Pork neck vs belly vs jowl at a Yeoju grill house: Hwassi2192

When you're craving something hearty and savory, grilled pork is always the answer! This time I visited Hwassi2192 Nam-Yeoju Branch 2 in Yeoju. It's a place known for oak-fired pork, so I had high expectations — I ordered pork neck, pork belly, and pork jowl all together, plus a doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) on the side 🫶🏻

Parking and dining room at Hwassi2192 Nam-Yeoju Branch 2

Hwassi2192 Nam-Yeoju Branch 2 has a large parking lot, so it's convenient to visit by car. Nothing drains your energy faster than circling around looking for a spot before you've even eaten ㅠㅠ so it was nice not to have to worry about that.

The inside was spacious and clean too. At a BBQ place, taste matters but so does being able to sit comfortably, and this felt like a good spot for a family meal out. It also seemed like a great place to grill and chat with a group!

What's on the self-serve side dish bar

There were plenty of side dishes to go with the pork — wild garlic leaves, kimchi, pickles, garlic, and more. There's a self-serve bar too, so you can help yourself to as much as you like!

Why order all three cuts — neck, belly and jowl

Once we sat down, it was time for the real decision — the menu! We ordered pork neck, pork belly, and pork jowl. I always want the basic pork belly, but I was also curious about the thick-cut neck, and I couldn't skip the jowl because of its texture haha. In the end, we decided to try all three.

Hwassi2192 is known for pork that's pre-grilled over oak wood. The staff bring out the pre-cooked meat and finish it on the tabletop grill, and the oak smoke aroma drifting up already had me drooling... haha

Thick-cut pork neck: how juicy is it?

First up was the pork neck. Neck cuts can sometimes turn out dry if not cooked right, but here it stayed juicy despite the thickness. Even from the first piece, the thick cut looked so appetizing.

The outside was browned nicely while the inside stayed moist, so the more I chewed, the more savory it got. The lean meat's clean flavor combined with the juices meant that even a thick piece didn't feel heavy. My mouth felt completely full of meat — just one piece was pretty satisfying haha

Pork belly (samgyeopsal)

Of course, pork belly couldn't be left out! If the pork neck's charm was its lean, thick-cut appeal, the belly's charm was the savory harmony of lean meat and fat. It's a familiar dish, but a freshly grilled piece of belly always tastes great no matter how many times you've had it 〰️🎵 I especially loved biting into the nicely browned outer edge.

Pork jowl (hangjeongsal) and its chewy texture

And then the pork jowl I'd been looking forward to for the texture! Pork jowl has that distinctive tender-yet-chewy feel with a slight crunch, right? It was different from both the neck and belly, so it added some fun variety in between bites. The browned jowl got more savory the more I chewed it. The pleasantly springy bite made me want to slow down and savor it. If you're someone who cares about texture when eating meat, I think you'd really like this one!

Finishing with doenjang jjigae

After eating meat for a while, I started craving something warm and soupy, so we got the doenjang jjigae too. I'm one of those people who feels like something's missing if a BBQ meal doesn't end with doenjang jjigae 🙋🏻‍♀️ Meat alone fills you up, but a stew makes the meal feel properly complete. One spoonful of the savory doenjang jjigae and I was glad we ordered it 🖤

Is Hwassi2192 worth it for pork BBQ in Yeoju?

This visit to Hwassi2192 Nam-Yeoju Branch 2 was a great chance to enjoy a variety of pork cuts in a spacious, clean restaurant. Between the oak-fired flavor, the thick and juicy pork neck, the savory pork belly, and the chewy pork jowl, each cut had its own distinct charm. If you're looking for a hearty meat meal in Yeoju, this seems like a great spot to visit with family or friends! I don't think I could pick just one cut next time either — I'll probably end up ordering all three again along with the doenjang jjigae haha 🤎