Tourist-packed Jongno 3-ga BBQ alley: pork belly for two at Chowon

The Jongno outdoor tent season is at its best right now, and lately even foreign tourists have fallen for the flavor at Chowon Restaurant Jongno 3-ga Branch.

Have you been to Jongno 3-ga to Ikseon-dong lately? It's genuinely hot, past some kind of tipping point. It's the perfect season to travel Korea, so with foreign tourists joining in too, the crowds are huge and the shops are basically a city that never sleeps. I figured I'd try the outdoor tent scene myself while I still could.

Flash-frozen pork belly for two at Chowon Restaurant: what is a weekday evening like?

Chowon Restaurant is a frozen pork belly and hanwoo beef specialist in the Jongno 3-ga outdoor tent alley. We also visited on a weekday evening, and there were so many different kinds of people that it genuinely felt like I was traveling abroad. When we ordered two servings of frozen pork belly, the banchan (side dishes) came out — bracken fern, green onion kimchi, bean sprouts, all delicious. I dug in without thinking twice. I'd been craving something spicy lately, and the fresh green onion kimchi hit that spot perfectly.

Time to fire up the grill and really enjoy the outdoor tent. Pork belly eaten outside is already good, but how much better could it be in this season?

There's a red milk crate next to the table, and they cleverly use it to hold the water, drinks, wet wipes, and even the meat.

The frozen pork belly for two comes out in a jar-like container, and there's quite a lot of it.

As it grills on the pan...

Korean-style, the banchan gets grilled together with the meat. As the bracken fern and the red seasoning start to sizzle, a delicious smell fills the air almost instantly. The breeze is cool while the meat sizzles away — pure heaven.

Right as it's getting cooked just right...

You can't skip the soju. Not doing samso (grilled meat + soju) at a Jongno 3-ga outdoor tent is basically unthinkable. It's loud all around by default, but couples snapping photos of each other and all sorts of quirky Jongno characters make the tent atmosphere complete.

I just popped a piece of the pepper-sprinkled frozen pork belly straight into my mouth. You all know the flavor — the taste of pork belly eaten outdoors. It can't not be good.

After that it was basically a war zone. I devoured piece after piece of pork belly loaded with all kinds of toppings.

From here on it really comes down to personal taste, but for me it's bracken fern in first place, green onion kimchi in second. The combo is unreal.

Since it was late at night, I also had a lettuce wrap or two for the sake of a good night's sleep. Even at this late hour, the Jongno tent scene was still going strong.

Outdoor tent seating and indoor atmosphere at Chowon Restaurant Jongno 3-ga

Chowon Restaurant Jongno 3-ga Branch is a textbook fully open-air Jongno outdoor tent spot.

There's no real boundary between inside and outside, and the outdoor tent tables spread out wider than you'd expect. The weather, the mood, the taste — this is an atmosphere you can only feel right now. Ugh, you know how it goes — this season is really short in Korea, so you've got to enjoy it while it lasts.

There are plenty of tables further inside too, so you can pick whichever suits your taste. But overall the openness means you can soak up the outdoor-tent vibe no matter where you sit.

It's just so Korean.

Chowon Restaurant Jongno 3-ga menu and prices

The menu at this Jongno 3-ga favorite, Chowon Restaurant. Clean and no-frills, but everything you'd want is there.

I've seen a lot of reviews saying the yukhoe bibimbap (raw beef mixed rice) and doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) are great, so I've got to try those next time.

Where is Chowon Restaurant Jongno 3-ga, and what does it look like?

Chowon Restaurant Jongno 3-ga Branch is very close to Exit 5 of Jongno 3-ga Station. This whole area is basically all Jongno outdoor tents, so it's not hard to find. Chowon Restaurant Jongno 3-ga Branch — don't miss this precious season, go check it out at least once. Right now is peak season in Korea.

Visiting Chowon Restaurant Jongno 3-ga: hours, parking and tips

• Address: 1F Chowon Restaurant, 30 Jongno17-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 17:00–01:00
• Parking: No parking available at the restaurant
• Size: More outdoor tent tables than indoor ones — any seat feels open, so pick whichever suits you