Seoul Korean BBQ near Nodeul Island before the light festival: Jeokto

Where to eat before the Nodeul Island light festival?

I wanted to fill my stomach before the Nodeul Island light festival, so I headed to Jeokto Balhyo Gui Yongsan Branch (적토발효구이 용산점) near Sinyongsan Station. Parking is easy, and skilled grillers cook all the meat for you. I found it while searching for places near the festival, and it turned out to be the best Nodeul Island find!

The exterior looks so neat and tidy that I was already excited before going in.

Reservations are easy too, which is great, and it already has a reputation as a solid Yongsan lunch spot!

The location is perfect before a Han River walk, which made me like it even more.

Barley tea, free corkage and unlimited draft beer?

We arrived at our reservation time and the table was already neatly set, so it felt like we were being treated as guests!

The water isn't plain bottled water but nutty barley tea, which was totally my taste. They also have unlimited draft beer as a lunch special!

Sadly we came for dinner so we passed, but my boyfriend and I promised each other we'd come back for the unlimited draft beer in Yongsan. It's a gift for beer lovers, and with free corkage it's also great for gatherings.

How does the jeot pork belly come out?

We ordered the signature jeot pork belly (pork belly aged in salted fermented seafood) and tojang stew (soybean paste stew)!

You don't have to grill the jeot pork belly at the table. It comes out perfectly cooked from the kitchen, so no smell on your clothes and it was so convenient.

If you sit at the 1st-floor bar, you even get to watch the meat cook like a fire show! The golden meat with its smoky char was nutty and bursting with savory flavor.

It paired perfectly with the grilled vegetables too, and we couldn't stop eating!

The two of us kept exclaiming over the flavor-packed jeot pork belly.

How are the tojang stew and side dishes?

The tojang stew we ordered with the pork belly tastes like nutty cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew), and it's loaded with ingredients! Combined with the carefully made side dishes, it gave new flavors and we never got tired of it.

It's a top pick for a casual Yongsan lunch or a dinner get-together. The space runs from the basement to the 2nd floor and is roomy, so it felt relaxed.

A filling finish before the festival

Next time I plan to try the unlimited draft beer at Jeokto Balhyo Gui Yongsan Branch, or bring my own wine! Thanks to a great meal, we set off for the Nodeul Island festival with full stomachs.

It gave me such good energy that I want to come back soon.

There are baby chairs too, so it's good for families! A must-stop before a festival outing and a place I'd love to bring all my friends. Satisfaction: 200%.

Jeokto Balhyo Gui Yongsan Branch visitor info

• Hours: Mon-Fri 17:00-22:00, Sat-Sun 11:30-22:00
• Break time: Sat 14:30-16:30, Sun 15:00-17:00
• Last order: 21:30
• Main menu: jeot pork belly, fermented pork belly, tojang stew, spicy charcoal deodeok (bellflower root) grill
• Features and amenities: weekend and holiday lunch beer event, free corkage, parking support, group seating