Charcoal-grilled pork after work near Gyodae Station: Galgol

Rather than just grabbing a meal, I was looking for somewhere relaxed to grill meat and have a drink after work, so I headed to Galgol Yeontanjip Seocho Gyodae Branch near Gyodae Station.

5 minutes from Gyodae Station Exit 6: location and hours

• Address: 24 Seocho-daero 51-gil, 1st floor, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00 AM–10:30 PM / Sat–Sun 4:30 PM–10:30 PM
• Parking: Available in front of the restaurant (valet fee applies)

There are a lot of restaurants around Gyodae Station catering to office workers, but a place grilling meat directly over charcoal feels a bit different these days. It's about a 5-minute walk from Exit 6 of Gyodae Station, so it's easy to reach by subway.

What's the vibe like? Good for a group dinner too?

True to its name, the place had a nostalgic feel that reminded me of old-school Korean BBQ joints. Further inside there were plenty of tables, including seating for larger groups, so it seemed like a good fit for a Gyodae work dinner or an office gathering.

What's on the menu

The menu is built around meat dishes like charcoal salted pork belly, striped pork jowl, seolhwa kkodeulsal (chewy pork cut), and odol galbi (cartilage rib), along with sides that pair well with meat like conger eel, chicken feet, and pork skin, plus a good variety of meal dishes such as fried rice, bibim noodles, and stews.

We focused our order on the charcoal-grilled meats: charcoal salted pork belly 15,900 won, striped pork jowl 15,900 won, plus flat bibim noodles, doenjang stew (soybean paste stew), and steamed egg, each 6,900 won.

Basic banchan and wrap vegetables

Ordering meat comes with basic banchan (side dishes) and wrap vegetables, along with sauces and seasonings that go well with the meat. A piece of meat on its own is nice, but it gets so much richer when you pile a little of everything onto lettuce or perilla leaves. Personally, at places like this I like to try the meat on its own first before switching up my wrap combinations.

Striped pork jowl: what's different about grilling it over charcoal

Striped pork jowl (150g) — 15,900 won

Grilling over charcoal, unlike a regular grill plate, browns the surface of the meat nicely while adding a subtle smoky aroma — that's the key point. Well-grilled meat seemed to gain even more flavor when paired with salty salt, and rather than grilling it too far, eating it right when it was just cooked through gave better juiciness and texture.

Charcoal salted pork belly with a shot of soju

Charcoal salted pork belly (150g) — 15,900 won

The pork belly had a clear richness coming from the fatty part, with a noticeable contrast between the browned outside and moist inside. The savory fattiness of the pork belly paired especially well with the distinctive smoky charcoal aroma, and the soju went down smoothly. So for anyone looking for a Gyodae drinking spot in the evening, I think it's worth visiting more for the drinks than the meal.

A bite of meat, a shot of soju — that combination is hard to beat. Piling sauce and meat onto perilla leaves or lettuce adds a crunchy texture from the vegetables, and that's also my favorite kind of wrap combination.

Finishing dishes: doenjang stew, steamed egg, flat bibim noodles

Once we'd eaten our fill of meat, it was time for the meal dishes too. Adding a soup or stew is a good way to round things off after grilled meat. We ordered doenjang stew, steamed egg, and flat bibim noodles, and overall the quality of the side dishes was good, so it was a satisfying, hearty finish.

Final thoughts

For a Gyodae evening drink, Galgol Yeontanjip Seocho Gyodae Branch isn't a flashy, stylish bar — it's a Korean BBQ restaurant I'd recommend for grilling meat over charcoal and having a comfortable drink.