Gyodae Korean BBQ with grilled fernbrake, ₩30,000 corkage: Sodangkkae

Last week I went out with a neighborhood friend for delicious pork belly and a drink. This time we visited a spot famous as a go-to gathering place near Gyodae Station, known for grilling thick pork belly properly over charcoal: Sodangkkae O-gyeopjip Gyodae Branch.

Sodangkkae O-gyeopjip Gyodae Main Branch / Hours 11:00–23:00 (break time 15:00–17:00)

Where Sodangkkae O-gyeopjip is and what the second-floor room feels like

Sodangkkae O-gyeopjip Gyodae Main Branch is on the 2nd floor of a building near Gyodae Station. Being close to the station made it perfect for setting up a meetup — accessibility was great. The exterior already gives off that warm, familiar Korean BBQ vibe.

Since it's on the 2nd floor, you just head up via the side stairs.

As soon as you walk in, every table has partitions for a bit of privacy. The seating layout is spacious too — I could really see this being a great spot for a small group gathering. Ventilation is well handled too, so you can eat comfortably without worrying about your clothes smelling of smoke afterward.

What comes with the Meat Combo Set for two

We ordered the restaurant's signature Meat Combo Set (for 2). After ordering, big chunks of meat were set up on the grill, and the side dishes that followed were beautifully arranged too.

There's bean sprouts, which go perfectly with grilled meat, fragrant lettuce wraps, scallion kimchi, and even fernbrake (dried bracken fern) to grill! The accompaniments were plentiful. Of course, the first bite dipped in plain salt is already delicious. And then paired with all the side dishes on top of that!

Grilling thick fresh pork belly with fernbrake

Sodangkkae's raw pork belly comes sliced thick. As soon as the thick slices hit the hot grill, there's a sizzling sound and a savory smell fills the air. They grill it together with fernbrake, and the sight alone had my mouth watering.

Picking up a nicely browned piece of pork belly, the skin part was chewy and springy while the meat itself was bursting with juice. Eating it along with kimchi and bean sprouts grilled on the same pan was excellent too.

Wrapping it all up with scallion kimchi — how could that not taste good? The scallion kimchi cuts through the richness so cleanly that my chopsticks kept going back for more without ever getting tired of it.

The set lets you choose between kimchi stew or doenjang (soybean paste) stew, and we went with the kimchi stew. Spicy and perfect as a drinking companion.

How much is corkage at Sodangkkae O-gyeopjip?

We did corkage! When you do corkage, they bring you ice matched to the type of alcohol. But the corkage price varies depending on the type of alcohol! Liquor and sake are ₩30,000 per bottle. If you're thinking of doing corkage, keep that in mind! I believe other wines are ₩10,000 per bottle.

Yukhoe in the set and the extra pork jowl order

The yukhoe (beef tartare) that comes with the set was delicious too once you break the yolk and mix it in — nutty and savory. The set for two was already filling enough, and with yukhoe included, we didn't even need to order any extra sides to round things out.

Taking a bite of the yukhoe together with the meat like this is so good. Truly Sodangkkae, the go-to gathering spot near Gyodae Station.

Still, we wanted to eat more, so we added an order of pork jowl. We were absolutely stuffed by the end of the day. We wrapped up the meal heartily, scraping up the leftover fernbrake and kimchi along with the meat. The pork jowl was chewy and delicious once grilled well too.

Is Sodangkkae O-gyeopjip good for a group dinner near Gyodae Station?

The freshness of the meat, the thick cuts, the generous portions, and the comfortable indoor atmosphere all added up to a satisfying experience. I can see why so many office workers in the area keep coming back. If you're looking for a high-quality Korean BBQ spot with a comfortable atmosphere near Gyodae Station, this one gets my seal of approval! Definitely a place worth visiting again.