Baekseok Station Korean BBQ with giant steamed egg: Dokbul Janggun

Dokbul Janggun

Mon-Sun 15:30–23:30

I was looking for a good BBQ spot near Baekseok Station and remembered this place from a delicious group dinner with friends a while back, so I decided to revisit after all this time. It had stuck in my memory after just one visit, so this time I came with my boyfriend — and yep, there was a reason I remembered it.

What kind of Korean BBQ place is Dokbul Janggun, 5 minutes from Baekseok Station?

Dokbul Janggun Ilsan Baekseok Branch is a Jeju-aged specialty-cut BBQ restaurant in Ilsan Baekseok, and it's easy to get to — about a 5-minute walk from Baekseok Station. You can get proper Jeju-style pork without actually going to Jeju, so if you're a meat lover, this place is worth a visit at least once.

Water kimchi, cheonggukjang and giant steamed egg: the banchan at Dokbul Janggun

This time we ordered kkodeulsal (chewy pork jowl) and pork belly. Once we ordered, the basic banchan started arriving one by one — house-made water kimchi, pickled chili strips, saltwort salt, hairtail fish sauce, cheonggukjang (fermented soybean paste) and more. It felt a bit different from the usual BBQ-restaurant side dishes, and honestly I liked that.

The water kimchi especially was my type. One sip and the broth was tangy and refreshing — so good. I suddenly wanted naengmyeon (cold noodles) right after tasting it, so I ordered that on the spot too. I figured with broth this good, the naengmyeon had to be delicious — my expectations shot up before I'd even tried it!

My boyfriend, on the other hand, took one bite of the cheonggukjang and immediately ordered a bowl of rice! It was fun watching each of us discover our own favorite item on the table.

We also ordered the egg soufflé to eat alongside the meat, and it looked fluffy from the moment it arrived. Genuinely soft and bouncy, like a baby's bottom! One spoonful in, it was moist and tender — perfect to eat between bites of meat.

How does the charcoal-grilled kkodeulsal (pork jowl) taste?

Finally, they grilled the kkodeulsal first. True to its name, even just looking at it you could tell it'd be springy and chewy. Grilled golden-brown over charcoal, it had just the right amount of fat and that signature chewy texture — genuinely delicious.

There's one thing I always make sure to get when eating meat — grilled kimchi. I love throwing kimchi on the grill along with the meat, and here they let you grill it separately, too. Places like this really know their BBQ, I think 😋 — the combo of people who truly know how to eat meat.

The kkodeulsal was tasty just dipped in salt, and just as good wrapped up with various lettuce leaves. The pairing with the hairtail fish sauce that came alongside was especially great too. A piece of meat lightly dipped in the fish sauce added a salty, savory depth that kept my hand reaching back for more.

Thick pork belly dipped in fermented anchovy sauce

We polished off the kkodeulsal in no time, and next up was the pork belly! The moment it arrived, the thickness caught my eye. I thought, this place really knows how to handle meat — grilled patiently over charcoal and cut into perfect bite-sized pieces, it looked mouthwatering even before the first bite.

Dipping the well-grilled pork belly into the fermented anchovy sauce (maeljeot), for a moment I felt like I was actually in Jeju 🌴 It felt even better than the pork belly I'd had while traveling in Jeju itself. Tastes vary from person to person of course, but I really loved the pork belly that day.

Was the revisit worth it? Naengmyeon finish and terrace seats

I came back because of how good my memory was from eating here with friends before, and I guess there's a reason places like this stick with you over time. The meat itself was delicious, the banchan lineup was great, and there were plenty of things to pair with the meat — I was satisfied the whole meal through.

On top of that, the owner's music playlist was totally my taste, which kept me in a good mood the entire time. Eating great meat while your favorite songs play just makes the whole vibe feel even better.

At the end, we thoroughly finished off the naengmyeon we'd ordered earlier. Just as I'd expected from that first taste of the water kimchi, the naengmyeon was delicious too — perfect for cleansing the palate after meat. Between the meat, the egg soufflé, and the naengmyeon, the two of us ate so much we were stuffed before we knew it.

Also, as part of a review event, pork skin (kkeopdegi) is provided too, so keep that in mind if you're planning a visit. Now that the weather's turning cool, eating on the outdoor terrace would set a nice mood. Grilling meat outdoors kind of gives you that travel-like open-air BBQ feeling, so next time I want to try the terrace seats too.

Overall, even as a revisit after a long while, this place lived up to my expectations. You can properly enjoy Jeju-aged specialty cuts here, and both the kkodeulsal and pork belly were delicious, so it should suit anyone who loves meat. If you're looking for a Korean BBQ restaurant near Baekseok Station, this one is easy to get to and serves great meat and banchan alike, so I'd recommend it. Especially if you love kkodeulsal, you have to try it at least once. Next time I visit, I'll probably order both the kkodeulsal and the pork belly again!