Cheongju atka mackerel set and pot rice: Jeju Badang Korean restaurant

Today I'll introduce a Cheongju, Chungbuk restaurant I loved — Jeju Badang.

Where is Jeju Badang in Cheongju?

Jeju Badang is a Korean restaurant on the 2nd floor of 28 Seohyeon-namno, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do. It's on the second floor of the building, so the sign is easy to spot.

Thanks to the clean-looking exterior, even first-time visitors can find it easily.

Inside Jeju Badang: play room and high chairs

Walking into Jeju Badang, a spacious and pleasant interior opens up.

There's also a kids' chair and a play room, so it was a comfortable environment for families with children too.

Basic table setting and the Korean side dish salad bar

There's also a Korean side dish salad bar, so it was great to be able to add extra sides and chicken.

What we ordered: boneless hairtail stew and grilled atka mackerel set

What I ordered was the Jeju boneless hairtail stew with pot rice, and the grilled atka mackerel set with pot rice.

On this visit I ordered the Jeju boneless hairtail stew with pot rice and the grilled atka mackerel set with pot rice. Picking bones out of fish is often a hassle, but the boneless hairtail stew here comes with every bone already removed, so it was really easy to eat.

The stew arrives simmered down in a thick, slightly spicy sauce with deep savory flavor.

The thick chunks of boneless hairtail were soaked through with sauce, which paired perfectly with rice.

Since it's boneless, I liked being able to load up a piece with sauce and pop it straight into my mouth.

Freshly cooked pot rice and scorched-rice tea to finish

The pot rice that came with it was freshly cooked, glossy, and smelled wonderfully nutty.

Scooping the hot pot rice into a bowl and mixing it with the hairtail stew sauce was basically a rice thief — irresistible. And pouring water into the pot to make scorched-rice tea for a palate-cleansing finish at the end of the meal was perfect.

How was the grilled atka mackerel set?

The grilled atka mackerel set that came next was satisfying too. The grilled fish came out crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The atka mackerel's distinctive nutty, clean flesh was thick, so it had a great chew.

The seasoning wasn't too strong, just right, so I could taste the fish's natural flavor as is. Taking a piece of the grilled atka mackerel and putting it on top of the warm pot rice made the clean flavor spread through the whole mouth.

There was no fishy smell at all — it was cooked cleanly, so I could enjoy it without ever getting tired of it. The spiciness of the stew and the nuttiness of the grilled fish balanced each other out, and the combination of the two dishes was excellent. With neatly arranged side dishes, hot pot rice, and the main fish dishes, the whole spread was more than enough for a hearty meal. I'd recommend this Cheongju restaurant to anyone looking for a proper Korean meal.

One-line review of Jeju Badang

A place where you can feel the perfect harmony of bone-free comfort and freshly cooked pot rice.

Parking at Jeju Badang

Jeju Badang has parking secured within the building, so it's convenient to visit by car.

Is Jeju Badang worth it for a family meal?

From the boneless hairtail stew that needs no bone-picking, to the crispy, clean grilled atka mackerel, to the freshly cooked pot rice, every part of the meal was neat and satisfying. The restaurant is spacious with good amenities, making it a great pick for family outings or gatherings in Cheongju. It's a place I'd genuinely want to revisit whenever I'm craving fish dishes.