alone can feel a bit greasy, so we put it on lettuce leaves along with a bunch of the side dishes and ate it as wraps. That's really the best way to eat pork belly, I think, haha. Alternating between chadolbagi and naengsam also meant we didn't get tired of just one flavor.

Save room for fried rice: how much meat to order

That day, with 2 servings of chadolbagi, 2 servings of naengsam, and a bowl of rice, I ended up way fuller than expected. I really wanted to try the fried rice or other menu items — especially the gochujang naengsam — but couldn't fit them in, which was a bit of a shame.

Next time, instead of ordering a ton of everything from the start, I'd like to scale back the meat portion a bit so there's room for fried rice too. If you're writing a receipt review, pairing it with fried rice or soju also sounds like a good idea. If you're looking for naengsam or a BBQ place near Jeonju Station, this is worth searching up under Jeonju Station naengsam. If you're like me and always need rice with your meat, just remember to pace your order haha. Overall, the side dishes were generous and being able to eat chadolbagi and naengsam together made for a satisfying, filling meal at World Naengsam Uwa.