Korean BBQ near Cheongna Lake Park after a run: Gimgol Yeontan-jip

Gimgol Yeontan-jip in Cheongna 4-danji is a great restaurant to hit after a solid run at Cheongna Lake Park. I visited back when it first opened, and this time it crossed my mind again, so I went back! It's close to the lake park, so it's apparently gaining word-of-mouth among runners there as a spot for group dinners after a run.

Where is Gimgol Yeontan-jip Cheongna Branch, and when is it open?

Gimgol Yeontan-jip Cheongna Branch is on the 1st floor at 15 Cheongna-ruby-ro 42beon-gil, Seohae-gu, Incheon. It opens at 15:00 and closes at 24:00, with last order at 23:30. You can book through Naver Reservation or by phone.

It's a 7-minute walk from Square7, and a 12-minute walk from Cheongna Lake Park Parking Lot 3 — a perfect spot to stop by after a lake park run.

The charcoal briquette that symbolizes Gimgol Yeontan-jip, a Cheongna favorite.

A retro dining room that fits group dinners

The interior has a retro vibe. It's bigger than you'd expect, with plenty of tables — good for group dinners too. On the day I visited, there was actually a large group dining in the back.

Even the water bottles and cutlery are committed to the retro look, haha.

Gimgol Yeontan-jip Cheongna Branch menu and prices

Here's the menu at Gimgol Yeontan-jip, a Cheongna favorite for post-lake-park-run meals.

🔥Gochujang charcoal bulgogi <Korean pork> ₩14,900 — Aged over 1,440 minutes in an earthenware crock... using only 100% Korean pork, a 'true charcoal bulgogi' 🔥Charcoal salt-grilled pork belly ₩15,900 — Top-grade selected Korean pork grilled on a charcoal-fired plate... it's a full-on juice explosion🚀🌟 🔥Jullijulli teukmokssal <Korean pork> ₩15,900 — Among the very best Korean pork... selected cuts. We guarantee it'll be the best teukmokssal of your life.*^^* 🔥*Limited quantity* Seolhwa kkodeulssal <Korean pork> ₩17,900 — First come, first served. Sold in order of arrival, strictly limited quantity per day.*^^*

Besides the signature salt-grilled pork belly and gochujang charcoal bulgogi, and other cuts great for charcoal grilling, the side menu items also caught my eye.

• Diced charcoal fried rice
• World's first flat bibim-myeon (spicy mixed noodles)
• Refreshing, clean hangover sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew) and Manager Im So-young's doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew)
• Team Lead Jeon Chang-dong's shrimp gyeranjjim (steamed egg)

Not just the meat but the side menu was solid too — a great BBQ spot to pair with a drink.

Side dishes: green onion kimchi, scallion salad and the self-serve corner

Side dishes include green onion kimchi, cabbage kimchi, scallion salad, lettuce, peppers, potato salad, and pickled gochujang peppers. The green onion kimchi in particular pairs really well with the meat and is delicious.

For anything running low, there's a self-serve corner! I kept going back for more green onion kimchi and scallion salad. Turns out I really love scallions...

Charcoal coarse-salt pork belly, the post-run order

The charcoal salt-grilled pork belly is ₩15,900. It was so good on my last visit that this time Pure ordered the pork belly straight off the bat without even looking at the menu, haha.

Meat grilled over charcoal can't not taste amazing. And if you've just gone for a run at the lake park? You'll be inhaling it in silence.

Piling on a generous heap of scallion salad. The meat has a slightly chewy texture, almost like dwitgogi (pork neck/back cuts), with a rich, savory flavor. Layer on the charcoal aroma and it's just insanely good, ugh. Gimgol Yeontan-jip, a Cheongna favorite, apparently uses patented eco-friendly charcoal briquettes with no harmful gas concerns, so I could eat with peace of mind.

Interestingly, they also serve basil pesto, and its saltiness pairs surprisingly well with the pork.

Pork belly with somaek (soju-beer mix) — pure bliss.

Gochujang charcoal bulgogi, for a Saemaul-style craving

The gochujang charcoal bulgogi is ₩14,900. I really love gochujang bulgogi, and maybe because of the seasoning, the charcoal aroma soaks in even better here — so delicious. I used to love Saemaul Sikdang's charcoal bulgogi, and I was sad when the Cheongna branch closed. But now I don't need to worry, since I can just come to Gimgol instead. And it's actually better since it's close to the lake park, so I can come here after a run.

Proper charcoal-grilling method, which is exactly why this gochujang bulgogi tastes as good as it does.

Piling scallion salad onto the gochujang bulgogi and eating it with white rice is absolutely the best. I loved the course of eating the plain meat first, then moving on to the seasoned meat.

Dessert: omija and plum slushies

For dessert, you can have omija (schisandra berry) or plum slushies. They completely cool down all the heat from eating meat （*＾-＾*）

Gimgol Yeontan-jip, a Cheongna favorite, lets you taste meat with a special charcoal-smoked flavor all through it. Stop by after a run at the lake park — the meal is absolutely worth it.