Barley candy dessert with pot rice add-on in Cheongju: Jeju Badang

Jeju Badang is a Gagyeong-dong Korean restaurant in Cheongju where I got to enjoy fresh Jeju-caught braised hairtail stew and grilled mackerel alongside an unlimited-refill salad bar — hearty and great value.

What is Jeju Badang? A second-floor Korean restaurant near Gagyeong Xi and Gagyeong IPARK

With Jeju silver hairtail, Jeju black tilefish, Jeju conch, and various grilled fish and pot rice, plus a salad bar of 15+ Korean side dishes and fried chicken that people of all ages love — all unlimited refill — this Cheongju restaurant near Gagyeong Xi and Gagyeong IPARK is a great spot for a family meal.

Through Jeju-style stone wall and basalt-look interiors and seafood/fish dishes evocative of Jeju, you can feel like you're actually dining on Jeju Island.

Jeju Badang menu and lunch specials

The menu lineup at Jeju Badang, a Gagyeong-dong restaurant that really knows Korean food

Boneless braised hairtail made with 100% carefully selected silver hairtail direct from Jeju, and the highly nutritious, protein-rich premium fish reserved for special occasions and honored guests — grilled Jeju giant black tilefish — can both be enjoyed as set menus with pot rice sized to your group. I was also curious about the conch salad, made only with 100% wild Jeju conch hand-harvested by haenyeo (female divers) from Jeju's clean waters, which makes it extra chewy, savory, and tangy.

I tried the amazingly good-value lunch special with boneless braised hairtail and grilled mackerel — stir-fried pork, seaweed soup, chicken, and various side dishes were all unlimited refill, so I filled up completely.

Salad bar with 15+ Korean side dishes and unlimited fried chicken

The unlimited-refill salad bar with 15+ Korean side dishes

If you ask a staff member, they'll bring you stir-fried pork and seaweed soup right away. The owner and staff were all super kind and brought things quickly — I appreciated that.

The fried chicken is so popular it disappears fast — you might have to wait a bit for a refill — but freshly fried and crispy, it was really satisfying, and the seasoned chicken sauce was ready to go too. This Gagyeong-dong Korean restaurant knows what it's doing.

The warm japchae made with lots of vegetables was also delicious.

For dessert, barley candy, plum tea, and coffee are all available at this Gagyeong-dong Korean restaurant in Cheongju.

Boneless braised hairtail pot rice set, 23,000 won

Silver hairtail, 100% carefully selected and direct from Jeju, is carefully deboned and braised with big chunks of radish — an absolute rice thief. The boneless hairtail stew comes with freshly cooked warm pot rice and the unlimited salad bar for ₩23,000.

There's no worry about picking out bones — the boneless braised hairtail melts softly in your mouth, and the pairing with pot rice, steam still rising the moment you lift the lid, is perfect.

One of the most annoying parts of eating braised hairtail is picking out the bones. This is perfect for anyone who finds that inconvenient, or for coming with small children.

Grilled mackerel lunch special, 17,000 won

A big grilled mackerel with pot rice, plus the salad bar with chicken and japchae, all included in the ₩17,000 lunch special. The grilled mackerel came out nicely browned and moist.

The stir-fried pork that everyone loves is also unlimited refill at no extra charge — a real bargain at this Cheongju Korean restaurant. It wasn't too spicy or salty, seasoned just right — you can't help but go back for more.

The rich, deep seaweed soup is also unlimited refill. Big eaters who love Korean food absolutely have to come to this Gagyeong-dong restaurant in Cheongju.

The side dishes at Jeju Badang tasted even better for being made with the care of home cooking.

I won the timing game and grabbed freshly fried, crispy fried chicken from the salad bar. It puts store-bought chicken to shame!

Extra pot of rice for 2,000 won and barley candy dessert

The freshly cooked pot rice is worth every penny of the ₩2,000 add-on — I absolutely recommend it.

Sweet barley candy that pairs perfectly with an Americano rounded out the dessert at this Cheongju Korean restaurant.

Jeju Badang location and parking in Gagyeong-dong

This Gagyeong-dong Korean restaurant is on the 2nd floor of a building located between Gagyeong Xi Apartments and Gagyeong IPARK 5-danji, with a spacious parking lot for easy visits.