Gangnam Korean BBQ with aged kimchi and bone pork: Chobeoljip

Today, I visited Chobeoljip Apgujeong Rodeo Branch because I was craving a proper platter of meat in an Apgujeong Rodeo alley. Right from the entrance, it feels a little different from an ordinary Korean BBQ restaurant. The tiled-roof-style eaves, dark exterior, and stacked firewood catch the eye, while the kitchen is visible through the window, raising expectations for the “pre-grilled” meat in its name. It is worth remembering for a day when you are looking for Seoul Korean BBQ with a real smoky aroma.

Two moods: indoor and outdoor tables

Inside, landscape paintings on the walls sit alongside photos of the meat menu, creating a clean but distinctly Korean-restaurant feel. Each table has a round grill, and the seating does not feel cramped. Outside, there is a separate area with red chairs, where you can enjoy a more relaxed meal on a nice day.

Although it is right in the middle of Apgujeong Rodeo, sitting in the inner alley felt more leisurely than expected. The outdoor tables in particular have a roof and transparent screens, making them ideal for enjoying the character of the alley. I imagine it would feel completely different after sunset when the bulbs come on. Indoors is bright and neat, while outside is more casual, so it is fun to choose depending on who you are with. It is best to check the hours and outdoor seating availability before visiting.

How do the complimentary sides go with the meat?

Once we finished ordering, aged kimchi, ssam vegetables (wrap vegetables), seasoned bean sprouts, and assorted pickles arrived at the table. There was an especially generous amount of lettuce and perilla leaves, making it easy to wrap the pork belly in all sorts of ways. The seasoned bean sprouts were crisp and mild, clearing away some of the richness, while the well-fermented kimchi made an even stronger impression once it hit the grill.

Rather than eating only meat the whole time, changing up the side dishes a little at a time kept the platter interesting to the end. The pickles were salty with a touch of acidity, great after a bite of thick meat, and the ssam leaves were large enough to hold several ingredients without falling apart. The sides felt less like simple accompaniments and more like a setup that changed the whole way you eat the meat.

Today’s order: pre-grilled bone pork belly

We ordered the pre-grilled bone pork belly. From the moment it arrived on the plate, the thick meat, layers of fat, and long attached bone grabbed my attention. King oyster mushrooms, peppers, and wasabi came alongside it. Since the pork had already been grilled once, its surface had an appetizing color; on the table grill, it was cut into easy-to-eat pieces and cooked again.

Unlike ordinary thin pork belly, it had real thickness and felt substantial in each bite. The fat was nutty and rich, while the lean part retained a pleasant chew, so it was best to eat both together. Anyone who values the fun of eating generously cut meat at a Gangnam Korean BBQ restaurant would find this satisfying.

A platter completed with kimchi on the grill

Once the grill was hot, we put kimchi, king oyster mushrooms, and peppers beside the meat. As the pork fat soaked into the aged kimchi, it tasted completely different from when it had first been served as a side dish. A browned piece of pork topped with aged kimchi brought nutty richness first, followed by acidity and a little spice, naturally reaching for the next bite.

The meat attached around the bone was too good to leave behind. I let it cook a little longer, picked it up, and gnawed it off; it had a chewy texture unlike the other cuts. Because of the name “pre-grilled,” I expected a Korean BBQ restaurant where you eat quickly, but it was actually fun to slowly cook the kimchi and vegetables on the grill and build combinations. That is why this place stayed in my memory.

More combinations with every ssam wrap

The well-cooked pork was good on its own, but it offered even more variety in ssam wraps here. A lettuce leaf with seasoned bean sprouts, kimchi, a piece of pork, and a little wasabi brought crunch, richness, and sharp heat all at once. With perilla leaves, pickles, and peppers, the aroma became even clearer.

A thick piece of pork belly was also nice with just a light dip in salt or wasabi. If you want to notice the grilled aroma on the surface first, that may be the better approach. It was fun to pile on all sorts of ingredients, then end up eating the meat simply by itself at the end. After finishing even the meat around the bone, the platter felt more abundant than I had expected.

A place to return to when bone pork belly is calling

Chobeoljip Apgujeong Rodeo Branch is not so much a flashy Korean BBQ restaurant as a place focused on the combination of thick pre-grilled meat and kimchi cooking on the grill. With both indoor and outdoor tables, you can choose a seat for the occasion, and it has a good atmosphere for a relaxed meat meal with friends in Apgujeong Rodeo.

Above all, the pre-grilled bone pork belly had a distinct character. Switching up the order of thick meat, chewy meat around the bone, kimchi, bean sprouts, and ssam vegetables made the meal genuinely enjoyable. If you want something a little different from an ordinary pork platter at an Apgujeong Rodeo restaurant, it is worth a visit. Next time, I would like to sit outside after dark and have it again.

Location, hours, parking, and reservations

• Address: 1F, 4 Apgujeong-ro 54-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea (about a 3-minute walk from Apgujeong Rodeo Station Exit 6)
• Hours: Daily, 11 AM–3 AM
• Parking: Paid valet parking available
• Reservations: Available through Naver Reservation