Jeju black pork grilled tableside near Hamdeok Beach: Jeju Samchun

A black pork dinner near Hamdeok Beach

Jeju Samchun, a Hamdeok black pork favorite, was where we had dinner after busily hopping around Hamdeok Beach, Noro Ecological Park, Gyorae Gotjawal Forest Trail, and Jeju Stone Park. Our accommodation was near Hamdeok Beach, so we stopped in while looking for black pork nearby. The staff grilled the thick cuts themselves, which made it easy to eat with the kids.

The Joka Set comes with 500 g total of ogyeopsal and pork neck, and the staff grill the thick meat from start to finish so it is ready to eat.

It felt distinctly Jeju right from the entrance. The path between the stone walls was so pretty that I had to take a photo before our meal.

Hours and parking

Hours are 14:00–23:00, with last orders at 22:00. For parking, use the free shared lot behind Hamdeok Olive Young, marked by a green fence; after parking, come to the building behind Seoul Restaurant and Badatgol, across the street. Parking may also be possible near the restaurant, but the alley is very congested. It is close to Hamdeok Beach, so it seems like a good dinner stop after swimming. You are absolutely starving after being in the water, right?

Once inside, the restaurant was more spacious than I expected. I only photographed the side without diners. There was comfortable space between tables and the whole place felt clean. There was enough room for us to sit and eat comfortably with the kids, too.

I could see meat aging in one corner of the restaurant, and on the way out I also spotted the notice certifying that it sells Jeju pork. Since we were eating black pork in Jeju, those signs caught my eye even more.

The Joka Set and the basic accompaniments

We ordered in such a rush that I did not even photograph the menu, haha. I only brought over the signature items from the listing. We ordered the Joka Set and Samchun Kimchi Stew.

These were the basic side dishes. I thought that was all, but it was not!! Let me show you each one first.

The myeongnanjeot (seasoned salted pollock roe) had Cheongyang chili and garlic in it. They said it is delicious mixed together, spooned over rice, and wrapped in gim (roasted seaweed).

So of course I tried it right away. The salty flavor and the chili heat went together so well. I do not usually even eat much pollock roe, but this made me understand why people do!

There was roasted gim and aged kimchi, too. Each individual plate came with salt, shiitake wasabi, and ssamjang (savory dipping paste) separately. It doubled as a small serving plate. All great sauces for dipping.

There was breadcrumb salt, too. It was my first time seeing it in Jeju, and they said it was good with the fatty pieces. Then the cucumber salad and seasoned scallions arrived separately a little later—wow! Does this not look like such a generous spread? The cucumber salad in particular was tangy and crisp, and it went so well with the rich ogyeopsal. It made everything feel completely refreshed!

The Joka Set, grilled start to finish by staff

What we ordered was the Joka Set. It comes with 500 g total of ogyeopsal, pork belly with skin, and pork neck. It is a set that lets you try both cuts at once. Even raw, the thickness was obvious. The ogyeopsal had clearly defined layers of lean meat and fat, while the pork neck showed off its thick, meaty grain.

Jeju Samchun says its black pork is low-temperature aged for 300 hours, pre-grilled, then smoked once more with grapevine smoking chips. It is a method meant to add flavor through grapevine smoking. That is why the meat arrives at the table in smoke like this. Wow, though—the smoky flavor was really there when I tasted it.

The meat arrived and it was seriously thick. At first I wondered how I was supposed to grill it. Thick meat is surprisingly hard to time properly, right? Can you see the thickness? But the staff grill it themselves from beginning to end. From knowing when to flip it to cutting it into easy-to-eat pieces, they handled it all, so I could simply wait while looking after the kids.

Getting the doneness right is the most important part of meat, but when you are chatting, you can miss the moment to flip it or burn it, you know. A professional's touch really is different. Not only did the staff carefully grill everything themselves so we could relax and focus only on eating,

they even placed it in front of us like this so we could eat it at its very best moment. That is how you get to enjoy truly delicious Jeju black pork! They even added baek-kimchi (mild white kimchi) for us,

and cut the mushrooms beautifully, too.

They grilled it until the outside was golden while the inside stayed moist. The ogyeopsal had such a rush of rich, nutty flavor. I do not usually like very fatty meat, but somehow Jeju black pork tastes so wonderfully rich to me.

Dipped in the breadcrumb salt as recommended, it was so chewy.

They cut the ogyeopsal nice and thick, so the texture was incredible. The pork neck was comparatively leaner, making the two cuts good to alternate between.

It was good with just a touch of salt, and changing up the side dishes made the same meat taste different each time. I think those accompaniments were why we did not get tired of it while eating all 500 g.

Finishing with Samchun Kimchi Stew

We ordered kimchi stew with the meat, too. It would have felt a little incomplete if we had stopped with meat alone, but the spicy broth came in and cleared the palate right up. My husband quickly finished a bowl of rice with the kimchi stew, while I diligently picked out and ate the kimchi and meat from the stew. It was a great combination when you want to make sure you finish with rice after the meat.

If you are looking for Hamdeok black pork but find grilling it yourself a hassle, Jeju Samchun's staff-grilling service will probably feel convenient. Especially with children, not having to keep watching the grill was quite a big advantage. Usually, one person ends up eating late because they are grilling, right? If you are craving Jeju black pork near Hamdeok Beach, remember Jeju Samchun and give it a visit!