Sejong Korean BBQ restaurant after lunch rush: Hanmaeum

I visited Hanmaeum Jeongyuk Sikdang Sejong Daepyeong Branch, a popular meat restaurant in Daepyeong-dong, Sejong, that has a playroom. Whenever I came to Sejong, there were so many Korean BBQ places that I wondered where to take a child—but this well-known Daepyeong-dong spot has a playroom too, so now I know exactly where to come for meat with the little one!

How were the parking and visit time?

Do I even need to mention the parking? It was seriously, seriously easy to park, and the lot is huge—just perfect~!

Take the elevator to the second floor of the Sydney Hill building and you'll find Hanmaeum Jeongyuk Sikdang Sejong Daepyeong Branch. The waiting seats right at the entrance made it clear just how popular this place usually is. I visited a little after the weekday lunch rush, though, so it was quiet and I could take my time eating!

A playroom and seating that are great with kids

Walk farther inside and there are more seats than I expected, so group seating is no problem. There are lots of seats, and above all, it is a restaurant with a kids' zone playroom, making it a great place to visit with children! I truly, truly recommend it~ It looked so good that it felt like stepping into a kids' café! Let the kids loose while the adults eat—sounds perfect to me!

The half-pig set and lunch menu

The signature options are the half-pig set, half-beef set, whole-beef set, and whole-pig set. You can also order individual cuts. For lunch specials, there are easy standalone dishes at friendly prices, including yukgaejang (spicy beef soup), mul-naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles in broth), bibim-naengmyeon (spicy mixed cold noodles), Korean beef yukhoe bibimbap, crisp bulgogi, and baedudduk meat set meals, so I would recommend it as a lunch restaurant for Sejong office workers too. My husband and I ordered the half-pig set, one bowl of rice, and a soft drink.

The basic spread and self-service bar

The basic table spread was excellent too. There were really so many side dishes! Every one was nicely seasoned and delicious enough that I felt I could finish a whole bowl of rice with just the banchan (side dishes). Doenjang-jjigae comes with the basic spread, and its broth was so rich and deep with soybean paste flavor, followed by a gentle spicy kick that really got my appetite going.

There is also a self-service bar where you can bring back any side dishes or ssam vegetables you need—and, amazingly, refill the stew too. The self-service bar at this Daepyeong-dong favorite was also very neatly arranged and well maintained, so it felt so comfortable~.

How was the 500g half-pig set?

Today's main dish, the half-pig set, arrived! At 500g, it comes with different cuts, which is great because you can try every part evenly. The pork neck, pork belly, five-layer pork belly, pork shoulder-deckle, and pork jowl all looked so fresh and delicious that I was completely excited before we even started grilling.

We tried the beautifully grilled meat on its own and wrapped in ssam (leaf wraps), and it was juicy, crisp outside, and tender inside. It was fun choosing among the cuts, and even though it was all pork, each tasted a little different. Every cut was nutty and full of savory flavor, so my husband and I kept exclaiming over it as we ate. I especially loved the chewy five-layer pork belly, while the pork jowl was even tastier because it was packed with juices.

There are kids' snacks and dessert too

As we were leaving, I noticed things like an event draw. Since there is a kids' zone, this restaurant with a playroom in Sejong also has menu items for children, plus cotton candy, organic ice cream, and Pororo drinks for snacks, which made me think again that it is truly a great restaurant to visit with kids. You can even finish with fancy coffee—such a win! I highly recommend Hanmaeum Jeongyuk Sikdang, a Daepyeong-dong favorite in Sejong!