Goyang bossam with chive wraps for three: Park Man-bae Arirang

When I think of bossam (boiled pork wraps), I usually picture pork belly or shoulder. But I heard there's a place near Wonheung Station that makes bossam with gabrisal (pork shoulder blade), and I had to check it out. Gabrisal is usually known for its chewy, nutty flavor when grilled, so I was curious how it would work as bossam. This time I visited Park Man-bae Arirang Bossam, Wonheung Station Branch!

How to find Park Man-bae Arirang Bossam from Wonheung Station Exit 2

Park Man-bae Arirang Bossam, Wonheung Branch is in a building almost right in front of Exit 2 of Wonheung Station. Being so close to the station is great, but the building layout is a bit confusing.

From outside the building, walk along past the Twosome Place and turn left — that's where the entrance is. If it's your first visit, head that way!

A hall big enough for team dinners, with kiosk ordering

The interior is quite spacious and can easily handle group customers. In fact, while we were eating, a group of about eight walked in.

Large photos of the bossam menu items are posted on the wall. Once seated, there's an ordering kiosk on the table, so you can browse the menu and order right away.

Half-and-half bossam: kimchi and cabbage, plus the free noodles

The menu at Park Man-bae Arirang Bossam, Wonheung Branch includes kimchi bossam, cabbage bossam, and half-and-half bossam, which lets you enjoy both. It seems they also sell oyster bossam in winter.

And here's a nice bonus: order any bossam and you get to choose a free side of either makguksu or kalguksu (noodles). The noodles come in a portion for two. I imagine oyster bossam with hot kalguksu would be great on a cold day. But this time, we went with makguksu to mix with the meat!

There were three of us, so we ordered the large half-and-half bossam plus the free makguksu.

The small half-and-half bossam was ₩42,000. With the free noodles included, I figured two people could eat quite well even with the small size.

Gabrisal as bossam instead of grilled: how it tastes

Not long after ordering, the half-and-half bossam arrived. On one side of the plate, the meat was stacked neatly, with cabbage, kimchi, and radish salad alongside. The meat wasn't just laid out in a single layer — it was piled up in layers underneath too, which made me happy. Good call going with the large size, haha.

First, I dipped a piece of meat lightly in salted shrimp sauce. It melts. It really melts.

The meat I got felt like it was about one-third fat, and the ratio between lean meat and fat was great. The fat melts softly, and the lean meat also breaks apart tenderly against your teeth.

Grilled gabrisal usually brings chewy texture to mind first, but enjoying it soft as bossam is a real treat too. The signature nutty flavor of gabrisal was still there, which I liked even more.

Two slices of pork on a cabbage leaf, topped with chives

The fun of bossam isn't just eating the meat alone. There's enjoyment in mixing it up with cabbage, kimchi, ssamjang (dipping sauce), garlic, and salted shrimp.

Since there was plenty of meat, I put two pieces on a cabbage leaf. Added a bit of ssamjang and took a bite! The crisp texture and sweet juice of the cabbage pair well with the nutty, tender meat. And the ssamjang fills in any seasoning that's missing.

Adding chives on top changes the flavor again. The chives' aroma and slightly bitter edge cut through the meat's fattiness nicely. Cabbage with just meat was already good, but I really liked this combination with chives added in.

Sweet radish salad or spicy kimchi: pick your wrap

The kimchi and radish salad at Park Man-bae Arirang Bossam, Wonheung Branch were also delicious. To my taste, the radish salad brought the sweetness while the kimchi brought the spice. Since the two flavors were quite different, you could pair whichever suited your taste.

If you're someone who thinks 'I don't want kimchi that's too sweet with my meat,' go with the kimchi. If you're thinking 'no way, bossam needs that sweetness,' add the radish salad too. Personally, I'd feel a bit sad if the sweet radish salad were missing when eating bossam. Topping the tender meat with crunchy radish salad felt familiar yet satisfying.

The best bite: makguksu with one slice of pork

The wraps are delicious, the kimchi is great, but there's one combination I love most when eating bossam. It's a bite of makguksu with a piece of meat!

I picked up a forkful of the sweet-and-tangy mixed makguksu and topped it with a piece of gabrisal bossam. The tangy-sweet noodles plus the nutty meat — this combination really does it. The chewiness of eating tender meat and noodles together is great too.

I'm the type of person who, even after eating all that meat, doesn't feel like I've had a proper meal until carbs are involved. That's me, haha. Having the option to choose noodles as the free side was great, and trying it out, the makguksu paired with the bossam really added to the satisfaction of the meal.

Gabrisal, familiar from the grill, served boiled at Park Man-bae Arirang Bossam

I love pork belly bossam too, but the gabrisal bossam I had that day stood out for its tender texture and nutty flavor. Dipping the meat lightly in salted shrimp sauce to enjoy it on its own, wrapping it in cabbage and chives, adding kimchi and radish salad, and finishing with makguksu — ordering the half-and-half bossam gave us plenty of ways to enjoy the meal.

If you're craving bossam near Wonheung Station and want to try gabrisal, which you'd normally eat grilled, in a different way, Park Man-bae Arirang Bossam, Wonheung Branch is worth checking out. Once it gets colder, I'm curious to try the oyster bossam with kalguksu combination next!