Charcoal-grilled pork in Gwangju, Gyeonggi: Sangnok Hoegwan

I stopped by Sangnok Hoegwan Yeontan-gui Taejeon Branch (상록회관 연탄구이 태전점) on the way back to Seoul after Caribbean Bay. Right after a day of swimming, I wanted a proper meal, and this place was so satisfying!

Sangnok Hoegwan Yeontan-gui Taejeon Branch: location and information

The address is 1F, 350-6 Hoean-daero, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, and the hours are 13:30–24:00. Groups, reservations, high chairs, and parking are all available.

Sangnok Hoegwan Yeontan-gui Gwangju Taejeon Branch has earned word-of-mouth buzz as a charcoal-grill spot in Gwangju, Gyeonggi. From pork and beef to seafood, there are so many things to grill over charcoal at reasonable prices! Being able to grill it all at one table is basically a gift set, right? 🥩

Parking lot

Best of all, there is plenty of parking right in front of the restaurant. It is a shared commercial parking lot, so availability may vary by time and situation, but we visited on a weekend and there happened to be plenty of spaces—perhaps because the academy next door was closed that day!

Interior and atmosphere

The restaurant was spacious, with generous gaps between the tables, so it felt really comfortable. We did not notice the neighboring tables at all and could eat in peace. The retro, welcoming atmosphere would be great for a meal with friends, a family dinner, or a Gwangju company gathering for samgyeopsal (pork belly). By around 5 p.m. on Saturday, the place was packed. I was glad we came early 👍🏻

Meat and seafood menu

Looking over the menu, the value is seriously amazing,, and the selection from meat to seafood is wild!

• Pork: pork platter, pork belly, pork neck, rear pork cuts, pork jowl, skirt meat, grilled pork intestine, pork skin
• Beef: chuck flap, rib finger meat, hanging tender
• Seafood: grilled shrimp, fresh oysters, steamed oysters, pen shell, nakji horongi (grilled skewered octopus), abalone, sea squirt

Everyone seemed to start with meat and then add a seafood item. 🥩 🦐 🍖 🦪 At this rate, I could eat endlessly, which is dangerous.

Banchan and self-service bar

After ordering, the basic banchan (side dishes) arrived one by one. There was dressed lettuce, shredded radish salad, myeongi-namul (pickled wild garlic leaves), pickles, ssamjang (seasoned dipping paste), and other neat sides that went well with the meat.

If you need more sides, lettuce, perilla leaves, soybean powder, pickled onions, kimchi, or ssamjang, you can help yourself at the clean, well-kept self-service bar.

From the pork platter to naengmyeon: what we ordered

Pork platter (₩34,000) Our first order was the pork platter! Pork belly, pork neck, pork jowl, and pork skin came on one plate. The cuts had a nice thickness, and you could see at a glance how fresh the meat was. The meat sizzling deliciously over direct charcoal heat 🔥 Even though we grilled and ate it bit by bit, there was so much that it felt like there was always more to eat.

I browned the outside, added a little salt and wasabi, and took the first bite. Honestly, because it was such a good-value place, I did not have huge expectations for the meat quality—but the juices burst out, and it was beyond expectations!

Doenjang-jjigae (₩2,000) We also added doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew) to have with the meat. The broth was deep and rich, with just enough spice to cut through everything between bites.

Bibimbap (₩3,900) Before we had even picked a restaurant, I had said that I was craving bibimbap so badly that day. Then I looked at the menu here and there it was at a barbecue restaurant (shocking). Bibimbap at a meat restaurant? I could not resist ..

It already came generously filled with assorted namul (seasoned vegetables), but we added the dressed lettuce too. Mix it all up, place one piece of meat on top, and it is the best combination.

Icy mul-naengmyeon (₩4,500) The value was so good that I kept ordering sides. We added naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) when we were nearly done with the meat. Slurping up the noodles from the tangy, refreshing broth dotted with tiny ice crystals completely cleared the richness from the pork skin out of my mouth.

Free slushies after the meal

After eating our fill and paying, we spotted the slushies on the way out! Orange and grape slushies were being offered for free 🍊🍇

Of course, I grabbed a cup without hesitation 🥤 Having a sweet summer dessert for the first time in a while brought back childhood memories .. It is a small service to enjoy lightly after a meal, but such a thoughtful touch.

Final thoughts on this Taejeon-dong barbecue stop after swimming

After a full day of swimming at Caribbean Bay, stopping here on the way back to Seoul was genuinely an excellent choice! The large parking lot made it easy to park, and at such great prices we enjoyed a perfect full course of juicy charcoal-grilled meat, bibimbap, naengmyeon, and slushies haha. If you are looking for a good meat restaurant in Taejeon-dong, definitely give it a visit.