Sibling dinner Korean BBQ in Hapjeong: flower pork neck, Jeongyukdo

My sister and I were trying to decide on dinner, and we were craving meat, so we went to Jeongyukdo (정육도), a Korean BBQ spot in Hapjeong. It's really close to Hapjeong Station and I'd walked past it a few times. The meat quality is great, and the place is pleasant and classy, so it's popular for Hapjeong dates, family dinners and company get-togethers. Let me introduce this Hapjeong favorite 😊

Jeongyukdo location, parking and opening hours

Jeongyukdo is at 14 Yanghwa-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (2nd floor), 91 m and about 2 minutes from Exit 5 of Hapjeong Station. It's open Mon–Sat 11:30–23:00 and Sunday 11:30–22:00, and groups and reservations are welcome, so I'd recommend it for company dinners near Hapjeong Station too.

It's right by the station, which makes it easy to pick for gatherings or team dinners ✨ For parking, you need to use the Kakao T unmanned lot in front of the entrance or the Yonsei lot. Parking support isn't available, sadly! I went in the evening, and when the weather is nice you can enjoy your meat with outdoor-patio vibes..

Inside Jeongyukdo: atmosphere, tables and private rooms

The inside is pleasant and classy~ It doesn't feel like an ordinary neighborhood BBQ place with tables packed tightly together; it's mostly square tables. There are several private rooms, so it looks excellent for company dinners or gatherings.

Jeongyukdo menu and what we ordered

At Jeongyukdo in Hapjeong you can try 1++ hanwoo (top-grade Korean beef) as well as various cuts of Korean pork (handon), and there are set menus so you can enjoy cuts with different charms all at once. Perfect for a hanwoo dinner in Hapjeong, right? And if you get tired of beef, just transfer to pork~

I wanted to taste a variety of cuts, so I ordered the Handon set, which includes pork galbi (ribs), pork belly, flower pork neck and a hanwoo doenjang stew (soybean paste stew). Then I added steamed egg and mul naengmyeon (cold noodles) to round it out 😊

Handon set spread: individual banchan trays

The meat and side dishes came out quickly. The scallion salad and pickled onions you'd feel lost without when eating meat were set out so you can take as much as you need, and each person got their own tray with banchan (side dishes) on it. At BBQ places where many people eat together, you often pick from shared side dishes, so having them served individually felt more hygienic, which I liked.

There was also whole-grain mustard, salt and wasabi to go with the meat. Just put a little on your small plate as you like, so good, good~ I like that you can enjoy each cut in a different way~

You just take food onto your own tray like this~ The basic banchan are saengchae (seasoned radish), salted squid and pickled chili strips.

The Handon set's pork galbi, pork belly and flower pork neck all came on one plate, and they looked so fresh and delicious just from the look of the meat.

Jeongyukdo flower pork neck: the best of three cuts

First up was the flower pork neck~ Jeongyukdo's flower pork neck is known for its tender texture, chewy fat and nutty juices. It was the meat I enjoyed most at Jeongyukdo ✨

Pork neck can easily turn dry and bland, but Jeongyukdo's has a really great balance of tender texture and chewy fat.

Look at that appetizing grilled neck~ Savory outside, moist inside, and it chews tenderly. With the right amount of fat adding richness between the soft lean meat, I got a clean, mellow flavor without any dryness.

I tried all three cuts in turn, and each had a clearly different charm, but my pick is the flower pork neck I ate first! Next time I feel like ordering only flower pork neck would be satisfying enough. Order the flower pork neck ~~~~

Jeongyukdo pork belly with salted squid

Jeongyukdo's pork belly is premium domestic grade 1 pork belly with a chewy skin and rich juices. What matters most in pork belly is the balance of meat and fat, and the ratio here was really good. As it cooks on the grill, the charcoal aroma rises along with the nutty smell of the meat, and it was just never-bad-ever delicious.

Golden outside~ moist inside~

Another charm of Jeongyukdo is the salted squid (ojingeo-jeotgal) served as a basic banchan. It was truly unique with the meat and paired well. It cuts the greasiness and is salty, so good 👍 I could instantly picture how delicious it would be to eat meat, rice and salted squid all in one bite.

How does unmarinated pork galbi taste?

Jeongyukdo's pork saeng-galbi (unmarinated pork ribs) keeps the natural texture of fresh ribs ✨ Its notes are natural nuttiness and clean-tasting juices.

The rib meat grills up golden on the charcoal. With no marinade, it tastes even cleaner.

The charm is how the juices and nutty flavor spread subtly the more you chew~ It goes well with the scallion salad, and the meat is so good that it's great even on its own 👍

Add-on dish: steamed egg (gyeranjjim)

At a BBQ place there's always one extra dish you end up adding, and that's steamed egg (gyeran-jjim) 😊 I like eggs, so I ordered it, and Jeongyukdo's steamed egg was plump and the textbook BBQ-restaurant steamed egg.

Hanwoo doenjang stew included in the Handon set

The hanwoo doenjang stew comes included with Jeongyukdo's Handon set. Taking a spoonful of the broth between bites of meat, the savory, warm flavor is excellent. It goes well with the meat, and I like the thoughtfulness of including it in the set menu.

Finishing with Hamheung-style mul naengmyeon

For the finish, it has to be mul naengmyeon (cold broth noodles); it'd feel wrong without it. I'm a pork belly with mul naengmyeon person, how about you, readers haha. With galbi I go for bibim naengmyeon (spicy mixed noodles), and with pork belly it's mul naengmyeon.

Jeongyukdo's naengmyeon is also the Hamheung-style (thin, chewy noodles) I love, so it was totally my taste~ Slurping it with the cold broth lightly sweeps away the lingering greasy flavor 😁

Is Jeongyukdo near Hapjeong Station worth it?

My sister and I had a generous meal at Jeongyukdo near Hapjeong Station! We got to try a variety of cuts from pork galbi to pork belly and flower pork neck, and the tender, moist flower pork neck was especially delicious. With a pleasant, classy space and private-room seating, it's a good spot for Hapjeong company dinners, family gatherings and dates, so give Jeongyukdo a visit 😊