Magok Korean BBQ: rice-husk-smoked black pork belly at Chamdwaejitgan

• ✔️ Smoky flavor + charcoal for tender meat
• ✔️ Focused menu: Jirisan black pork and Boseong nokdon
• ✔️ A Magok Station pork belly spot I can confidently recommend

Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch: rice-husk-smoked pork belly near Balsan Station

Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch is a smoked pork belly restaurant right on the big road between Balsan and Magok stations. It's open from 4pm to 2:30am, closed every Sunday, and parking is available.

Walking out of Balsan Station, Chamdwaejitgan is right there on the main road. Smoked pork belly, no frills needed. In the pretty homogeneous Magok Station pork belly scene, a new player showing up like this got my curiosity going. So here's the review from a visit with my partner~

Chamdwaejitgan Magok menu prices and what two people ordered

The two of us ordered two servings of black pork oergyeopsal, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), Jirisan kudzu bibim naengmyeon (cold noodles), rice, and beer. Here's the breakdown based on our receipt for two.

• Black pork oergyeopsal ₩19,000 x 2
• Doenjang jjigae ₩6,000
• Jirisan kudzu bibim naengmyeon ₩7,000
• Rice (gong-gi bap) ₩1,000
• Beer (Terra) ₩5,000

There were two kinds of pork: Jirisan black pork, which the nearby Sancheong Sutbul Garden also serves, and Boseong nokdon, exclusive to this place. Oergyeopsal, samgyeopsal, mokssal, hangjeongsal, gabrisal — that's the whole menu. It really feels like they're all-in on pork. And that feeling paid off in the result. Genuinely, it's been a while since I was this satisfied at a BBQ place.

Inside Chamdwaejitgan: seating, self-serve bar and service bar

Since we did a weekday 4pm opening rush at Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch, the place was spacious. Super clean, and the semi-open kitchen was spotless too. Pass!

The meat in the aging cabinet looked fresh, which was nice, and right next to it was a self-serve bar — though they gave us such a generous initial spread that we never needed to go there.

And the genuinely touching (?) service bar. Yogurt and candy for dessert, plus Febreze, toothpicks, floss, even mouthwash! Such a nice touch.

The rice-husk smoking grill and six dipping sauces in the side-dish spread

The table grill plate at Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch was something I'd never seen before — that yellow stuff is apparently wanggyeo (rice husk). Pork that's smoked/pre-grilled with rice husk is said to have a strong smoky aroma and really excel at removing gamey smells.

Smoky flavor can be divisive, but even for me — someone who's usually not into smoke — this was a total hit!

There was so much to go with the meat in the basic spread. Even the dipping sauces alone numbered a whopping 6! There's an explanation of how to eat it and what the sauces are, so it's worth checking before you start grilling.

Two servings of black pork belly, grilled for you by the staff

Black pork oergyeopsal is ₩19,000 per serving, and two servings came as two whole pieces of meat. Nice thickness, with fat attached just right. It was exactly the cut I like, so I was satisfied right off the bat.

They grill everything from start to finish, and they really, really, really grill it well. The grilling service is 👍 Not just the meat — they trim the mushrooms and peppers too. All the customer has to do is wait and eat!

The potato slice, pickled garlic scape and shiitake wasabi combo to try

The very first thing to eat is definitely salt! The meat itself is so good that even just dipping it in salt was delicious. That oergyeopsal juiciness is the best. Plus the subtle smoky aroma — so satisfying!

And the thing you absolutely must try at Chamdwaejitgan: [potato slices + pickled garlic scapes + shiitake wasabi]. It's been a while since I found a combo this uncommon and this delicious. The smoky flavor actually soaks into the potato even more strongly than the meat, so it ended up being more fragrant than eating meat alone. It's so good I'll probably order extra potato slices a lot. Honestly good enough to be served as an amuse-bouche at some fine dining spot. Sounds like a stretch, but that's how good it is.

Doenjang jjigae and Jirisan kudzu bibim naengmyeon at Chamdwaejitgan

Doenjang jjigae at Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch is ₩6,000. Of course, doenjang jjigae after a meal is basically a rule for Koreans. Given the price, the contents were substantial — plenty of vegetables inside, and a rich, savory doenjang aroma rising off it, which I loved. Why didn't I take a photo of the rice (₩1,000)? The rice portion here was genuinely huge.

Jirisan kudzu bibim naengmyeon is ₩7,000. Just as much of a post-meal rule as doenjang jjigae. It was the kind of naengmyeon you'd typically expect at a BBQ place, and it did the job as dessert to cut through the richness.

Is Chamdwaejitgan Magok worth a visit? Final verdict

Satisfaction ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, would return ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.

If you're tired of the same old samgyeopsal and looking for a slightly different pork belly spot near Balsan Station, I can confidently recommend Chamdwaejitgan. Especially if you like smoky flavor, this is a must!