Songpa Korean restaurant for kkakdugi fried rice: Jinseong

A gopchang restaurant close to Garak Market Station

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Garak Flagship is on the first floor at 27 Songpa-daero 28-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea (서울특별시 송파구 송파대로28길 27). It is open daily from 12:00 to 23:00, and only about 300 m from Exit 4 of Garak Market Station, so it was not far at all.

A well-located gopchang favorite by Garak Market Station

This is tasty gopchang near Garak Market. Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang is very convenient by public transportation, including subway and bus, so it felt perfectly located for a day when I wanted a drink. There is underground parking in the building too, making it easy to visit by car.

A bustling restaurant even on Sunday evening

The restaurant atmosphere was wonderfully bustling

When I arrived after 7 p.m. on Sunday evening, the restaurant was already packed with diners. I thought it might be a little quieter because it was Sunday, but there were clearly plenty of signs of a wait at the entrance. Luckily, I snagged the very last seat and got in right away. The lively atmosphere looked perfect for enjoying gopchang over a glass of soju. Storage beneath the chairs for coats and bags also made things more comfortable.

Three kinds of house-made kimchi

A trio of house-made kimchi

This could be called a signature of Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Garak. House-made green-onion kimchi, gat kimchi (mustard-leaf kimchi), and chonggak kimchi (young radish kimchi) were prepared beautifully, and the kimchi was cut for us on the spot. You could sense the pride in the carefully made kimchi and its clean, homemade flavor. Not the usual imported Chinese kimchi, but kimchi made in-house! My satisfaction was already shooting up here.

Soju and beer that pair beautifully with gopchang

Gopchang does not discriminate between soju and beer

This was how I prepared to greet Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang, a Garak Market-area favorite: I ordered one soju and one beer. Rather than a somaek, a soju-and-beer mix, for that first drink to soothe my rough throat, I enjoyed soju from then on. Since I had been hiking that day, I also refreshed my sugar levels with a cold Coke while drinking. An excellent choice, right!

Two portions of gopchang and one portion of makchang

Two portions of gopchang plus one portion of makchang

Gopchang was ₩19,000 per portion, and makchang was ₩20,000 per portion. Our order arrived piled high on a stone grill. Rice cakes, potatoes, mung-bean sprouts, chives, and kimchi came on it too, and the generous spread immediately caught my eye. It was a setup that let us enjoy gopchang, makchang, and all kinds of ingredients at once. I was most excited for the crunchy mung-bean sprouts. Oh, and as a carbohydrate lover, just seeing the rice cakes and potatoes made my heart race!

How long do they grill the gopchang?

Five minutes plus three minutes as the gopchang cooks

At Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Garak, the staff timed the grilling precisely, so we could enjoy the gopchang at its best. When the alarm clock placed on the table rang, a staff member came right over, turned the gopchang, reset the time, then cut it three minutes later. Their concise movements and ability to achieve the perfect doneness were very impressive. If you want gopchang around Garak Market, this is a must-visit. It is also more than worthy as a Garak Market drinking spot. Fresh meat slaughtered that very day, plus perfect grilling! That is why you should go to Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang.

Mi Jeol Ma, made with water parsley and pickled garlic

Another signature: Mi Jeol Ma!

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang, a gopchang favorite around Garak Market, has a special sauce. It is made with pickled garlic prepared in-house. It also contains lots of minari (water parsley), so I could enjoy its fragrant flavor. A sign in the restaurant said it makes not only gopchang but potatoes, rice cakes, and even kimchi taste better when dipped in it. You are probably wondering how good it must be for people to dip kimchi in it, right? You really have to try it to know. The wonderful combination of water parsley and pickled garlic brought out the flavors of both gopchang and makchang to the fullest.

Tender yet chewy Korean beef makchang

Tender chewiness: Korean beef makchang

The makchang on the grill was satisfyingly large. It had been lightly cooked beforehand, so I could eat it as soon as it turned nicely golden. The texture was bouncy yet tender. Rich flavor matters with makchang, but personally, I think texture is important too. The makchang I had at Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang was clearly different from elsewhere. It had a deep flavor with not even a trace of odor, plus a wonderful texture that was tender and chewy at once. I think its thickness made the texture even better from the start.

Gopchang packed with gop

The heart of gopchang is the gop

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang near Police Hospital Station was truly packed full of gop, the rich buttery filling inside beef intestine, so my anticipation was already soaring before I ate. Sure enough, when I tried a piece, a nutty, savory burst filled my mouth. It is always disappointing when gopchang lacks gop, but I felt none of that disappointment here. With every piece, the chewy intestine and nutty gop came together so well that I kept letting out little exclamations.

And kkakdugi yang fried rice, too

Kkakdugi yang fried rice

This was the extra menu item I added because I wanted more carbohydrates. The kkakdugi, cubed radish kimchi, yang fried rice was nicely dry-fried, and the yang, a special beef stomach cut, gave it chewy bites throughout. The fried rice arrived topped with a perfectly cooked sunny-side-up egg and minced garlic from the Mi Jeol Ma sauce. Once I mixed the fried rice with the garlic sauce, a distinctive Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang flavor came together. Even after eating my fill of gopchang, I could not stop reaching for it.

My overall take on Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang, a Garak Market favorite, offers quite good value as well. What appealed to me was that, rather than serving only a mixed platter, it lets you order individual cuts and focus more on the parts you like. The fresh, high-quality meat slaughtered that day had no unwanted odor, and most importantly, the gopchang was packed full of gop, making for a generous meal full of nutty flavor. I have personally visited the Bangi branch too, and honestly, both places were very delicious. So I visited the Garak Market flagship this time without hesitation, and my time here was excellent too. When the day comes that my blood gopchang level gets low, this is a place I would return to without hesitation. The end.