Korean BBQ near Sinnonhyeon: juicy pork neck and naengmyeon, Hwaseol

What kind of Korean BBQ restaurant is Hwaseol Gangnam Direct Branch?

Hwaseol Gangnam Direct Branch is a Korean pork and beef BBQ restaurant at 38 Seocho-daero 73-gil, 1st floor, Seocho-gu, Seoul, close to Sinnonhyeon Station. I went looking for a good Korean BBQ restaurant in Gangnam and the thick-cut pork neck had real juice to it — if you're after a Sinnonhyeon Station spot for a company dinner, take a look haha.

• Name: Hwaseol Gangnam Direct Branch
• Location: 38 Seocho-daero 73-gil, 1st floor, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:30 - 23:00
• Menu this visit: Hwaseol Hanwoo Pork Mixed Set + Mul-naengmyeon
• Price: Pork Mixed Set 69,000 won / Hwaseol Mul-naengmyeon 9,000 won
• Parking: Small parking area beside the restaurant
• Restroom: Separate men's/women's restrooms inside
• Waiting: Reservations recommended for evenings or group visits
• Ordering: Staff take orders, and grill the meat tableside for you
• One-line tip: Private rooms and free corkage make it especially good for company dinners or gatherings

How to get to Hwaseol from Sinnonhyeon Station, and the entrance

Seeing the whole building, the red awning and Hwaseol sign catch your eye from far away. It's close to Sinnonhyeon Station, so accessibility is pretty good if you're looking for a Sinnonhyeon Station spot for a group dinner.

This is a shot from right at the entrance — the mix of brick, raw wood and the red Hwaseol sign gives it a lodge feel right from the door.

Near the entrance there's a wooden deck lined with wine bottles, which felt pretty unique for the middle of Gangnam. It was a spot I ended up checking out both before and after the meal.

Lodge-style interior with booth seating and private rooms

The inside of Hwaseol Gangnam Direct Branch is spacious with plenty of booth seating, so there was room whether it's just the two of you or a bigger group. Private rooms and free corkage are available, which makes it especially good for company dinners or gatherings.

The firewood-and-fire display in the middle really catches the eye too. It's a fully committed American-lodge-style interior, so there's more fun in just looking around than at places where you simply eat and leave haha.

What comes in the 69,000 won Korean pork mixed set?

What we ordered that day was the Hwaseol Hanwoo Pork Mixed Set for 69,000 won. Okay, take a look haha — this pork mixed set really has the visuals, doesn't it? Pork neck, pork belly and skirt meat all in one order, which was a great setup for the two of us to try a bit of everything.

When the meat shows up, a beer is a must haha. Pour it cold and take a sip and now it finally feels like you're properly out for dinner — this pairing is always the easy choice with BBQ.

Staff-grilled pork neck at Hwaseol: how juicy was it?

At Hwaseol Gangnam Direct Branch, staff grill the meat for you tableside. Check out the visuals haha — the thick-cut pork neck had a nicely browned surface with the juice still held inside, and personally, the pork neck was the standout of the meal that day!!

This combo is pretty great, right? A bit of wasabi on a piece of meat, and after the savory flavor comes a sharp kick that kept me reaching for more haha.

Here's the pork belly and skirt meat cut into bite-sized pieces. There's fun in picking and choosing. The outside was browned and the inside stayed moist, which made me glad I'd ordered the pork mixed set.

Finishing with Hwaseol mul-naengmyeon cold noodles for 9,000 won

We ordered the mul-naengmyeon (cold noodle soup) along with the meat. Hwaseol Mul-naengmyeon is 9,000 won. With icy broth, chewy noodles, and cucumber, radish and egg on top, it was great for cutting through the richness after the meat.

Verdict on Hwaseol Gangnam Direct Branch

1. Looking back after finishing the meal, the pork neck was personally the most memorable part. Thick-cut but not dry at all, and packed with juice — worth checking out if you're searching for a good Korean BBQ restaurant in Gangnam. This place suits people who care most about the taste of the meat.

2. The restaurant is spacious with plenty of booth seating, which worked fine for a meal with a friend, but the advantages really showed with a bigger group over BBQ. This place suits people looking for a company dinner restaurant near Gangnam Station or a spot for a group gathering.

3. Going through several cuts with the pork mixed set, then finishing with mul-naengmyeon, felt like an easy, comfortable flow. The mood wasn't too heavy either, and there was fun in checking out the interior — this place suits people near Sinnonhyeon Station who want both a good meal and a good atmosphere for a company dinner.