Gangnam Seoul Korean BBQ set with grilled scallion and pork: Giun

I went to Giun Gangnam Station Main Branch (기운 강남역 본점) and had the Donggiun set. The pork belly was great, and the other cuts we ate alongside it were tasty too, but the combination that stuck with me afterward was a bit unexpected — grilled scallion served with the meat. They gave us scallion grilled and soaked in soy sauce, and once the sauce had fully seeped in, it paired really well with the meat. This was a meal where not just the meat but everything eaten alongside it left a good impression.

Where to find Giun Gangnam Station Main Branch

Giun Gangnam Station Main Branch is a ground-floor restaurant on Dogok-ro 7-gil. If you're searching for a Gangnam Station Korean BBQ spot, it's worth checking the address along with the name, so it doesn't get mixed up with other branches that share a similar name. This review is based on the meal I had specifically at the Gangnam Station main branch.

What are the seats like?

Inside, the restaurant has booth-style seating with wood tables and dark sofa seats. There are partitions between tables, and seating is set up facing each other. It's not fully enclosed like a room with a door, but there's a clear boundary between each table and the next. If you prefer this kind of seating for a dinner for two or a small get-together near Gangnam Station, it's worth checking out.

A brazier sits at the center of each table, with an exhaust vent lowered right above it. Banchan and sauces are arranged around the grilling area. Since you sit in a chair with a backrest and everyone shares a view of the central brazier, this might be useful information for anyone who cares about seating layout when choosing a restaurant.

Bijangtan charcoal grilling

The charcoal used here is bijangtan (white charcoal). Since it's grilled at the table over a brazier, watching the meat cook becomes part of the meal itself.

The banchan and side dishes

The table came with myeongi-namul (mountain garlic leaf), dressed lettuce, and baek-kimchi (white kimchi). The lettuce wasn't served whole for wrapping but came pre-dressed in seasoning.

The banchan and sauces were each served separately, so I could choose what to add to each bite of meat. It's a table setup that lets you vary what you pair with the meat even while eating the same cut.

Alongside the side dishes meant to be eaten as they are, there were also vegetables meant to be grilled on the brazier. Among those, the grilled vegetables were where I found the combination that worked best for me. When choosing a set, it's worth checking whether it comes with an assorted vegetable platter, not just meat.

What's in the Donggiun set?

The Donggiun set I ordered was ₩58,000 at the time of my visit. It's a menu that comes with several cuts of pork plus an assorted vegetable platter. Unlike ordering just one cut, this set lets you try multiple kinds of meat. The name alone might not immediately tell you what's included, but it's easiest to think of it as a full spread of assorted meat plus vegetables to grill alongside it.

It's best to check the exact cuts on the menu when ordering — I actually got mixed up about the name of the cut I liked most. Since my memory of how tasty the meat was and the exact menu name are two different things, I didn't want to guess at cuts I wasn't sure about. If there's a specific cut you really want to try, it's worth confirming beforehand whether it's included.

Grilling meat and vegetables together

Meat and vegetables went on the grill together. Once the meat was cooked, it was placed on top of or next to the vegetables.

The table that started out as a plate of raw meat turned into one where we ate the cooked meat with sides. Since it's a BBQ restaurant centered around a shared brazier, it's a different kind of meal from a dish that arrives fully finished on a single plate.

The pork belly was great, and the other cuts we ate alongside it were especially tasty. There were plenty of side dishes to pair with the meat, but the meat itself suited my taste well too.

I also liked being able to choose what to pair with the meat as I ate.

Since everything wasn't tossed together in one sauce, the meat and side dishes stayed separate, so each person could put together the combination that suited their own taste. It occurred to me that even if several people order the same set, they don't all have to eat it the exact same way.

My favorite combination: grilled scallion

The side that suited my taste best that day was the scallion.

They grilled the scallion and served it soaked in soy sauce, and once the sauce had fully seeped in, it went really well with the meat. Unlike dipping meat into a sauce, I loved that the seasoning was already soaked into the scallion itself.

When you try the grilled scallion, wait until the sauce has soaked in, then eat it together with the meat. I'd recommend eating the two together rather than having the scallion on its own and the meat separately.

It's not some complicated method of piling on multiple side dishes at once — it's as simple as adding a piece of scallion to a bite of meat.

In summary

At Giun Gangnam Station Main Branch, I enjoyed meat and sides together with the Donggiun set. If you're looking for Gangnam Station samgyeopsal (pork belly) and want charcoal grilling with booth seating, it's worth checking out. The price reflects what I paid at the time of my visit, and if you're planning to drive, please check parking availability and conditions with the restaurant before you go.