Seocho Seoul Korean BBQ lunch set: Yuk Tongryeong

The atmosphere at Yuk Tongryeong on Gyodae Gopchang Street

Yep, Yuk Tongryeong Gyodae Direct Store, located on Gyodae Gopchang Street.

Even when I searched it on Naver, it had a Blue Ribbon badge, and the good quality really jumped out at me!!

A Gyodae restaurant that felt unusual right from the intro. The wording looked so confident. I looked it up, and although it is a franchise, it is directly managed, so everything felt neat and well kept.

There were tons of celebrity signatures and traces of TV appearances. (Apparently it was on tvN and SBS programs too.) I immediately understood why my friend brought me here. It had that real-deal local-gem smell somehow.

Is it packed even at weekday lunch?

Even though it was weekday lunchtime, nearly every seat was taken. There were lots of office workers and plenty of older diners too, which really gave me the feeling this is a place the neighborhood has loved for a long time.

Why aged meat is the signature

The aged-meat display case right by the entrance was seriously impressive. Seeing all that meat hanging there made me think, okay, this is not just any ordinary BBQ place. The phrase “meat you grow closer to with every bite” caught my eye, and you could feel how confident they were in their aging know-how.

A full handmade galbi lunch set

I was wondering what to get, but people said you absolutely have to try the handmade galbi lunch set here, so I ordered it! Like I said before, I ordered with zero expectations... but... no... wait, what?!!!

As soon as we sat down, the table filled up with side dishes: braised galbi, seasoned broccoli, dried radish strips, and spicy kimchi. Every single one tasted thoughtfully made.

• Seasoned broccoli — crisp and clean
• Dried radish strips — the classic sweet-and-tangy side dish
• Spicy kimchi — a sharp little kick to wake up your appetite

The spread was so substantial that you could easily finish a whole bowl of rice on the side dishes alone.

The charcoal was blazing like this, so meat grilled directly over the flame had to be amazing. You know meat properly infused with that smoky char is the real thing.

I loved seeing the table set up this fully. The sides were so generous, and there was even japchae (stir-fried glass noodles) and kimchi pancake!! This quality for ₩20,000? There was such variety, from salty little sides like salted hairtail innards to seasoned bean sprouts and braised lotus root. Pairing them with the meat over the brazier was pure bliss ㅠㅠㅠ

For today’s lunch-set menu, you get grilled meat, rice, and enough side dishes to make the table legs buckle!! It was genuinely such a worthwhile spread for the price.

The meat itself was thick and juicy, so I could really taste what well-aged meat is all about. It was so tender with every chew, while the meaty aroma burst out.

Went in with no expectations, left with a 2,000% desire to return

I just followed my friend here without much thought and totally fell for this Korean BBQ restaurant. Seriously, 2,000% willing to return. Next time, I want to come for dinner and properly enjoy it with drinks too. My guy friend said the meat was a little short for him, so we ordered more!! But I think two women would be just right with one serving each.

If you are ever near Gyodae Station, please stop by at least once. Please ㅠㅠㅠㅠ It is seriously delicious. You will not regret it.