8-course horse meat tasting menu in Jungmun, Jeju: Marijoa

When you travel to Jeju, black pork or braised hairtail are always great, familiar local dishes — but I wanted a truly special culinary experience you can only have here.

Horse meat in particular was once a prized health food reserved for the king's table, so freshness and expertise really matter. This time I visited Marijoa Jungmun Branch, a Seogwipo favorite and edible horse meat specialty restaurant officially designated by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province's Livestock Policy Division.

Let me give you a detailed review of the 'Premium Edible Horse Meat Joa Course.'

Marijoa Seogwipo Jungmun Branch — location and parking

Located on Ieodo-ro in Seogwipo, Jeju, Marijoa Jungmun Branch is just 5–10 minutes by car from major attractions like Jungmun Saekdal Beach, the Jusangjeolli Cliff, and Cheonjeyeon Falls, as well as golf courses like Pinx GC, Lotte CC, and Jungmun CC — great for a meal on your sightseeing route or before/after a round of golf.

Exterior

Marijoa Seogwipo Jungmun Branch sits right on Ieodo-ro, so even first-timers can find it easily just by following the navigation.

It operates out of a standalone building, giving it a grand, clean look from the outside, and there's a large dedicated parking lot right in front. No parking stress at all, haha.

Interior — private rooms and self-bar

Step further inside and there's a spacious main hall. There are also private rooms for large family gatherings or more intimate get-togethers. I thought those rooms — where you can quietly chat over a meal — would be great for a filial trip with your parents or even a business dinner.

The self-serve bar is well stocked too.

Premium Horse Meat Joa Course Special, ₩39,000 per person

I ordered the restaurant's signature menu, the Premium Edible Horse Meat Joa Course Special (₩39,000 per person).

It's a full course made up of 8 stages: horse extract, sashimi, yukhoe (raw seasoned beef-style dish), sushi, makkaseu (horse meat cutlet), braised ribs, grilled meat, and shabu-shabu.

1. Horse extract

The course opens with a warm 'horse extract' drink.

Made by carefully simmering rare health-tonic ingredients — horse bone, meat, and various medicinal herbs — it goes down smoothly, like a mild herbal tea, with no bitterness.

It warms your stomach and boosts your energy before the meal really begins. I personally love herbal tonics, so I really enjoyed this.

2. Horse sashimi

The horse sashimi, with its eye-catching bright red color, has zero gamey smell when dipped lightly in sesame oil sauce, and the texture — chewy yet melting on the tongue — was excellent.

It's much leaner than beef tartare-style raw beef, without excess fat, so you can fully enjoy the meat's clean, natural flavor.

I highly recommend dipping it right into the sesame oil sauce. After tasting the horse sashimi, I officially crowned this place a top Jungmun horse meat spot — and I couldn't wait for the next courses.

3. Horse yukhoe

This is horse yukhoe made from thinly sliced eye of round, tossed with sweet pear and a savory umami-based sauce.

Because it's so fresh, the meat's natural tenderness really shines, and the more you chew, the more subtle sweetness and nuttiness comes through.

Personally, I liked the horse yukhoe even more than beef yukhoe. So tender, ugh.

4. Horse sushi

The sushi, made with thinly sliced horse meat over sushi rice, was also a delicacy.

I worried it might have that distinct horse meat smell, but there was no need to worry at all — it just tasted consistently fresh.

5. Makkaseu (horse cutlet)

The handmade 'makkaseu' — a fried cutlet made with horse meat — is the perfect dish for family outings with kids. It was fascinating to find horse meat hiding under that crispy coating. With the crunchy batter, I think kids would really love this.

6. Braised horse ribs (+ egg rice service)

The braised ribs are simmered so long that the meat easily falls off the bone.

The seasoning soaks all the way through, making you crave plain white rice. And right at that moment — the owner brought out an egg rice (albap) service! Perfect timing for a carb craving, and above all, it paired beautifully with the braised ribs.

7. Grilled horse meat — medium rare is key

The grilled horse meat is the highlight of this course.

First, horse fat oil comes out — I was told it helps moisturize skin and forms a protective oil barrier, keeping dry skin hydrated. Might I end up with glowing skin from this?

Anyway, the key is to sear it briefly over high heat, like beef, keeping it around medium rare.

Overcook it and it turns tough right away. This was a true Seogwipo specialty — clean and light all the way through, with no greasy aftertaste.

8. Horse shabu-shabu

Closing out the course is shabu-shabu — just dip the thinly sliced horse meat briefly into the secret vegetable broth to cook.

Scooping up the lightly cooked meat and vegetables and dipping them in soy sauce was still delicious. It made me wonder — can horse meat really be turned into this many different dishes? Such a unique experience, and there was no off-putting taste at all.

Final thoughts — who is this for

Located near the Jungmun tourist complex, this is a place where you can enjoy a hearty, affordable Jungmun lunch course — great for bringing your parents or for a special occasion.

If you want to try a memorable local health-food specialty while traveling in Jeju, I recommend Marijoa Jungmun Branch, a government-certified Seogwipo horse meat specialty restaurant with guaranteed hygiene and quality!

Bing!!