Hongdae Korean BBQ: grilled seaweed and salted squid wraps, Yookmong

If we end up in Seoul on a weekend, we make sure to have a proper dinner — that's a rule for my spouse and me. This time we went to Yookmong Hongdae Main Branch, known as a Korean BBQ spot in Hongdae.

Location and wait at Yookmong Hongdae Main Branch

Yookmong Hongdae Main Branch is about a 7-minute walk from Hongik University Station, tucked inside the alley off Yanghwa-ro 16-gil. Even though it's deep in the alley, it wasn't hard to find.

Being about 7 minutes from the station means it's an easy spot even if you want a drink with your meal.

When we arrived, foreign customers were sitting outside waiting. There's a separate outdoor seating area, so you can sit while you wait.

• Address: 19 Yanghwa-ro 16-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (1st–3rd floor)
• Hours: Weekdays 11:30–24:00 / Fri–Sun 11:30–01:00
• Parking: Not available (use nearby paid lots)

It's good to know in advance that there's no parking. We took public transit too.

What's in the 550g Korean pork platter and how much it costs

We ordered the Yookmong Korean pork platter 550g (₩69,900). It comes with kalsamgyeop, whole mokssal, and galmaegisal all on one plate, so it was great for the two of us to try several cuts.

We also added galmaegisal 150g (₩18,000).

The side dishes were quite varied. Radish wraps, seaweed, scallion kimchi, scallion salad, pickles, and more than four kinds of sauce.

Salt, ssamjang, spicy sauce, soy sauce — it was fun dipping different cuts into different sauces.

Staff grilling the meat — and how thick is it?

At Yookmong Hongdae Main Branch, the staff grills everything from start to finish. No need to touch the tongs at all — you just sit across from each other and talk. It was more comfortable than I expected.

As you can see from the thickness, this isn't thinly sliced meat. It comes out charred on the outside and moist inside, with a texture that was tender rather than dry.

I thought, "Isn't this sauce a bit strong?" but once I tried it, it actually balanced out the fattiness of the meat.

Wrapping it in radish with scallion salad on top was also a nice combination.

A little wasabi on top worked well too. Each cut seemed to pair with something slightly different.

Grilled seaweed wrapped with squid jeotgal

At the tables of Yookmong Hongdae Main Branch, there's a sign suggesting you lightly grill seaweed on the pan and top it with squid jeotgal (fermented squid) to wrap with the meat. There's a sign posted at the table explaining this.

We followed the instructions and grilled the seaweed as suggested. This was the most memorable combination of the whole visit. The nutty flavor of the grilled seaweed layered with the salty squid jeotgal really brought out the pork flavor even more. Don't just walk past the sign — definitely give it a try.

The pork platter comes with doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew). It's packed with tofu, zucchini, and onion. The seasoning was just right for a spoonful between bites of meat.

How was the mul naengmyeon finish?

To finish, we ordered the Yookmong mul naengmyeon (cold noodle soup, ₩8,000). My impression was that it was a solid, no-frills bowl.

The broth wasn't particularly distinctive, but it did its job as a palate cleanser after the meat. If you're coming specifically for the naengmyeon itself, you might want to lower your expectations a bit. That said, this is just my personal taste, so others might feel differently.

How much did two people spend?

• Korean pork platter 550g - ₩69,900
• Galmaegisal 150g - ₩18,000
• Yookmong mul naengmyeon - ₩8,000
• Zero-sugar cola - ₩2,000
• Total ₩97,900

That's what it came to for two people eating until full. Since all you have to do is sit and eat without any grilling to worry about, it was a great fit for catching up with someone you haven't seen in a while. If you're looking for a Korean BBQ spot in Hongdae, this one's worth considering.