Nowon after-work jokbal dinner for two under 50,000 won: Gwihan Jokbal

Today I'm bringing you a review of Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch, a jokbal (pig's trotters) spot near Nowon Station that I visit pretty often. It's the first place that comes to mind whenever I'm craving jokbal, and this time too, I suddenly got a craving after work and just went, no hesitation. Having lived in Nowon for a long time, I've been to basically every decent meat restaurant around, but when it comes to jokbal, I always end up coming back here.

Where Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch is and when it opens

• Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch
• 18-6 Nohae-ro 83-gil, Nowon-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 1st floor
• Daily 11:00am–2:00am

How two people ate their fill for under 50,000 won

These days everyone's talking about how expensive eating out has gotten. Personally, whenever I go for samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly), it feels like a couple of ₩10,000 bills disappear in no time for two people, so lately I feel like jokbal is actually much better value. At Gwihan Jokbal, a jokbal spot in Nowon, we really stuffed ourselves that day too, and when I checked the bill, it came in under ₩50,000. Considering we also had makguksu and side dishes, it felt like a pretty satisfying amount. And no one had to hold the tongs and suffer over a grill, haha.

Why we chose the half-and-half jokbal set

Looking at the menu, the lineup is more varied than you'd expect, so first-timers might find themselves debating a bit. It's not just plain jokbal — there are spicy options and set menus too, so there's fun in picking and choosing. We're both greedy eaters and didn't want to settle for just one, so we ordered the spicy grilled jokbal + plain jokbal half-and-half set.

Personally, whenever a jokbal restaurant has a half-and-half option, I always go for it. If you eat only the plain jokbal, there's a point where it starts to feel a bit greasy, and that's when a bite of the spicy one instantly wakes your appetite back up. On the flip side, eating only the spicy one numbs your mouth and tires you out fast. So I think half-and-half is the combo that lets you eat the longest and the most.

Side dishes that arrive before the jokbal

After ordering, the basic side dishes come out first, and this is one of the reasons I like this place. At a jokbal restaurant, the meat matters, of course, but if the side dishes are weak, you get tired of the meal fast. Here, that wasn't a worry at all.

Bean sprout soup worth spooning rice into

The first thing to arrive is bean sprout soup, and this sounds like nothing much but it's weirdly addictive. The moment I took a spoonful, I immediately thought I wanted to pour rice into it. It's refreshing with a slight kick of spice at the end, and it kind of cleanses your palate before you start on the jokbal. I kept spooning it up between bites of jokbal too — after something greasy, one spoonful of this broth and my stomach felt clean again. Honestly, I seriously considered ordering a bowl of rice, lol.

Spicy pepper salad and dried radish salad

The spicy pepper salad and dried radish salad also come out, and both pair really well with jokbal. The spicy pepper salad is crunchy with a sharp bite that cuts through the fatty parts of the jokbal perfectly, and the dried radish salad has a chewy texture with a sweet-and-sour seasoning that plays nicely against the soft jokbal meat — the contrast in texture is fun. I always made sure to add a piece of dried radish salad whenever I wrapped a bite.

Side dishes tend to be pretty similar from one jokbal restaurant to another, so I don't usually expect much, but at Gwihan Jokbal, a jokbal spot in Nowon, every single side dish feels made to be eaten with the jokbal. They're not just there for show — my chopsticks kept reaching for them.

Jokbal with no tabletop grill is perfect on a hot day

This is a bit of a personal thing, but going to a grilled-meat restaurant on a hot day is kind of exhausting. Sitting in front of a grill cooking meat means you sweat, your clothes end up smelling like smoke, and whoever's doing the grilling barely gets to eat properly. I hated that all summer, so on days I wanted meat, I naturally found myself heading to a jokbal place instead.

Jokbal comes already fully cooked, so you can sit down and start eating right away — no worrying about oil splatter, no sweating in front of a flame. That alone was the best part. It's also perfect for this kind of weather, when the daytime heat still lingers. There's really nothing better for sitting comfortably and chatting while you eat.

How the jokbal looked, and whether it had any off smell

And finally, the main event! The half-and-half set arrived, and honestly, the visuals alone were great. The plain jokbal was glistening with a glossy sheen — you can probably tell just from the photos how bouncy and firm it looks. The skin part was chewy, and the meat pulled apart tender along the grain.

The thing I care about most when eating jokbal is any off smell, and here there was none at all. At places where the jokbal isn't boiled properly, you get that distinct pork smell that makes you stop reaching for it after a few bites. There was nothing like that here — even the fatty parts on their own were savory and delicious. I don't normally eat much fat, but that day I was specifically picking out the chewy bits.

It really hit me that this is what people mean when they say chain restaurants have consistent quality. No matter when you go, the taste doesn't waver — it's always the same, so you can trust it. The quality is solid enough that first-timers really can't go wrong.

Spicy fire-grilled jokbal: the standout of the set

The other half of the half-and-half is the spicy grilled jokbal — basically what's commonly called fire jokbal. It's charred over open flame, so the moment you pick up a piece, the smoky char flavor hits first, followed by the spice.

It's definitely on the spicy side. If you can't handle spicy food well, the first bite or two might catch you off guard. But it's much better eaten alternating with the plain jokbal, or wrapped in a lettuce leaf, rather than on its own.

Eat a spicy bite, and right when your mouth starts to tingle, calm it down with the plain jokbal, then a spoonful of bean sprout soup — this routine repeats endlessly, haha. Piling fire jokbal onto lettuce with a bit of spicy pepper salad on top gives you yet another flavor.

Jokbal really does go on forever when you eat it alongside something spicy. If we'd only had the plain jokbal, we probably would have put our chopsticks down halfway through, full — but the fire jokbal kept our appetite going, so between the two of us we nearly cleared the whole plate.

Makguksu, the noodle partner to jokbal

It wouldn't feel right to skip the makguksu (buckwheat noodles) at a jokbal restaurant. The makguksu here was good too. The noodles are chewy with a sweet-and-tangy sauce, and topping them with a piece of jokbal makes for a really great pairing. Especially after eating the fire jokbal, when your mouth is burning, a bite of cool makguksu balances it out perfectly.

Jokbal and makguksu is a classic combo that goes without saying, but if the makguksu isn't good, it drags down the impression of the whole meal. At Gwihan Jokbal, a jokbal spot in Nowon, even the makguksu was properly delicious, so we finished the meal on a high note.

Why Gwihan Jokbal works for group dinners in Nowon

We went as a pair this time, but this place seems like it would work well for group gatherings too. The menu lineup is varied, so a bigger group can order a few different things and share, and with no grill, nobody has to suffer cooking meat at the table. It's a comfortable atmosphere for everyone to sit together and chat over food. It's also easy to meet up here since it's near Nowon Station.

If you're tired of always defaulting to a grilled-meat restaurant for work dinners or friend gatherings, I'd recommend switching it up with jokbal at least once. It's good value and the menu range is wide, so even a group with picky eaters can find something to enjoy without any trouble.

The verdict on Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch

This is a clean, well-run jokbal restaurant. Jokbal with no off smell, spicy grilled jokbal with real char flavor, side dishes that pair perfectly with the meat, bean sprout soup that makes you want rice, and a makguksu finish that closes things out right — nothing was missing. Add in the fact that two people can eat their fill for under ₩50,000, and you'll understand why I keep coming back here whenever I crave jokbal. For anyone looking for a great jokbal restaurant near Nowon Station, or a good spot for a work dinner in Nowon, I recommend this place with confidence 👍