Air-conditioned Hongdae bar for salted boneless barbecue: Kkoko Land

I finally made a trip out to Hongdae after a long while. Summer into fall is peak season for outdoor bars (야장), so I went looking for a place I could enjoy in the cool air and found this spot. I visited through Superchart's membership program, but it's somewhere I genuinely want to go back to, so I'm writing this from the heart!

Why this Hongdae outdoor bar feels spacious and clean

Most outdoor bars near Hongdae tend to have an old-school vibe or cramped spaces, making weekends tough to visit. This place, though, was very spacious, and since it's newly opened, it's kept clean and well-managed.

And true to that classic Hongdae outdoor-bar feel, the ceiling actually opens up, so it's great for drinking in the cool air on a nice day.

Going up to the second floor, you open the entrance and walk in. Even the staircase up gave a feeling of openness that got me excited.

As you can see in the photo, the ceiling is open and the space is huge, great for groups, and being on the second floor made it even breezier and nicer. Most outdoor bars I think of have fewer than 10 tables at most, but Kkoko Land was easy to walk into without a reservation.

Why I didn't feel the summer heat — full AC blasting

The vibe was kind of like a folk village, you know the type. Drinking outdoors on a hot day is usually rough, but here the air conditioning was clean and running at full blast, so even though it was summer, I never once felt hot.

And when it rains, the ceiling closes up like this, so you never have to deal with discomfort from the weather — you can enjoy the cool, open feeling year-round. Once the rain stops, they open it back up, so whether it's snowing or raining, you can eat with peace of mind.

Basic side snacks and restrooms — none of the usual outdoor-bar downsides

The basic side snacks at this Hongdae outdoor bar were great too — they gave us chicken-leg-shaped crackers and orange juice, and as a drink lover, I could sip that alongside the alcohol. At first I thought it might be a cocktail, but they told me it was just orange juice, so no worries there!

Kkoko Land has restrooms indoors and they're clean, which felt like it erased every typical downside of outdoor bars. Cleanliness, service, lack of seating, outdoor bathrooms (often cramped too) — these are the usual drawbacks people put up with for the vibe, but I found myself thinking that from now on, this is where I'll come whenever I'm in Hongdae.

Ordering the charcoal-grilled boneless chicken barbecue (salted)

We ordered via QR code and got the charcoal-grilled boneless chicken barbecue (salted). Since it's cooked over an open flame, I figured the smoky flavor would be great.

The price is reasonable too. Next time I want to try the chicken neck! Fried chicken is great, but I've been trying to eat cleaner these days, so I chose grilled chicken with a clear conscience. There are more menu items — check the QR code if you're curious!

When it arrives, they give you a tray with three sauces. The tray is wide and each person gets their own sauces, which made eating much easier. You could feel how carefully they run this place, down to the little details.

There were also lots of drink options, and I was glad to see Welch's Zero. Most places with zero-sugar drinks only carry Pepsi Zero, so maybe it's a Hongdae thing, but it really hit the target audience of young people (not sure if I still count as one, but haha).

How was the portion and taste?

The dish arrived — can you see how generous the portion is? Moist and tender, with the crispy fat on the skin hitting exactly my taste. My friend and I don't eat much, but I thought a group of four could easily order just one extra side dish along with this.

The meat wasn't dry at all — biting into it released juices along with a soft texture, so I think even chicken-thigh purists would love it.

Wrapped in green onion kimchi

If it feels a bit rich, wrapping it with green onion kimchi (파김치) creates a perfect pairing between the spicy onions and seasoning and the clean flavor of the chicken — something everyone can enjoy, no exceptions.

I couldn't help myself and ended up finishing four bottles of soju before leaving. With this side dish and the Hongdae outdoor-bar atmosphere, how could anyone hold back...

Is it good for a date?

It's good for dates too, because outdoor bars are usually so hot your makeup melts and you sweat under your arms, but here it's cool while still keeping the vibe, so you can look nice, drink, and talk comfortably — great for bringing someone you're interested in! If you're looking for an outdoor bar near Hongdae, I really recommend checking out Kkoko Land~!