Gwangmyeong jjukkumi restaurant with extra-spicy beef belly: Jeongipum

Every time I pass by, Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch always has a crowd..! It's actually one of my go-to spots — I'd say it might be the number one jjukkumi place near Gwangmyeong Station.

Where is Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch, and where do you park?

Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch is on the 1st floor of AK Plaza by Gwangmyeong Station. The sign is so flashy it's easy to spot haha. Since it's inside AK Plaza Gwangmyeong, using the AK Plaza parking lot gets you 2 hours free!

They have Catch Table and Naver Reservation set up, so it's convenient to visit. Waiting seats are well arranged too!

Oh, they got married last month.. congrats haha

Please note the business hours! There's a break time from 4-5pm, so the first last order is at 3pm!

Inside Jeongipum Jjukkumi: does it work for families and groups?

The hall at Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch is pretty spacious, right?? Every time I visit there are family gatherings and group get-togethers too haha. I've only come here for dates near Gwangmyeong Station, but I think parents would love it too.

These compressed wipes that puff up when you add water.. haha, so fun.

Menu and spice levels: asking for hotter than standard

We ordered griddle jjukkumi + extra toppings (black Angus beef belly). You can choose spice level — mild, standard, or very spicy — and we asked for a bit hotter than standard haha.

The owner happily accommodated us, which was great. Even someone who can't handle spice much could eat it fine.

Griddle jjukkumi with beef belly, side dishes, steamed egg and flying fish roe

Ta-da~ Even the plating alone looks so good haha.

Sizzle sizzle, bubble bubble.

Oh right, here's the basic side dish setup. The steamed egg custard already wins me over just from how it puffs up over the earthenware bowl.. scoop it with a spoon and it's truly fluffy — perfect for calming your mouth down between bites of spicy jjukkumi. Flying fish roe also feels essential with jjukkumi haha. The little pops of texture with each bite and the subtle salty savoriness give you a breather from the intense flavors, so I kept alternating between them.

A staff member helps stir-fry it like this haha. You can eat comfortably without lifting a finger.

Haha, the extra toppings really live up to their name.

The visuals... so pretty.

How to eat Jeongipum jjukkumi in 4 steps

Personally I love stuff like this. The 'best way to eat it' guide.. haha.

• Place crispy roasted laver on the rough back side of the sesame leaf
• On top of that, layer the house-made lemon radish, bean sprouts, and flying fish roe in order
• Dip the jjukkumi in white sauce, add it on top, and wrap it all up in one bite
• After eating about 80%, make fried rice with the remaining sauce

Eating it in this order somehow made the texture and flavor feel distinctly layered — it felt way tastier than just eating it plainly, or at least that's the vibe I got..

I ate it just as the expert instructed. With the sweet-and-spicy sauce and the bouncy, springy texture of the octopus, my chopsticks kept reaching back for more. Ah, Jeongipum Jjukkumi is really so good. Not chewy, generous portions, parking available, spacious hall — nothing is missing.

Finishing with cheese fried rice

Oh right, K-dessert time. We were way too full but ordered one cheese fried rice anyway. With how good the jjukkumi sauce is, well.. of course the fried rice is too, need I say more!🤤 Stir-fry the sweet-and-spicy jjukkumi sauce with rice, mix in seaweed flakes and cheese, and eat — pure happiness, hehe.

Registering your parking and a weekend date course near Gwangmyeong Station

Register your parking~~ and then you're done leaving! At the self-registration kiosk you just enter the last 4 digits of your license plate and apply the discount voucher — not complicated at all. Oh, and there's a White Lily bakery right in front, so grabbing something there and then catching a movie makes for a quick and easy weekend date. The chocolate bread was sold out though, couldn't get that.

I visited a few months ago on my own, and this time I was thankfully able to come as part of a sponsored group. But? I'm 100% planning to come back again and pay with my own money next time. It's top-tier jjukkumi in Gwangmyeong, so I couldn't find a reason not to go, haha. Seriously recommend it.