Mapo Korean bar for warm pork jowl wraps: Dambaek Jujeom

Today, I’m here to tell you about Dambaek Jujeom (담백주점), a hidden bossam spot between Sangsu Station and Hapjeong Station. I’d heard there was a place around here serving moist, tender suyuk (boiled pork), and after meaning to go forever, I finally made it there.

How do you get to Dambaek Jujeom from Hapjeong Station?

I came via Hapjeong Station. Take Exit 5. It took about 10 minutes to get there at an easy pace from the exit, and as I walked...

I spotted the Dambaek Jujeom sign in the distance. It sits in that in-between spot accessible from both Sangsu and Hapjeong stations, so I think it would be easy to reach for anyone living near either station.

The suyuk menu and what comes with it

This place specializes in pork belly suyuk and pork jowl suyuk. Pork belly suyuk is ₩16,000 and pork jowl suyuk is ₩18,000, and vegetables and kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) are all included at those prices—I thought that was such a good deal. At most suyuk places, the bill quickly climbs when you add this and that on the side, but the basic spread here was generous, so it didn’t feel burdensome.

Once inside, I saw their company motto hanging on the wall: “Diligence, honesty, humility.” It was a simple phrase that felt sincere, so it made me smile and somehow inspired confidence at the same time.

Diligence, honesty, humility

An inner table that works well for six people

I reserved a table toward the back that was set up for six people. It was lightly screened off with curtains, so it wasn’t a fully private room, but it was still arranged so we could eat cozily. It was just right for a group to gather and chat comfortably.

A full pork jowl bossam spread with warm suyuk

When we ordered pork jowl bossam, wrap vegetables, other vegetables, kimchi, and borissamjang (barley soybean dipping paste) were set out first. Just seeing the neatly arranged side dishes made my anticipation shoot right up.

And then, finally, the main event—the suyuk arrived! I really loved that it was kept moist and warm with heat and water beneath it. Rather than pork that cools down and turns tough, it stayed tender to the very end, which made the whole meal satisfying. The meat itself was so soft it practically melted in my mouth. With such a neatly presented pork spread, I think I would have been perfectly satisfied even ordering just this.

Extras from soy sauce egg rice to seafood pajeon

We were hungry, so we also ordered soy sauce egg rice. It was lightly seasoned, making it perfect with the other side dishes. I liked it so much that we ordered two bowls!

We also ordered stir-fried octopus, which was a little spicy for a spice wimp like me. But my older sister, who loves stir-fried octopus, said it was absolutely delicious and scraped the bowl clean. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who handles spicy food well.

There was also a course where you add vegetables and kalguksu to the broth left after the suyuk and boil it up. Even though I was already full, I just kept eating it. The broth flavor had soaked right into the noodles, and it was so good.

The last thing we ordered was seafood pajeon (Korean scallion pancake), and the standout was the abundance of plump shrimp inside. It was fried up beautifully crisp, making it a great way to finish the meal.

Even mouthwash after the meal

After eating so well, I stopped by the restroom before heading home and found that mouthwash was ready there. My mouth felt a little greasy after the pajeon, so I was happy they had thought of that too; I could finish up feeling fresh before going home. It’s a small detail, but this kind of thoughtfulness makes me even more certain I want to return.

My final thoughts on Dambaek Jujeom

There’s a 100% chance I’ll return! If you’re craving moist, tender suyuk around Hapjeong or Sangsu, I highly recommend Dambaek Jujeom. They also sell less expensive lunch specials, so it was a great place whether you go for lunch or dinner. If you’re passing through the area, do stop by at least once!