Korean BBQ date in Gwangalli: 2mm pork neck, kimchi stew at Haean

Where is Haean Sutbul Galbi, and what are the hours and parking?

Haean Sutbul Galbi Gwangalli Main Branch (해안숯불갈비) is at 35 Namcheonbada-ro, Suyeong-gu, Busan, and is open every day from 17:00 to 01:00. Last order is at 00:00. There is no dedicated parking and no parking subsidy, so you will need a paid lot nearby.

• Samik Beach B Building lot (cheapest, pick #1) – 122 Gwangan Haebyeon-ro, Suyeong-gu, 700 m (8-minute walk), ₩2,000 per hour
• Gwangmyeong Building lot (pick #2) – 60 Gwangnam-ro, Suyeong-gu, 400 m (5-minute walk), ₩3,000 per hour
• Eonyang Bulgogi Busan House (closest) – 32 Namcheonbada-ro, Suyeong-gu, 50 m (1-minute walk), ₩4,000 per hour
• Gwangalli public parking lot – 77 Namcheonbada-ro 33beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan, 430 m (6-minute walk), ₩3,000 per hour

Haean Sutbul Galbi exterior and waiting

It had been a while since I was in Gwangalli, so let me tell you about a Korean BBQ place there that I really enjoyed: Haean Sutbul Galbi.

The exterior is very neat, and there are waiting chairs out front.

Photos and short descriptions of the signature dishes, handmade marinated galbi, premium raw galbi and Haean grilled pork tail, plus the menu board, are displayed outside too.

Is the inside big enough for group dinners?

Haean Sutbul Galbi has plenty of tables and private rooms, so it works for small gatherings and group dinners alike.

The chair covers, menus and wall posters give the place a strong retro feel.

Their special handmade marinade uses 100% domestic ingredients such as pear, garlic and onion, and they say deep aging lets the flavor soak through for a soft taste and texture.

Extra plates, cups and wet wipes are set out beside the table!

Haean Sutbul Galbi menu and how to order

The menu runs from sets to single cuts of meat, side dishes and meals, and you order, ask for extra side dishes or call staff all through a tablet.

Good to know: if you leave a Naver review, they give you a tasting portion of grilled pork tail as a freebie :)

Basic table setting and the meaning of the name

The staff lay out a table paper sized to your party, with detailed instructions on how to eat well, ask for more sides, the types of grill plates and how to control the heat. I liked that.

The name carries several meanings. "Haean" (해안) is written with the characters 解 (to release) and 顔 (face), meaning to let go of the tension and worry on your face and smile brightly. They say they want to give the calm feel of a seaside place and the emotional feel of a smile at once, and hope you forget your worries while eating and end up smiling. The owner's warm heart really came through.

The basic sides are japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), seasoned radish strips, scallion salad, pickled onion, pickled chili peppers, cabbage salad, white kimchi, mustard-leaf kimchi, garlic, ssamjang (dipping paste), meat sauce, barley shrimp salt and wrap vegetables, and they even brought angelica leaves too!

What my boyfriend and I ordered

• Premium raw pork galbi, 1 portion
• 2mm marinated pork neck, 2 portions
• Pork kimchi stew
• Beer

They recommended eating the raw galbi first and the marinated pork neck after.

How should you eat the premium raw pork galbi?

The premium raw pork galbi is described as top-grade meat, hand-selected once more from 1st-grade domestic pork, with a deep, nutty flavor.

The raw galbi and the marinated neck use different grill plates, so after finishing the raw galbi, ask them to swap the plate for the marinated-neck one :)

The owner helped us grill the premium raw galbi. As you'd expect from the name, the meat quality was great, both the texture and the nutty, not-greasy fat.

I recommend dipping your first bite of raw galbi in the barley shrimp salt. The plain, nutty, salty flavors go together really well.

The pickled chili peppers and white kimchi cut the richness of the raw galbi and add extra savoriness, and it was good any way I ate it. Gwangalli BBQ hit confirmed!

What does the 2mm marinated pork neck taste like?

Haean's 2mm marinated pork neck is 1st-grade domestic pork neck sliced to 2 mm for a tender texture. I had never seen such thin marinated pork neck, so I had to order it.

My boyfriend's eyes went wide as he said it cooks fast because it's so thin, and that it's super tender 👀

The handmade marinade and the seasoning were just right, and pork neck can turn stiff since it has little fat, but this was well aged and so extra tender. So good!

The 2mm marinated pork neck is delicious with white kimchi too, and even better as a wrap: put angelica leaf, seasoned radish and pickled onion on the meat and take it in one big bite :>

Pork kimchi stew

The pork kimchi stew at Haean is loaded with pork, and the well-fermented kimchi was cooked down into a rich, thick flavor that was so good with rice.

I also liked that the counter had dental floss, toothpicks, candy and fabric deodorizer.

Is Haean Sutbul Galbi worth going back to?

The place is spacious and clean, and the owner was so kind that we ate very comfortably. The ingredients are good, so the meat was tender with no gamey smell, and the fair prices made me even happier. I highly recommend it when you're looking for Korean BBQ in Gwangalli!