Andeok, Jeju Korean BBQ: 600g black pork, 66,000 won, grilled for you

Whenever I'm in Jeju, I pretty much always eat black pork at least once. I love meat in general, but Jeju black pork also varies a bit from place to place in cut thickness, composition, and how it's grilled, so there's something fun about hopping around to try different spots.

Honestly, in the past I used to head straight for the famous places, but these days I also check whether the meat itself looks good, what the price is like, and whether it's too far off my travel route. On this Jeju trip I had plans near Shinhwa World, so while looking for somewhere nearby for dinner, I ended up at Heukdonsibaekdonmyeon Shinhwa World Branch.

Where is Heukdonsibaekdonmyeon Shinhwa World Branch, and is there parking?

The restaurant I'm introducing today, Heukdonsibaekdonmyeon Shinhwa World Branch, is located at Jungsangan-seoro 1769 2-dong, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, Jeju. It's about 10 minutes by car from Jeju Shinhwa World, so heading over for dinner after wrapping up a day's itinerary wasn't much of a hassle.

Honestly, in Jeju you often end up driving pretty far just to hit one good restaurant, but a distance like this is easy to slot into the middle of your plans. There's free parking right in front of the restaurant, and they also run a pickup and drop-off service for Shinhwa World guests. If you're staying near Shinhwa World and want to have a drink with your meat, it might be worth checking with the restaurant before you go.

How much is the 600g black pork geungogi? 66,000 won for two

The menu had both black pork and white pork, but the first thing that caught my eye was, of course, the 600g black pork geungogi (근고기, meat sold by weight rather than a named cut). It was ₩66,000 for two — a quick note, geungogi here doesn't refer to a specific cut, it just means the meat is sold by the geun, a traditional weight unit.

When I eat meat in Jeju, I prefer it cut with some real thickness rather than thin-sliced samgyeopsal. If it's too thin, it cooks fast but you barely get to feel the texture of the meat itself, whereas a thick cut, grilled well, gives you a clear contrast between the crisp outside and juicy inside — and that makes a real difference in satisfaction per bite.

And especially with black pork, I like cuts where lean meat and fat are attached in a good balance, rather than mostly fat. For the first bite or two, I also like to just add a bit of salt and nothing else. If you're someone who, like me, always makes sure to eat meat whenever you visit Jeju and were looking for black pork near Shinhwa World, this is probably the menu item that catches your eye first.

Pork neck and samgyeopsal, grilled over charcoal by the staff

What I ordered that day was the 600g black pork geungogi set, which comes with both pork neck and pork belly.

What was unusual was that instead of grilling the meat at the table yourself, it's cooked by a staff member at a separate charcoal grilling station off to the side of the restaurant. It was so convenient. They bring it out cut into easy-to-eat pieces, already nearly fully cooked, so all customers have to do is eat straight off the pan.

Since the meat is on the thick side, timing it right when grilling yourself can actually be tricky, so having someone grill it for me was genuinely convenient. The outside was nicely browned and savory, and the belly had fat and lean meat together with a juicy bite, while the neck was leaner but still had enough thickness for a satisfying chew. Alternating between the two cuts, I never got tired of it and just kept eating.

The glass noodle and cucumber salad that came with it also went well with the meat. It was spicy and tangy, doing a good job of cutting through the greasiness, and it was nice to pair with a few bites of meat at a time. I always make sure to eat black pork when I'm in Jeju, and not having to worry about grilling it myself, just enjoying well-grilled meat right away, was a pretty big plus at this place.

The complimentary glass noodle salad and the stews and noodles on the menu

At a BBQ restaurant, the side dishes matter almost as much as the main meat. When you keep eating fatty meat, you need something in between to reset your palate.

The glass noodle and cucumber salad here was a bit unique — it's flat glass noodles tossed together with cucumber, which felt different from the usual scallion salad or pickled onions you see at BBQ places. According to current store info, this glass noodle and cucumber salad is served free for two people, so it's worth knowing if you're planning a visit.

The meal menu here was also fairly varied. Along with black pork stew and octopus seafood ramyeon, there's doenjang stew, kimchi stew, cold buckwheat noodles (mul-memil-makguksu), and spicy buckwheat noodles (bibim-memil-makguksu). In particular, black pork stew might sound like something close to kimchi stew, but here it's apparently made without kimchi. Besides black pork, there's also white pork geungogi and raw ribs, so if you're visiting with a group, splitting up different menu items looked like a good option.

Seating for about 70: groups and pets at Heukdonsibaekdonmyeon

By the way, the restaurant uses round charcoal tables that can be connected together, allowing for up to about 70 seats according to store info. It looked good not just for families but also for larger groups traveling together in Jeju, and pets are apparently allowed too, as long as they're in a carrier or pet stroller.

If you're spending a day at Shinhwa World and trying to decide on dinner, or just want a proper meat meal while you're in Jeju, I'd recommend giving this place a try. Haha. They also run a pickup and drop-off service, so if you're staying at Shinhwa World and planning to have a drink, it might be worth using that pickup service.