Hapjeong Korean BBQ, crispy Maillard pork belly at 16,000 won: Ijjok

What is Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal near Hapjeong Station like?

Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal (이쪽 김치삼겹살) is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Hapjeong Station where you grill pork belly together with kimchi. On a nice autumn day, pork belly is the obvious pick for eating outdoors, so I headed to Ijjok, which has a reputation as a hot spot.

The Hapjeong Station restaurant street has long been loved by food lovers. And this BBQ place, Ijjok, sits right on it.

What are the prices and menu at Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal?

At Ijjok, raw pork belly and raw pork neck come with kimchi, at ₩16,000 per serving, which is great value.

Connected ground floor and basement

Inside, there's a ground floor and a basement level, and they're connected to each other, which gave the place a nice atmosphere.

Why side vegetables matter

Side vegetables are a very important part of a BBQ restaurant. Which veggies you eat the meat with decides whether you want to come back or not.

How did I grill the pork belly at Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal?

This time I ordered pork belly at Ijjok and grilled it nice and slowly.

It looks clean and the quality of the meat is excellent.

I cooked it until golden brown. Pork belly tastes best when grilled golden.

Grill the kimchi without burning it, then set it aside

Grill the kimchi just enough so it doesn't burn, move it to a bowl, and it makes a perfect match when eaten with the meat.

Put the cooked meat on top to rest and add just a little new meat. Meat is best eaten right when it's cooked and still warm.

The combination of pork belly, kimchi, garlic, chili pepper, ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste) and a leaf wrap was so good!

Grill it crispy for a deeper Maillard flavor

When I grilled it crispy like this, I experienced a deeper Maillard reaction (the browning that creates rich flavor).

Depending on how much you grill it, the flavor, depth and direction of the taste all change. I love a variety of tastes and textures, so I enjoy grilling the meat to different degrees.

Foreign-guest consideration and the bean sprout salad

Ijjok also stood out for its consideration toward foreign guests.

I especially tried putting meat on the seasoned bean sprout salad, and I could feel it wipe out the greasiness of the pork fat. I strongly recommend Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal at Hapjeong Station.

Where did grilled pork belly start?

It's generally thought that grilled pork belly (samgyeopsal) comes from Korea's own tradition of grilling pork. But there are no records of the exact origin, so several theories circulate.

• Grilling pork itself is old. Maekjeok (貊炙) from Goguryeo is cited as a prime ancestor, and there are said to be records of grilling pork in the Joseon era too.
• The theory that today's pork belly 'specialty' culture took hold in the late 1970s to the 1980s is the dominant one. A widely told story says miners in Gangwon-do coal-mining areas (Taebaek, Samcheok and so on) ate it to wash the dust from their throats, but that's closer to folklore and isn't academically confirmed.
• The background to pork belly becoming popular is said to include the growth of the pig farming industry, advances in frozen and chilled distribution, and the spread of portable household gas burners and grill plates.
• It's also often explained that after the 1980s, export cuts (tenderloin, loin and so on) went to Japan in large amounts, leaving pork belly and pork neck in Korea, where they spread cheaply.

The secret to pork belly's flavor

• Layers of fat and lean: As the name suggests, fat and meat stack in alternating three layers, so when heated the fat melts and seeps between the lean, making it moist and rich.
• Maillard reaction: Protein and sugar meet at high heat and create a browned flavor. The crispier the surface, the stronger the nutty aroma.
• Fat carries flavor: Fat holds aroma compounds well, so the taste lingers in your mouth.
• Heat of the grill: Charcoal adds a smoky aroma, while a thick iron plate gives even heat. The melted fat also fries the meat as it cooks.
• Wraps and sides: Lettuce, perilla leaves, garlic, ssamjang, salt dip and so on cut the richness and add textural contrast.

Why grilling pork belly with kimchi works

• Cuts greasiness: The sourness and spice of kimchi tame the fat, so you tire of it less even when you eat a lot.
• Boosts umami: Kimchi stir-fried in the meat fat deepens in sweetness and savoriness, and the more sour the kimchi, the better the flavor.
• Softens gamey smell: The garlic and chili powder in kimchi reduce pork's characteristic odor.
• Texture contrast: Crispy grilled kimchi with chewy meat is a fun combination.
• Aids digestion: People say kimchi's lactic acid bacteria and fiber ease the burden of a fatty meal, but note that grilled kimchi has reduced probiotic benefits.
• Cooking efficiency: Grilling it on one side of the plate handles side dish and grilled meat at once.

One tip: the part of kimchi touching the fat burns easily, so grill it slowly at the edge of the plate or under the meat. If it's too sour, a light sprinkle of sugar balances it.