Hapjeong Korean BBQ with free parking, thick-cut pork belly: Dojeok

A special combo of 20-year-old knife-cut pork belly and AI robot pre-grilling 🥩🔥 Today I'm introducing Dojeok Hapjeong, which I visited because I wanted pork belly in Hapjeong :)

It's between Hongdae, Hapjeong, and Sangsu stations so it's easy to get to, and I was curious about the unique system where an AI robot does the first round of grilling for you. After visiting in person, it wasn't just a gimmick — I really liked being able to comfortably enjoy thick-cut knife-cut pork belly!

Where is Dojeok Hapjeong and what are its hours?

Dojeok Hapjeong is located at 3 Eoulmadang-ro 5-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, and operates daily from 4:00 PM to 12:30 AM the next day. It's about a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Sangsu Station, and also walkable from Hapjeong Station.

One big plus is that it's a Korean BBQ spot with parking, which is honestly hard to find around Hongdae and Hapjeong! About 4 spots are available right in front of the store, so it's worth knowing if you're driving. That said, the space is limited, so it's first-come, first-served.

Inside Dojeok Hapjeong: two floors of table-grill seating

Dojeok Hapjeong was bigger than I expected. It uses both the 1st and 2nd floors, so the tables feel spacious, and the wooden tables give off a warm atmosphere.

A lot of BBQ places are loud with tables crammed together, but this place felt relatively relaxed to sit and eat in. Looking at recent reviews, I saw that thanks to the group tables on both floors, people have visited for work dinners and larger gatherings. They also use kiosk ordering at the table, which made picking and ordering menu items easy.

The signature dish: knife-cut pork belly for 18,000 won

The dish I tried that day at Dojeok Hapjeong was the knife-cut pork belly (칼삼겹살) for 18,000 won.

As the name suggests, the pork belly has tight knife-cuts scored into it, and you can tell from the photo just how thick the meat is, right? 👀 The cuts seem to help the surface get crispy as it cooks while keeping the inside moist. Honestly, the second the meat arrived looking that thick, I wanted to grill it and eat it right away lol

Dojeok highlights its 20-year-old knife-cut pork belly recipe, pre-grilled by an AI robot before being finished off at the table. Recent reviews also mention this same process — an AI robot does the first round, and staff finish the grilling.

Here are the basic side dishes!

Does an AI robot really pre-grill the meat?

This was the most fascinating part of Dojeok Hapjeong. Seeing a robot do the initial grilling at a BBQ restaurant was pretty wild to witness in person 😂 Dojeok uses an AI robot to pre-grill the meat at a consistent temperature, and then it's finished on the grill at your table. Since you're not grilling the meat from raw the whole way, it comes out partially pre-cooked, which meant I could relax a bit more instead of stressing over the grilling.

And just like in the photo I took, the pre-grilled meat had a golden-browned surface while still holding onto juicy moisture inside!

How the thick-cut pork belly tastes

Looking at the photos, the pork belly is quite thick. It's cut into bite-sized pieces and grilled so the surface turns golden brown while the center stays moist — perfect for that crispy-outside, juicy-inside texture.

Pork belly that's too thin cooks too fast, but with meat this thick, you can really feel the texture when you bite into it. It had a light dusting of salt and pepper, so it was great on its own for the clean flavor of the pork, and even better with the side dishes. Looking at these meat photos again is honestly making me drool... 🤤🥩

Finishing with doenjang rice for 6,000 won

After eating meat, you've got to have a rice dish to finish! What we ordered along with it at Dojeok Hapjeong was doenjang rice (soybean paste soup rice) for 6,000 won.

It's a soup-rice style dish where rice is simmered in doenjang (fermented soybean paste) soup, and it paired perfectly as a finishing meal after the pork belly. As you can see in the photos, the warm broth is mixed with rice and other ingredients, making it great for scooping up with a spoon. Right around when you start feeling a bit greasy from the meat, a spoonful of hot doenjang rice brings your appetite right back to life haha. The pork belly → doenjang rice combo is hard to mess up.

Dojeok Hapjeong menu and prices

Besides the knife-cut pork belly, Dojeok Hapjeong has a wide range of pork dishes.

• Knife-cut pork belly ₩18,000
• Gochujang pork belly ₩18,000
• Gabrisal (pork skirt meat) ₩20,000
• Hangjeongsal (pork jowl) ₩21,000
• Doenjang rice ₩6,000
• Bibim noodles ₩7,000
• Kimchi kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) ₩7,000
• Doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) ₩5,000
• Kimchi jjigae ₩5,000
• Cheese bomb steamed egg ₩7,000

Looking at other reviews, I saw people ordering the bibim noodles, gochujang pork belly, and cheese bomb steamed egg together, so I'd like to try other menu items next time.

Is Dojeok Hapjeong good for group dinners in Hapjeong?

Dojeok Hapjeong is a fairly large restaurant, so it can also work for friend gatherings or work dinners. They have group tables for 6, 8, 12, and 20 people, and say they can accommodate up to 90 people total.

• Weekday reservations of 20+ people can rent out an entire floor
• Weekend reservations of 30+ people can rent out an entire floor

If you're planning to visit as a group, it's a good idea to inquire in advance.

Parking tips for Dojeok Hapjeong

Parking is always a headache when meeting up in Hongdae or Hapjeong with a car. Dojeok Hapjeong was quite convenient because you can use the parking space in front of the store. Currently, it's about 4 free spots in front, and if full, you use nearby parking lots. Some recent info also mentions the Truparking Sangsu-dong lot, so it's worth checking parking availability before you visit.

My honest verdict on Dojeok Hapjeong

What impressed me most about visiting Dojeok Hapjeong this time was definitely the thick knife-cut pork belly + AI pre-grilling system.

The tight knife-cuts on the meat made it easy to eat, and finishing off pre-grilled meat meant I could enjoy the meal without stressing over grilling. Most of all, as you can see in the photos, the meat is thick enough that each bite delivers a real hit of juice and texture — anyone who loves pork belly should try this at least once. Topping it off with hot doenjang rice at the end made for a satisfying finish!

It was also perfect with somaek (soju-beer mix)! A great place to keep in mind if you're looking for a dinner spot with a friend in Hapjeong or Hongdae, or a BBQ place that can host a bigger group 🥩✨