Gyeongju BBQ: 700g pork combo, haejang ramen at Ddeoggogi Ttaenggijae

Ddeoggogi Ttaenggijae: the Gyeongju pork BBQ spot where an AI robot grills first

I've been to a ton of restaurants as a self-proclaimed foodie who knows good food when I tastes it, and I've seen AI robots serve food before, but this was my first time seeing an AI robot pre-grill meat. My husband and I are the type to check out anything hot or interesting, so as soon as evening rolled around while we were hanging out at Hwangnidangil, we drove straight to Hyeongok.

Where is Ddeoggogi Ttaenggijae? Location, hours and parking

• 📌 Location: 548-14 Yongdam-ro, Hyeongok-myeon, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
• ⏰ Hours: Tue–Sun 16:45–23:00 / Last order 21:30 / Closed every Monday
• 🚗 Parking: Behind the restaurant

What is the restaurant like inside?

Ddeoggogi Ttaenggijae is split into two sections — the entrance side was crowded and a bit noisy, so we grabbed a seat further inside. The vibe was noticeably different, haha. Since it's located in a neighborhood rather than a tourist area, the customers were clearly locals — which probably means it's a spot the neighborhood itself has stamped with approval.

The Ddeotgogi Combo Special and the side dishes that come with it

We ordered the Ddeotgogi Combo Special, which comes with pork belly, pork jowl, and a full plate of ddeotgogi (pork neck meat).

At a glance it looks like beer, but this place really is known for its water — maybe some kind of dungeulle (Solomon's seal) tea? I'm on medication so I can't drink beer or soju with meat... this is basically a crime, isn't it...

Most of the side dishes were pickled jangajji, and the pickled chili in particular was delicious. And instead of just ssamjang or sesame oil to dip the meat in, they also brought out a whole lineup of seasonings. There was zhran, the seasoning usually paired with lamb, and it went surprisingly well with the pork — I'm planning to start bringing it along on camping trips whenever we grill pork. The injeolmi (sweet rice cake) powder and curry powder went great too, no question.

The lettuce jeori (quick pickle) was tangy and salty in just the right balance. And best of all, the vegetables looked freshly tossed right before they came out, which I loved.

Egg custard (gyeranjjim) comes free with the meal

When we first ordered the meat, we naturally also ordered egg custard (gyeranjjim) for our little one. But the staff member came over and asked if we'd like the extra order cancelled since egg custard already comes free with the meal. We hadn't known it was included, and I really appreciated how attentively they caught that and asked.

How does the AI robot pre-grill the pork?

The AI robot waiting for the meat to pre-grill. Once it's ready, its eyes switch to a 0 0 expression, haha.

The owner places the meat onto the grill plate personally.

My husband, our little one, and I all watched wide-eyed, since it was the first time any of us had seen anything like this. It flipped and turned the meat evenly at just the right moments so everything cooked through.

I was worried the meat might burn, but the AI robot at Ddeoggogi Ttaenggijae has cameras and sensors, so it actually pre-grills more precisely than a person could. You're better at this than me...?

Just like when it was placed on, the owner takes the pre-grilled meat back down once it's done.

And whether it was the first order or an additional one, after each round of grilling, the staff kept cleaning the grill plate. I liked that they clearly cared about hygiene too.

Is 700g enough? Finishing with bean sprout haejang ramen

The total was about 700g of meat, but it looked like even more than that! Usually the weight listed is the pre-cooked weight and it ends up looking smaller — this was the first time it looked like more.

They finished grilling everything mixed together — pork belly, pork jowl, ddeotgogi, all of it. The heat was strong too!

And if you follow my posts regularly, you'll know a BBQ meal isn't complete without ramen. This was a haejang (hangover-soothing) ramen with bean sprouts, which made the broth even more refreshing.

An AI pre-grilling robot instead of just an AI serving robot was such a surreal sight. At first I wondered if it made sense to travel all the way to Gyeongju just to eat ddeotgogi we could find near home too, but between the service, the taste, and getting to watch the AI robot in action, I have no regrets about the visit!