Dangsan Korean restaurant for a coworker reunion dinner: Cheongun

I recently reconnected with a coworker I hadn't heard from in ages, and we went for dinner together at Cheongun Bossam Dangsan Branch — here's my honest review.

To cut to the chase: I don't think there's a better spot near Dangsan Station for two people to sit and chat over a proper meal with a drink. From the menu lineup to the food quality, everything about this visit hit the spot, so let me walk through it.

How to walk to Cheongun Bossam Dangsan Branch from Dangsan Station

Coming out of Exit 13 of Dangsan Station, you walk along the side of the Grand Convention Center building and head a little way into the alley to the right, where the neat, clean sign for Cheongun Bossam Dangsan Branch comes into view.

We set it as our meeting spot after work, and since it's only about a 6-minute walk from the station, it's really easy to find.

Inside Cheongun Bossam Dangsan Branch: atmosphere and seating

It was early evening, so there were only about 3 tables when we arrived, but the place filled up quickly. The interior is spacious with comfortable spacing between tables, making it perfect for catching up comfortably with a coworker I hadn't seen in a while.

What we ordered and the side dishes that came with it

We sat down and scanned the menu. We went with the signature five-layer pork belly bossam (medium) as our base, and confidently added the seafood pancake too. Order a bossam and you get tray makguksu thrown in for free — you can't ask for more than that.

Right after ordering, a neat spread of basic side dishes was set down. Fresh lettuce and perilla leaves perfect for wrapping, garlic, chili, and various sauces were placed on the table.

The kimchi and pickled radish — the heart of any bossam — looked so glossy they made my mouth water on sight. Spicy-sweet but not overpowering, they were the kind of flavor that would bring out the pork even more.

How was the medium five-layer pork belly bossam?

Finally, today's main event arrived — the five-layer pork belly bossam! The ratio of lean meat to chewy skin was perfect, the kind of plate that makes your appetite kick in just from looking at it.

Unlike regular bossam, this uses five-layer pork belly, so the chewy skin at the edge was out of this world. There was of course zero gamey smell, and the meat stayed moist all the way through — the moment we took a bite, both of us blurted out, "wow, this meat is so tender," no secret about that.

Placing a piece of the tender bossam on a fresh perilla leaf, topping it with bossam kimchi and pickled radish and a whole garlic clove, then wrapping it all up and popping it in my mouth — the savory, moist pork and the spicy-sweet kimchi filled my whole mouth at once.

The free tray makguksu that comes with a bossam order

Next came bossam's soulmate — tray makguksu. Piled high with fresh vegetables and a generous drizzle of tangy-sweet sauce, it looked mouthwatering on its own.

Putting on the disposable gloves, I mixed the vegetables and noodles into the sauce and lifted up a big bite. The noodles hadn't gone soft at all and were still springy, soaked well with the spicy-sweet-tangy sauce, and cut right through the richness that bossam can sometimes leave behind — my chopsticks kept going back for more.

Seafood pancake with a glass of makgeolli

The last dish to arrive was a beautifully golden-brown seafood pancake! It came out thick and hearty like a pizza, an overwhelming presence that grabbed my attention and got my mouth watering instantly.

Tearing into it with my chopsticks, the pancake was packed generously with squid and other seafood inside. The outside was cracker-crisp while the inside stayed moist, giving it a light yet savory flavor without being greasy — the perfect match for a beer or a glass of makgeolli (Korean rice wine). There was no reason not to pour a glass.

Catching up on old times with a coworker I hadn't seen in a while, over delicious bossam, makguksu, and seafood pancake, time flew by and it turned into a truly satisfying dinner.

Is Cheongun Bossam Dangsan Branch worth a catch-up dinner?

• Five-layer pork belly bossam: high-quality bossam with chewy skin and juicy lean meat still intact — no gamey smell, stays delicious and warm to the last bite.
• Side dish combo: the spicy-tangy chewy tray makguksu paired with the crisp, seafood-packed pancake is a top-tier combination.
• Atmosphere & gatherings: easy to reach near Dangsan Station, a great Dangsan-area spot for a relaxed dinner with coworkers or friends.

If you want to enjoy neat, well-made five-layer pork belly bossam along with tasty side dishes near Dangsan Station, I strongly recommend Cheongun Bossam Dangsan Branch.

• Hours: 11:00–22:00
• Address: 9 Yangpyeong-ro 12-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Parking: not available