Hongdae bar for 4pm day drinking with green onion kimchi: Kkoko Land

What kind of bar is Kkoko Land in Hongdae?

Kkoko Land is a charcoal chicken barbecue bar in an alley near Sangsu Station in Hongdae. Tucked in a Hongdae alley, the place impresses right at the ground-floor entrance, and you climb a staircase with a beautiful pine tree to reach the second floor.

A giraffe statue greets you at the second-floor entrance, and the spacious venue opens up into outdoor tables.

The day we had plans with friends in Hongdae, we were looking for somewhere with good snacks and drinks and ended up at Kkoko Land. Since day-drinking is possible here, we started early in the evening.

The open-air yajang mood at Kkoko Land

The first thing that caught my eye stepping into Kkoko Land was the unique atmosphere. There are plenty of clean, sleek-looking bars in Hongdae these days, but Kkoko Land's more relaxed, nostalgic yajang feel was really charming.

The sound of water from the waterwheel inside the venue was especially memorable. It's a clearly different vibe from a typical chicken place, and it made for a great spot to sit with friends and chat over drinks. Even the tray setup felt like camping — Kkoko Land is a Hongdae spot packed full of that yajang feeling.

The welcome drink that starts the visit

Once we sat down, they brought us a welcome drink. This being our first visit, that small gesture put us in a good mood right from the start. We had a light sip while browsing the menu, and of course the main dish of the day ended up being the charcoal chicken barbecue!

Ordering is done via app through the table QR code.

Charcoal chicken barbecue, smoke and all

Kkoko Land's charcoal chicken barbecue has a different charm from fried chicken. The chicken is grilled to a mouthwatering finish, and the subtle charcoal aroma made it a perfect drinking snack. The outside is browned nicely, and the smoky flavor that builds up the more you eat was addictive.

A bite of chicken, a sip of a drink, a chat with friends, then another bite of chicken — this kind of dish really is better enjoyed with a group rather than alone. If you're looking for a Hongdae chicken spot and want something different from fried chicken, this charcoal chicken barbecue would be a great choice.

Baseball on Kkoko Land's big screens

Another thing I liked about Kkoko Land was the big screen. Baseball was on, so we naturally got to watch the game while eating. If you're a baseball fan, visiting on game day and enjoying chicken and odeng while catching the match sounds ideal. Compared to a Hongdae bar that's just about the food, having something to watch made the atmosphere much livelier.

Why chicken, odeng and green onion kimchi work together

After visiting in person, I felt that Kkoko Land is less a place for a quiet, calm meal and more a Hongdae bar for laying out tasty snacks and chatting comfortably with friends over drinks.

In particular, this combo really set the place apart from others.

• Charcoal chicken barbecue
• Kettle odeng
• Welcome drink
• Yajang (outdoor tent bar) vibe
• Big-screen baseball broadcast

Arriving at 4pm: is there a wait at Kkoko Land?

There are large screens on three sides of the venue, and one side was playing music videos, so we even took a trip down memory lane with a BIGBANG song. Weekend day-drinking is possible too — coming around 4pm meant we could sit wherever we wanted. Around 6pm, there's a wait.

Terra draft beer and soju — enjoy them however you like, haha. Cabbage salad and green onion kimchi come out as basic side dishes.

We also added pickles and a chicken thigh snack. The spicy kick of the rolled green onion kimchi pairs really well with the charcoal barbecue chicken.

Kettle odeng, ordered on the side

Brass bowls and spoons match perfectly with the kettle. Since chicken alone felt like it wasn't quite enough, we also ordered the kettle odeng (fish cake soup), and this dish also fit the yajang atmosphere really well.

The odeng, served warm in a kettle, was great for sipping some hot broth between drinks and also paired nicely alongside the chicken. Especially as the evening cools down, I imagine you'd crave this warm odeng broth even more. The combination of smoky charcoal chicken and warm odeng broth worked surprisingly well together.

Kkoko Land, this Hongdae outdoor bar, apparently becomes even more atmospheric at sunset, but we had somewhere else to be and missed that moment. Since there are so many chicken varieties to try, I'm already thinking our next gathering should be back at this Sangsu bar for beer — Kkoko Land.

Restrooms at Kkoko Land

Each stall in the women's restroom has its own individual sink, and overall it's spacious and easy to use. It's put together as a clean, tidy space.

Is Kkoko Land worth it among Hongdae bars?

If you find yourself heading to the same chicken places or bars every time you have plans in Hongdae, it might be nice to try somewhere with a slightly different vibe this time. If you're looking for a Hongdae spot with good snacks and drinks, a comfortable Hongdae bar, or want to enjoy that yajang feeling with friends, give Kkoko Land a try. That day, I had a great time chatting comfortably with friends over charcoal chicken barbecue and kettle odeng.

At this Hongdae outdoor bar, Kkoko Land, the waterwheel at the entrance is overwhelming, and the staircase up to the second floor builds anticipation even more. It's a large-scale outdoor bar, great to enjoy in cool weather, and a lively Hongdae chicken spot where you can watch music videos and baseball on the big screen at the same time. The kettle odeng is a real treat too :)