Songpa gopchang restaurant, 3 portions and storage seats: Jinseong

The first place that comes to mind when I want gopchang 🖤 I went to Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch (진성한우곱창 방이직영점), a beef gopchang spot in Bangi-dong. (I'd go back 200%!!!)

Where is Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch and when is it open?

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch is at 19 Ollimpik-ro 32-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 1st floor, in Bangi Food Alley. Hours are Mon–Thu 16:00–23:00, Fri 16:00–24:00, Sat–Sun 13:00–24:00, with last order at 23:00 (except Fridays). It's a great-value beef gopchang place packed with rich fat.

The white-toned exterior stands out even in Bangi Food Alley.

It has already been proven by appearances on TV shows like Saengsaeng Jeongbo and Today, and it's so consistently popular that waits are said to reach 2 hours at peak times.

What are the interior and seats like at Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang?

The inside has that lively pojangmacha (street-tavern) vibe typical of a gopchang place. It's neatly kept, and the tables are spaced generously, so it feels comfortable. The window seats get a nice breeze, so the smell sticks less.

You can store your clothes inside the chairs, so there's less to worry about with smell. Each table is also set up with a screen that blocks splattering oil. The details are on point.

Groups come often, so it fills up fast once it's past 6pm. Going early or quite late is the way to cut the wait.

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang menu and prices

The menu is simple, right? You know a truly good place has a short menu. The first order must be at least 2 portions, and there's no combo platter, so you order each cut separately. At this price, I fully certify it as a great-value spot 👍🏻

Included sides: steamed egg, water dropwort with garlic sauce and 3 kimchis

When you sit down, an apron and water are set out first, and seasoned chives, pickled water dropwort (minari) with garlic sauce, and steamed egg come as standard.

The steamed egg isn't salty and has a fluffy, pudding-like texture. It vanishes in no time. (This is why people hunting for Bangi-dong beef gopchang call Jinseong the place that "serves generously"!!!)

There are three kimchis: mustard-leaf kimchi (gat-kimchi), green onion kimchi, and young radish kimchi (altari/chonggak-kimchi). They're house-made with Korean ingredients, and they were seriously delicious!!! There's even a sign on the table saying the green onion kimchi is sold separately to take away 💫🫶🏻💫 Grilled together with the gopchang, the flavor is really different.

Gopchang only: 2 portions of Hanwoo gopchang plus 1 more

For the main I ordered Hanwoo gopchang (₩19,000 per portion), and the side was kkakdugi yangbap (₩9,000). It was one of those days when I only wanted gopchang, so I ordered 2 portions of Hanwoo gopchang!

I wanted to eat a lot, so I added 1 more portion!!!

About 10 minutes after ordering, the grill arrives loaded with gopchang, along with bean sprouts, chives, potato, rice cakes, cabbage and kimchi. The grill is huge, and it's still packed full. 🤍✨🤍🫶🏻🧡🫶🏻🧡

Staff grill the gopchang on a timer

At Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch, a staff member handles all the grilling. When the first timer goes off they flip it, and at the second timer they cut it into bite-sized pieces.

(We just sit, wait, and eat.)

Dip a piece in the minari garlic sauce and take a bite. The match with the sauce is amazing.

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang, I certify you as a green onion kimchi hotspot 💫👍🏻💫

The minari garlic sauce is also so good!!!! My mouth waters even while writing this review, and that alone makes me want to go again!!!

Finishing with kkakdugi yangbap (radish kimchi and tripe fried rice)

After Bangi-dong beef gopchang, skipping the finisher would be a shame. Jinseong's closing dish is kkakdugi yangbap (₩9,000).

Kkakdugi yangbap is a hot kimchi-fried-rice style dish topped with a fried egg 💫🫶🏻💫 The crunch of the diced radish kimchi is great, and mixed together evenly it's a full meal on its own.

I wondered if I could finish all that gopchang, but lots of reviews say it disappears in a flash.

Tips before visiting Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang in Bangi-dong: wait, parking, takeout

• At peak times (after 6pm) the wait can top 2 hours, so aim for right after opening or an earlier dinner.
• There's no parking, so using the nearby Bangi public parking lot is recommended.
• The green onion kimchi is also sold for takeout, so grab some if you like it.

Verdict: is Jinseong worth it for beef gopchang in Bangi-dong?

If you're looking for beef gopchang in Bangi-dong, I highly recommend Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch! The Hanwoo is slaughtered the same day, so it's full of fat with no gamey smell, the house-made kimchi and basic sides are generous, and the staff grill and cut everything from start to finish so you can eat in comfort.

It's the kind of place where you walk out and automatically promise "let's come again." If you want one proper beef gopchang meal in Bangi-dong, I recommend it without hesitation 🖤