Changwon Korean BBQ for a 1kg pork feast: Hanpanjip

A local favorite in Gaeumjeong, Changwon: Hanpanjip Changwon Gaeum Branch, where aged pork belly arrives already grilled.

Today, my friend told me a new meat restaurant had opened in Gaeumjeong Market, so off we went. They wet-age domestic 1+ grade female pork at low temperature for over 240 hours, then fully grill it over 1,000°C charcoal before serving it. In other words, no grilling labor for us lol.

Location and parking inside Gaeumjeong Market

Enter the market from the Daesangga side of Gaeum Market. It is opposite NongHyup, so I do not think you would get lost after visiting once. For parking, use the indoor lot in the market; there is also a public lot in front, so coming by car did not feel too burdensome 👍

Saturday evening wait and interior

The market atmosphere is still very much alive here. The exterior has that old-school restaurant feel, and personally, I love this kind of vibe. We arrived at 6:30 on Saturday evening and two groups were already waiting ahead of us... Looks like word has spread around the neighborhood 😅

Thankfully, we had reserved for 7:00 and went straight in right on time. It is a long, narrow space lined with round tables. Since it has just opened, everything was clean, and the air-conditioning was nice and cool.

Each table has a tablet ordering system, which makes ordering easy.

There was plum tea and coffee by the entrance, perfect for finishing up.

Hanpanjip menu and our order

• One Platter (Small), 600g: ₩39,900
• Two Platter (Large), 1kg: ₩63,000
• Minari Platter (Large), 900g: ₩63,000
• Pork belly, pork neck, and pork jowl, 120g each: ₩11,000; fresh pork skin, 150g: ₩5,000
• Doenjang jjigae: ₩5,000; doenjang rice soup: ₩6,000; kimchi noodle soup: ₩6,000
• Extra minari: ₩2,000; muk-sabal: ₩4,500; soju and beer: ₩4,500

I ordered the Two Platter (Large), 1kg for ₩63,000, plus the savory country-style doenjang jjigae and kimchi noodle soup.

Also, if you join the review event, you can get doenjang stew, gim-bokkeum (stir-fried seaweed), or one bottle of soju. Whoa.

The ready-grilled platter and six sauces

Even the basic setting was neatly laid out: shredded radish salad, fresh kimchi, pickled garlic leaves, lettuce, garlic, and chili peppers.

The shredded radish salad was crisp and tangy, a really great match for the meat. It is refillable too, so keep that in mind 👍

Six sauces: ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste), salt, breadcrumbs, curry powder, teriyaki, and sesame sauce.

Here comes the Large platter 🤤 It was packed with bean sprouts, kimchi, rice cakes, green onion, and shishito peppers. It is fully grilled in the kitchen and only kept warm at the table. The meat was thick, but the juices just burst out. I could definitely taste that signature tenderness of aged meat.

I worked my way through the sauces, and surprisingly, the spicy sauce suited it really well. Wrapping it with bean sprouts added crunch, so I never got tired of it.

The pork skin was chewy and nicely infused with charcoal aroma.

I even polished off all the grilled kimchi and shishito peppers lol.

Country-style doenjang stew and kimchi noodle soup

The savory country-style doenjang jjigae was ₩5,000. It had lots of meat and a rich broth that made me want to shovel down rice.

Kimchi noodle soup, ₩6,000. The icy-cold broth was refreshing, making it just right for the end of the meal.

A 1kg platter that is great for two

Overall, not having to grill for ourselves felt much more significant than I expected. We could simply talk without worrying about smoke or grease, which was comfortable. Two guys went in starving, but after 1kg plus the sides, we were practically bursting by the end...

One Large platter is enough for two, while people who cannot eat much could start with the Small. At ₩63,000 for 1kg, I think the price is quite reasonable considering meat prices these days. Being inside the market, it has an atmosphere that works well for a group dinner, family meal, or drinks. It looked like there are often waits, so calling ahead for a reservation would be easier. Next time, I am thinking of trying the minari platter 😊