Rainy-season Korean BBQ in Hapjeong: pork set and stew, Jeongyukdo

A juicy pork set, steamed egg and even bibim naengmyeon, all polished off! Jeongyukdo, Hapjeong Station's Korean BBQ spot.

Craving Korean BBQ near Hapjeong Station: Jeongyukdo

Jeongyukdo (정육도) brings out the deep flavor of its meat through aging, so I picked it for a dinner plan made in a hurry. I'd gone to Hapjeong to run an errand, and out of nowhere I was craving BBQ, you know? Haha. I immediately called my friend Yu, and luckily she was free even on such short notice!! I searched for a good place nearby and headed to Jeongyukdo, which is said to serve properly aged meat. It was a sudden meetup, but when it comes to meat, the two of us are dead serious haha.

At Jeongyukdo you can enjoy everything from 1++ hanwoo (Korean beef) to special cuts of domestic hanwoo-grade pork (hanDon). There are lots of pork options, like the special pork set, fresh pork galbi (ribs), pork belly and neck, so meat lovers should take note~ There's also an outdoor terrace with blue artificial grass, so in cooler weather you can eat outside too.

How to get to Jeongyukdo and its outdoor terrace

Come out of Hapjeong Station Exit 5 and you'll see a huge sign right away. Turn into the alley and keep walking, and ta-da~ a nicely decorated terrace appears. It's not far from the station, so it's easy to reach for Hapjeong team dinners, dates and get-togethers with friends.

Passing through the alley, the building already looked quite big. At the front I saw a neatly kept space with blue artificial turf, and the large size of the restaurant was obvious at a glance.

A big terrace stretches out in front, but since I visited in the summer rainy season, it wasn't in operation. It would feel like a proper outdoor drinking spot once the weather cools down. I decided to aim for the terrace seats next time.

Jeongyukdo opening hours and visitor info

• Hours: daily 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m. (last order 9:30 p.m.)
• Groups welcome, reservations available
• Kids' chairs, outdoor terrace
• No parking (use a nearby paid lot)

Is Jeongyukdo spacious inside? Group rooms and window seats

The first thing you see when you walk in is a wall covered with celebrity autographs! Oh~ so this must be a pretty famous Hapjeong Station BBQ place!! Heading inside, it was much bigger than I expected. There were tons of group seats, and the space is split into several zones, so it looks great for a more private meal.

The private rooms are also roomy and clean, perfect for group gatherings or company dinners! The group rooms come in various sizes, so you can pick one to fit your party.

As the two of us, we were guided to a window seat in the open area. Being by the window, it didn't feel stuffy and was comfortable for a meal.

What's in Jeongyukdo's pork set? Fresh galbi, pork neck and pork belly

Jeongyukdo's pork set comes with fresh galbi, flower neck (kkotmoksal, a marbled pork neck cut) and pork belly, and you can choose either meljeot (salted anchovy dip) or hanwoo doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew). The menu is leather-bound, so fancy haha. The funky, savory meljeot is great too, but this day it was doenjang jjigae, no questions asked!! On top of that, I boldly added steamed egg and bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles) haha. Today I fully intended to burst my stomach ha ha.

The table had whole-grain mustard, fresh wasabi and pink salt, and the basic side dishes were set out as soon as we sat down.

The banchan (side dishes) came neatly on individual trays, which I liked, and pickled scallion shreds and sliced onions were set in the middle to share. It's a great lineup to eat with the meat, and it looked fun to mix and match.

Charcoal's coming in~ the charcoal is coming in~!

Soon the glowing red charcoal arrived. The heat was seriously strong haha. The warmth radiated all around~!

Then the pork set made its entrance~ Thick chunks of meat piled onto a shaped cutting board, already looking super hearty~ Jeongyukdo's assorted sets are quite generous, and the board was heavy haha.

Maybe because it's aged meat, the color was vivid and the surface had a subtle shine that was amazing. You could tell it's fresh just by looking! In the middle there was also a plump king oyster mushroom stamped with the Jeongyukdo logo, which was so cute haha.

Thick pork neck: how to grill it over hot charcoal

Jeongyukdo's flower neck is so thick that cooking it through matters more than just searing the outside quickly. I put the flower neck on the grill first. Sizzle~ the second the meat touched the charcoal fire, a savory smell spread, and that smell is truly hard to resist haha. The meaty aroma from the thick cut mixed with the charcoal smoke and really got my appetite going haha.

The charcoal was so good that the heat was strong, so I kept flipping the meat carefully to keep it from burning haha. I was so focused on grilling that the garlic stems served alongside turned black, which is our little secret haha. Sorry I couldn't save you.

Hanwoo doenjang jjigae with the pork set

The hanwoo doenjang jjigae I picked instead of meljeot had a pretty rich, nutty broth. While I was grilling, a savory aroma suddenly started to drift over, and I loved it from the sight of the round earthenware pot packed with ingredients. It's a rich stew that's perfect to spoon up between bites of meat, so moving~

Back to grilling~! And at this point, beer is a must, right? Cheers to Yu, who worked hard grilling the meat~!!

The thickly grilled flower neck was golden outside and still juicy inside. The more I chewed, the more savory juices spread, with that clean yet rich pork flavor. Even just a light dip in pink salt let the meat's own taste come through, and eaten with scallion shreds and sliced onions it was heavenly!!

How was Jeongyukdo's pork belly?

Jeongyukdo's pork belly had chewy fat and lean meat in a nice balance, and the savoriness just exploded. I'd read lots of reviews saying the pork belly is especially good, so I was really looking forward to it haha. As it cooked on the grill, the savory smell got stronger and stronger. The golden-brown look alone set my mouth watering haha.

Add the charcoal aroma and, yes, pork belly is delicious anytime, agreed?!

Sides: steamed egg and bibim naengmyeon

Jeongyukdo's steamed egg puffed up soft and fluffy, warm and soothing for the mouth. The seasoning was spot on too, neither salty nor bland, just my taste~!

Can't resist spicy bibim naengmyeon!

Last was Jeongyukdo's bibim naengmyeon haha. I mixed the tangy, spicy sauce well, and one bite really woke up my appetite! The noodles are thin, so you can slurp them down without chewing haha. The spicy sauce wasn't too heavy and had a tangy note, so my chopsticks kept going back.

Especially, put a piece of well-grilled meat on top of the naengmyeon and eat it in one big bite, and this combo never fails~!! Savory pork belly meeting the spiciness of the naengmyeon cut the richness and went really well together. We cleaned up a full spread again today, and both of us walked out full and happy haha.

Jeongyukdo in one line: our verdict

Deep flavor from thick, aged pork! A place where you can really enjoy the meat itself, with satisfying sides too.

It was a sudden dinner plan, but thanks to the tasty meat it was a really happy time. If you want to properly enjoy aged pork or you're looking for a spacious, comfortable BBQ place, don't forget Jeongyukdo near Hapjeong Station haha. With its group seats and private spaces, it seems just right for anyone looking for a Hapjeong team dinner or gathering spot. Next time I'm definitely trying the outdoor terrace, and I plan to enjoy that outdoor drinking vibe with a cool breeze~