Second-round Korean BBQ in Hapjeong: finger-thick yukhoe, Jeongyukdo

We had dinner in Hapjeong and, honestly, it was a bit of a letdown. Going home like that felt so unfair... so we went for meat as a second round, hahaha.

And to give you the conclusion first: Jeongyukdo (정육도) in Hapjeong was the right answer tonight.

Jeongyukdo in Hapjeong: location, hours and parking

Jeongyukdo is at 14 Yanghwa-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 2nd floor. From Exit 5 of Hapjeong Station (Line 6), turn right right away and walk about 20m, then go into the narrow alley between 'Janjan' and Compose Coffee.

• Hours: Mon–Sat 11:30–23:00 (last order 21:30)
• Sunday: 11:30–22:00 (last order 20:30)
• Parking: two paid lots in front of the entrance, the Kakao T unmanned lot and the Yonsei parking lot; use the Modu Parking app to save on the fee

※ Hours can change, so please check Naver Map before you visit :)

What is Jeongyukdo's outdoor terrace like?

Go deeper into the alley and you reach an outdoor terrace with artificial turf. String lights hang all along it, so the mood is great at night✨

We sat indoors.

Jeongyukdo's aging fridge and celebrity autograph wall

At the back of Jeongyukdo there's an aging fridge, with cuts of meat hanging in rows behind a glass door. It's lit in purple, so you end up looking twice as you walk past👀

The brick wall is covered in celebrity autographs. One wall wasn't enough, so they're stuck on the pillars too, hahaha.

Jeongyukdo menu and what we ordered

At Jeongyukdo we ordered galmaegisal for two (150g, ₩19,000), yukhoe ₩22,000, nurungji soup ₩5,000, Hanmac draft beer ₩3,200 and Jinro soju ₩5,000! I also noticed a hanwoo (Korean beef) 1++ grade certificate attached to the menu.

The basic table setting comes like individual trays, with side dishes and small plates, which I liked haha.

Hanmac draft beer for 3,200 won

Jeongyukdo's Hanmac draft beer is ₩3,200. One cold glass and the disappointing first round was totally forgotten🍺

What does Jeongyukdo's 22,000-won yukhoe look like?

The yukhoe at Jeongyukdo is ₩22,000 and comes cut big, about as thick as a finger. I was surprised when I saw it. Usually it's thinly julienned, right? Here it's cut in chunks. So the chewing texture is completely different!

Put the egg yolk on top and mix it around, and it gets even richer. Pick it up with the Korean pear slices and the crunch gets added too, so you really keep reaching for more🥩

How to grill galmaegisal (pork skirt meat)

Galmaegisal served rolled up

The galmaegisal at Jeongyukdo (150g, ₩19,000) comes rolled up in coils. So cute, hahaha.

You unroll it and grill it.

Cut galmaegisal against the grain

Cut galmaegisal against the grain before grilling and it's definitely more tender. My partner told me so.

You have to cut galmaegisal against the grain.

So I tried it that way. When you cut across the grain, it breaks apart much more softly as you chew. I recommend trying it next time you eat galmaegisal👍🏻

Overcooked galmaegisal gets tough

Eat galmaegisal while a little pink remains on the cut surface. This is really important. If you grill it until it's completely done, it turns tough. You have to pick it up right when there's just a tiiiny bit of pink left on the cut surface. Eat it at that moment and it's tender and nutty, but leave it a bit longer and it changes completely🥲 We also grilled king oyster mushrooms and garlic stems alongside.

Galmaegisal with salt, wasabi or radish kimchi?

For me, Jeongyukdo's galmaegisal went best with king oyster mushroom plus radish kimchi. I dipped it in every sauce one by one. Salt was good and wasabi was good, but the radish kimchi combo was the best. I want it again..

Finish with 5,000-won nurungji soup and squid jeotgal

Top Jeongyukdo's nurungji soup (₩5,000) with the squid jeotgal (salted fermented squid) that comes as a side dish! We ordered it to finish; it arrives boiled milky white, and when you scoop it with a spoon you can chew the scorched rice grain by grain.

It's really delicious with the squid jeotgal on top!! The salty jeotgal and the mild nurungji soup fit together perfectly.

Another round of finger-thick yukhoe

While eating, I kept thinking about Jeongyukdo's yukhoe... so near the end we ordered it once more, hahaha. I never thought I'd reorder like this at a second-round place.

Is Jeongyukdo in Hapjeong worth it for a second round?

Jeongyukdo was a place we ducked into while hunting for a second round in a hurry, and it was really the best!! The meat was really fresh, and the yukhoe was different right from the cut size. Just remember two things: cut the galmaegisal against the grain and grill it only until just done, and eat it with radish kimchi!

Next time I want to try the Korean pork (hanDon) special cuts set. It's a short walk from Hapjeong Station and has an outdoor terrace, so it'd be a good one to visit when the weather's nice :)

• Galmaegisal (150g) ₩19,000
• Yukhoe ₩22,000
• Nurungji soup ₩5,000
• Hanmac draft beer ₩3,200
• Soju ₩5,000
• Korean pork grade 1 · hanwoo 1++
• Meat is served with a weight label
• Indoors on the 2nd floor + outdoor terrace
• Groups welcome
• About 20m from Exit 5 of Hapjeong Station
• Parking is paid (Kakao T, Yonsei lot)
• Mon–Sat until 23:00 (last order 21:30)
• Sunday until 22:00 (last order 20:30)