Dangsan bossam restaurant with DIY tuna rice balls: Cheongun Bossam

A weekend out in Dangsan with dad, craving pork by lunchtime

My dad and I took a little trip out to Dangsan on the weekend. The weather was so nice it was perfect for a slow walk after eating. Dad said he used to walk from around here all the way to Yeouido back in the day. Coming back after a long time, he kept looking around, saying how much the area had changed. Of course, walking takes stamina. For some reason I was craving meat from lunchtime that day, so we decided to eat something hearty before heading out. That's how we ended up at Cheongun Bossam near Dangsan Station.

Cheongun Bossam Dangsan Branch

Where is Cheongun Bossam Dangsan Branch, and what is the room like?

The sign with the shop's name in big letters was visible from far away, so it wasn't hard to find. It's a place centered on bossam (boiled pork wraps) and oyster bossam, alongside kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and octopus dishes.

Photos of the food were posted right at the entrance, so I could get a rough idea of the menu before even going in. They also had a lunch special, which seemed like a good option for office workers near Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station.

Inside, the space was bigger than I expected. The tables weren't crammed together, and there were plenty of spots good for eating with a group.

Cheongun Bossam's menu: bossam plus clam kalguksu or mak guksu

The menu was laid out in large lettering on the wall. Besides bossam, there was octopus bossam, seafood pancake, stir-fried octopus, dongjuk kalguksu, and spicy kalguksu.

In particular, ordering bossam let you pick either dongjuk (clam) kalguksu or mak guksu as a free side. I really liked that it wasn't just meat and done — you got a noodle dish to enjoy alongside it.

The five-layer pork belly bossam platter: how was the meat?

After a short wait, a generous five-layer pork belly bossam spread arrived. On one side of the big plate, thickly sliced bossam was neatly arranged. Next to it came red-seasoned radish kimchi and cabbage leaves. Ssamjang (dipping sauce), salted shrimp, garlic, and chili were all set out so you could mix and match to your taste.

The meat had a good balance of lean and fat. Even in photos it looked moist, and eating it, it was soft with almost no gamey smell. The fatty part wasn't overly greasy — it was tender.

Rolling your own tuna rice balls at the table

The rice balls we also ordered were fun to make ourselves.

Rice came topped with seaweed flakes, pickled radish, and tuna, with mayonnaise generously drizzled on top. Mix it all together and roll it into bite-sized balls, and it's done.

After eating nothing but meat for a while, popping one of these rice balls in between bites worked really well. It was savory and salty enough to enjoy on its own, and even more filling paired with the bossam.

The free platter mak guksu with radish kimchi

The set mak guksu (cold buckwheat noodles) was generous too — plenty for two people.

The seasoning was tasty enough that we kept eating without stopping.

Meanwhile, the bossam was still best eaten piled high with radish kimchi. The mild, tender meat paired with the spicy radish kimchi really woke up the taste buds. It was also great to load a cabbage leaf with meat, garlic, and ssamjang and eat it in one big bite.

The side dishes also matched well with the bossam. Kimchi, bean sprouts, and pickled onions were all served, good for switching up flavors along the way.

Why Cheongun Bossam works with parents: pork reheated on request

We only chose this because I was craving meat since lunchtime, but it turned out to be a great pick. Dad enjoyed it a lot, which made me quietly proud. Bossam seems to be one of the safest choices when picking something to eat with parents. It's not overly spicy or intense, and the full spread is still quite generous.

What caught my eye especially was the notice that they'll reheat the meat if it cools down. Bossam loses some of its initial softness once the fat starts to firm up as it cools, so I liked that they paid attention to this detail. For a family meal where you're chatting slowly and the meat is bound to cool, it was a genuinely useful service.

Is a small five-layer bossam enough for two people?

Eating with just my dad, even the small five-layer bossam was quite filling. Add the rice balls and the free noodle dish, and it's more than enough for a satisfying lunch. If you're near Yeongdeungpo-gu Office or Dangsan and craving a hearty Korean meal, this is a solid choice. With bossam, kalguksu, and octopus dishes all on the menu, it seems well-suited for family meals or gatherings with a group.

It was a day of catching up on the neighborhood with my dad on a nice weekend, capped off with a hearty, delicious bossam meal. When you're craving meat from lunchtime on, bossam really is the answer.