Korean BBQ by Sogang Univ., camping vibes if you can't grill: Gogikkun

What kind of Korean BBQ is Gogikkun Gimchunbae Hongdae Supgil Branch?

Gogikkun Gimchunbae Hongdae Supgil Branch (고기꾼김춘배 홍대숲길점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Sogang Univ. and Hongdae where you eat looking out over Gyeongui Line Forest Park. I suddenly craved golden, slightly crispy grilled pork belly. My pork belly cooldown was totally full.

The weather was so nice that I wanted to eat outside, so I booked a Hongdae BBQ place with an open-air vibe. I'd sometimes thought "I want pork belly at Gogikkun Gimchunbae" while walking past, and when I finally went, the view was so good. It's a perfect BBQ spot for a date 🤭

Location, hours and parking near Sogang Univ. and Hongdae

• 📍 Location: 31-2 Seogang-ro 13-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, about 6 minutes from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 6 and about 7 minutes from Sinchon Station Exit 7
• ⏰ Hours: daily 12:00–23:00, last order 22:00
• 🚗 Parking: Sinchon off-street parking lot 5 minutes on foot, Donggyo 3 public parking lot 8 minutes on foot

What are the exterior and window seats like?

The exterior looks like a hanok (traditional Korean house) tucked into a quiet forest. The atmosphere was properly lovely. It's gorgeous at lunch and at dinner, and totally the right place for a pork belly and soju date.

The inside was clean and pleasant. If you want to eat by the window, I'd reserve ahead. We went almost right at opening, so luckily we got a window seat.

The side dishes were scallion salad, bean sprouts, pickled onion, meljeot (salted anchovy dip), salt, ssamjang (seasoned dipping paste) and lettuce.

Gogikkun Gimchunbae menu

What's in the 600g hanwoo and pork set for two, and how does it taste?

Gogikkun's hanwoo/pork set for two is 600g: pork neck (250g), rib meat (200g) and today's hanwoo (150g). The signature recommendation at this Hongdae BBQ place is, of course, the set!! I ordered it so I could try both beef and pork.

I loved the variety of meat. Together with the meal dishes, it was so filling that I stayed full until dinner 🫢

Do you have to grill the meat yourself?

At Gogikkun, staff grill the hanwoo and pork belly for you, so you just sit and wait. It's the best service ever for someone like me who can't grill 🥹

The hanwoo cooked fast on the hot grill. The staff grilled it beautifully and even cut it into bite-size pieces, which was so convenient. The mushrooms were golden too.

I dipped the juicy, tender hanwoo deep into the meljeot, and it was salty with a slight kick. I made a lettuce wrap with a piece of hanwoo, kimchi, onion and ssamjang, and it was so good. Freshly grilled meat might just be the best food in the world.

Camping vibes: the Gyeongui Line Forest Park view from the window

Green leaves and trees spread out beyond the window. Grilling meat while looking at that peaceful scenery made me feel like I was camping. A breeze drifted in, like I'd gone off somewhere for a getaway. It had the best view of any BBQ place I've been to 🥹

Pork neck with minari and kimchi

I wolfed down the hanwoo in no time, and the staff came right over and put on the pork neck and rib meat. They were so kind I thought it was fine dining 🤣

The thick pork looked amazing. Minari (water dropwort) came along with it. Once the meat was lightly cooked, the staff cut it into bite-size pieces and stacked minari and kimchi on top one after another, and I just watched those practiced hands in a daze. It looked seriously delicious.

Eaten with minari, the fragrant flavor was out of this world. The golden pork neck, minari and kimchi were a fantastic combination. Honestly, before eating I worried the portion might be a bit small, but I got fuller and fuller and couldn't order more 🤣 Plenty of food and delicious, it couldn't have been better.

What is the half-and-half naengmyeon?

Gogikkun's half-and-half naengmyeon (cold noodles) is a special menu item that lets you enjoy mul naengmyeon (in icy broth) and bibim naengmyeon (spicy mixed) half and half. It was the perfect cool finish.

It totally nails the tastes of people who want both the broth kind and the spicy kind. I'm team bibim and my companion is team mul, so sharing one half-and-half bowl nicely was the best. Eating naengmyeon in hot summer cooled me right down.

How is the kkakdugi fried rice to finish?

Gogikkun's kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) fried rice is a savory finisher soaked in meat fat.

After the naengmyeon I still felt a little empty, so I ordered fried rice. They spread it out on the iron plate, and after a short wait it turned slightly crispy-chewy with a moving texture. Fried rice after meat is a must. For pork belly, Gogikkun Gimchunbae Hongdae Supgil Branch is the right answer. I was full almost until the next day 🤣

Gogikkun runs a photo review event: you get one portion of pork skin or beef brisket doenjang stew.