Jeju Korean BBQ near the airport for a final-day feast: Pork80

Jeju black pork near the airport on the last day of our trip

It was the last day of our long Jeju trip with the baby, and before getting on the plane, we still felt a little sad to leave. We wanted to properly grill and enjoy a platter of delicious black pork at a great restaurant near Jeju Airport, so my husband and I searched around and found Pork80 Jeju Airport Branch (포크80 제주공항점). Turns out I’d seen this place on Choiza’s Local Calling—I know Choiza goes to lots of good restaurants, so wow, I was excited that we were actually getting to try one in Jeju!

Nanchuk Matdon Pork80

Address: 37-1 Noyeon-ro, Jeju-si Hours: 11:30–23:30 Groups welcome / high chairs and children's tableware available

Nanchuk Matdon Pork80. Wow, we visited on the final day of our Jeju trip. It was so good that I wondered why we hadn’t come from day one—one of those places I want to keep to myself. Honestly, we recently waited forever for samgyeopsal (pork belly) at a restaurant in Seoul, but no, Pork80 was sooo much better.

A retro Jeju atmosphere near the airport

This is the pork developed through research on black pigs by the Nanjichuksan Research Institute. The interior blends retro Jeju vibes with a modern feel just right, and apparently that makes the black pork go down even easier. Since it is near Jeju Airport, it was the perfect restaurant for booking a nearby hotel on your first or last day and having a drink with dinner. We had to rush through our meal with my husband, which was such a shame.

What was prepared for our baby

There has been quite a bit of discussion on Threads lately about taking babies on Jeju trips, but Pork80, a black-pork restaurant near Jeju Airport, had not only a high chair but also children's tableware and even gim (roasted seaweed), so we could enjoy the meal with our child. The seasoned raw crab among the side dishes was packed with meat; one bite and it was like, wow, this is seriously delicious. The side dishes were perfect from the start, such a rice thief that I paused for a moment before it got us too excited for rice, and waited for the black pork instead.

Ordering the 600g Nanchuk Matdon platter

Nanchuk Matdon platter, 600g

Honestly, I debated the bone-in pork loin set, but I thought, it was featured on Choiza’s Local Calling, so I have to try the Nanchuk Matdon—and ordered the platter. Next time, I also want to try the bone-in pork loin set, which is limited to five sets a day. The color was gorgeous, the meat a vivid red, and the fat layer thick, so once grilled it had both great texture and wonderful meat juices. Our baby ate quite a bit of black pork on this Jeju trip too, but ate the best here at Pork80.

Staff-grilled black pork and an anchovy sauce tip

The staff grill the Nanchuk Matdon black pork to bring out its very best flavor. Since we were visiting this black-pork restaurant near Jeju Airport with our baby, we had to look after the little one too, so I think we naturally prefer and seek out places that grill the meat for us. The black pork was beautifully golden, with just the right balance of fat and lean. It is best eaten in one bite, but the pieces were quite large for me, so I cut them once before eating.

At Pork80 near Jeju Airport, they serve myeolchi jeotgal (fermented anchovy sauce). Even when you dip the pork in deeply, it is not salty at all and is truly delicious—I wanted to take some home, thinking, how can anchovy sauce be this good? Dipping it in generously is the ultimate tip, tip, tip.

The Nanchuk Matdon at Pork80 was cooked golden-brown and just perfectly. It is delicious black pork however you eat it, but to do it properly like on Choiza’s Local Calling, I should have had a beer too. But I had to get off the plane and drive, so I couldn’t—what a pity. That is why I think it would be even better to come on the first day, since black pork really calls for a beer.

Pork Rice with anchovy sauce

I wondered what to order for our meal. The sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew) looked spicy and delicious, but I passed on it. I asked what Pork Rice was, and they explained that it was like bibimbap (mixed rice) stirred together with about three spoonfuls of meljeot, or anchovy sauce, so I ordered it. Maybe because the anchovy sauce was so good—wow, it was really, really delicious. Pork Rice is highly recommended.

A place I want to revisit on my next Jeju trip

If you asked me to choose just one black-pork restaurant near Jeju Airport to recommend, it would absolutely be Pork80. My husband and I have been to Jeju quite a few times and eaten lots of black pork, but this was hands-down the best. There is a reason Choiza recommended it—it was so delicious that I want to come back on our next Jeju trip. If you want truly delicious black pork, make Pork80 your first stop as soon as you arrive.