Sejong jokbal with cream draft beer at 9pm: Cheongmigwan Naseong-dong

Even in Naseong-dong, a neighborhood packed with good restaurants, Cheongmigwan Sejong Naseong Main Branch is famous enough to draw a wait. It's a place where you can enjoy jokbal (pig trotter) and bossam (boiled pork wraps) alongside house-made bossam kimchi and all kinds of side dishes, so I'd wanted to go for a while. This time I finally booked a reservation and went — I was curious why it's always so busy, so my expectations were high haha. Here's my review of the half-and-half jokbal at Cheongmigwan Sejong Naseong Main Branch, start!

Where Cheongmigwan Sejong Naseong Main Branch is: hours and parking

Cheongmigwan Sejong Naseong Main Branch is located at 1st floor, Building 803, 23 Naseongbuk 1-ro, Sejong, South Korea, and is open daily from 16:00 to 23:00 (last order 22:00). Free parking is available in the underground lot near the roundabout in front of the restaurant.

🗒 Menu

🌟 Features — reservations and takeout available

Is there a wait at Cheongmigwan at 9pm?

Cheongmigwan sits right on Sejong Naseong-dong's busy dining street, and its upscale exterior stands out. It's usually crowded, but visiting around 9pm meant no wait at all.

Note: with reservations or waiting, the whole party must be present before you can be seated!

The restaurant is huge with lots of seating. But since it tends to get a wait, and the private and group seats fill up fast, I'd recommend booking ahead if you're planning to visit. The private seats toward the back looked especially nice.

Inside Cheongmigwan: restrooms, high chairs and kiosk ordering

The restrooms are inside the building, but there's also a hand-washing area inside the restaurant itself!

Baby chairs and phone charging service are also available.

Ordering is done via kiosk, and there's a Naver receipt review event going on too — worth knowing! (flying fish roe rice ball or drink provided)

What we ordered and what comes with the jokbal

My order 🥩 - Cheongmi half-and-half jokbal (plain trotter/spicy grilled trotter): ₩53,000 - Hanmaek Extra Cream draft beer: ₩6,900 - Coca-Cola Zero: ₩2,500

As soon as we ordered, they brought out the basic table setting — lettuce wraps and all kinds of side dishes.

My favorite side was that cheongyang chili paste. Put a bit on the jokbal and all the greasiness disappears.

The seasoned chives are tangy and spicy, which really wakes up your appetite, and the nutty sesame oil aroma pairs perfectly with the jokbal. I'd recommend refilling it along with the cheongyang chili paste!

A bean sprout soup that's great to sip between bites. It's hot and spicy in a way that settles your stomach — though eating it right after the spicy trotter made my mouth even spicier haha.

Cheongmi half-and-half jokbal, 53,000 won: enough for two?

A generously sized half-and-half jokbal at first glance. It's said to be portioned for 2-3 people, so ordering with a side dish or set menu (adding buckwheat noodles or jeon pancakes) for three people would be plenty. We went as two and ate just the jokbal with no sides, and we were completely full. If you're two adult men, I'd recommend adding a side dish!

Spicy grilled trotter with chives: how hot is it really?

Of the two halves, the spicy grilled trotter wasn't overly hot and had real grilled flavor. Eating it with the chives on the side added a fragrant note that paired well. Even spice-shy eaters can handle it without worry, and the spiciness kept me reaching for more. Note: you can choose the spice level for the grilled trotter.

The skin was chewy and savory too. The seasoning had soaked in between the layers of skin, so the spicy-sweet flavor built up the more you chewed.

Plain front trotter: any gamey smell, and how tender?

The plain trotter had no gamey smell at all and the meat was very soft. The fat-to-meat ratio was well balanced, so it wasn't greasy while still being chewy and moist. Apparently they slow-cook it at low temperature to keep the meat tender!

Even without any sauce, the plain jokbal was really delicious.

The plain jokbal tastes even better with a variety of side dishes and lettuce wraps. Mixing it with things like salted shrimp or the house-made bossam kimchi, depending on your taste, was fun to experiment with.

Hanmaek Extra Cream draft beer, 600ml

At 600ml, this Hanmaek Extra Cream draft had a generous pour, great for drinking cold. Compared to the glass next to it, the first impression was pretty striking lol. The carbonation wasn't too strong and went down smooth and clean. Its softness cut through the jokbal's richness perfectly, so the drinks kept flowing.

Verdict on Cheongmigwan, plus a few side notes

I left Cheongmigwan satisfied, from the jokbal to every side dish! I'd been curious about this place for a while, and after eating there I understood why it gets a wait haha. The plain trotter was soft with no gamey smell, and the spicy grilled trotter had real grilled flavor without being overly hot. There were also plenty of lettuce wraps and side dishes to mix and match, which made the meal fun.

The staff were friendly and the restaurant was clean, making for a comfortable meal. The menu is also great for sharing with a group, so it'd work well for a family meal out or even a group gathering or work dinner. I tried the half-and-half jokbal this time, so next time I should come back and try other menu items haha.