Jokbal set for two at a Yeongdeungpo restaurant: Gwihan Jokbal

I wanted a hearty jokbal (Korean braised pig's trotter) meal near Yeongdeungpo Station, so I headed to Gwihan Jokbal Yeongdeungpo, a name that always comes up when people talk about jokbal near Yeongdeungpo Station. I'd heard they only use same-day boiled fresh trotters, so I went in with high hopes — and both the bossam (boiled pork wrap) and jokbal were tender and satisfying. Here's my review~

Where is Gwihan Jokbal Yeongdeungpo, and when is it open?

Gwihan Jokbal Yeongdeungpo is at 19 Yeongdeungpo-ro 42-gil, 1st floor, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, just 244m from Exit 5 of Yeongdeungpo Station — a 3–5 minute walk. Cross the crosswalk from Exit 5 and go straight; it's tucked behind the building with Daiso and Kumkang Shoes, and Times Square and Lotte Department Store are both nearby.

• Hours: Sun–Thu 11:30–24:00 / Fri–Sat 11:30–01:00 next day
• Amenities: birthday perks, takeout/delivery, reservations, Wi-Fi, high chairs, pet-friendly, corkage available (fee), private room (6–10), group seating (12–50)
• Parking: paid parking at Esilure lot in front of the restaurant (₩1,500 for the first 30 min, ₩1,000 per 20 min after, ₩20,000 per day)

What are the interior and seating like at Gwihan Jokbal?

The restaurant is spacious and clean overall, with a comfortable amount of space between tables. If you're looking for a group dinner spot, I'd recommend it — honestly, there's nothing quite like jokbal for a work dinner, haha.

Menu and prices at Gwihan Jokbal Yeongdeungpo

Why order the bojok set for two?

We ordered the small bojok set for two, priced at ₩48,000. It comes with both bossam and jokbal, so I'd recommend it if you're craving both.

Gwihan Jokbal Yeongdeungpo does set menus well, which makes ordering easy. Besides the bojok set, there's also a boblul set (bossam + spicy fire jokbal) and a half-and-half jokbal option, so there's plenty of variety for people who can't decide on just one. If you like mild flavors, go bossam; if you want spicy, go for the fire jokbal — you can mix to taste, which makes it satisfying even with a group.

Side dishes and service at Gwihan Jokbal

The banchan (side dishes) spread is generous — dried radish kimchi, shredded radish kimchi, chive salad, ssamjang (dipping sauce), pickled onion, salted shrimp, lettuce wraps, garlic, chili, and bean sprout soup all came out.

I especially loved having the bean sprout soup. Having a soup on the side just makes everything go down easier and prevents that overly full feeling. Paired with the potentially rich jokbal and bossam, the refreshing bean sprout soup made for a clean finish. And since it's bottomless, you can keep enjoying it as much as you like.

How did the bossam and jokbal taste?

The bojok set came out pretty quickly after ordering. And it was delicious. Both the bossam and jokbal were so tender they melted in my mouth. Since they only use same-day boiled fresh Korean pork trotters, there was zero gamey smell.

Personally, I'd recommend the jokbal — it's really that good. My boyfriend also picked jokbal over bossam when I asked him to choose. As you can see, it's glossy and tender.

It's delicious on its own, delicious wrapped in a perilla leaf or lettuce, and delicious with kimchi too. However you eat it, it doesn't disappoint.

Which side dish to order at the end of the meal

Since jokbal and bossam alone don't include any carbs, we ordered a flying fish roe rice ball. You make it yourself, and the one in the photo was made by my boyfriend. I honestly can't comment on the visuals, haha. Still, it was a great way to fill up at the end.

If you want to finish with carbs, a rice ball or cold buckwheat noodles on the side rounds out the meal completely.

By the way, there's also a weekday lunch special — jokbal set meal for ₩12,000 and bossam set meal for ₩10,000. With prices in the low tens of thousands of won, it's great for a solo lunch or a casual work meal too.

Is Gwihan Jokbal Yeongdeungpo worth a visit?

If you're looking for jokbal near Yeongdeungpo Station, I'd recommend Gwihan Jokbal Yeongdeungpo. The same-day boiled fresh trotters made for tender jokbal and bossam with no gamey smell, and between the customizable set menus and the bottomless bean sprout soup, it was a satisfying meal.

It's a 3–5 minute walk from Exit 5 of Yeongdeungpo Station and close to Times Square, so it's easy to get to, and with private rooms and group seating, it's also great for work dinners. Since it's open until the early morning, it's good for a hearty late-night drink too. Give it a try when you're craving jokbal in Yeongdeungpo.