Myeongdong jokbal with gimbap and japchae sides: Miss Jokbal

Craving jokbal in Myeongdong? Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch

Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch is a jokbal place at 21 Myeongdong 3-gil. I hadn't had jokbal in Myeongdong for a while :) Myeongdong has so many good restaurants and draws so many foreign tourists that it's always lively, weekday or weekend. This time I was craving jokbal in Myeongdong, so I went to Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch!

Address and hours for Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch

• 21 Myeongdong 3-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Daily 11:00–03:00
• Group seating, takeout, delivery, reservations, Wi-Fi, high chairs

What is the dining room like at Miss Jokbal in Myeongdong?

The store is on the ground floor and was bigger than I expected. There were plenty of tables, so it looked fine for groups too, and given the Myeongdong location, the flow of customers in and out made for a pretty lively atmosphere.

It's right in the heart of Myeongdong, so it's a convenient stop for a meal while shopping, and sure enough, I saw quite a few foreign customers when I visited.

With so many foreign customers coming in, I got the sense that this is a spot a lot of people visit for Korean-style jokbal.

The 3 free sauces: salted shrimp, mala-mixed sauce and ssamjang

Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch serves shrimp sauce, a mala-mixed sauce, and ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste). I figured the mala sauce might be aimed at the many Chinese tourists who visit Myeongdong. The spicy-numbing kick actually paired surprisingly well with the jokbal.

The complimentary kimchi kalguksu at Miss Jokbal

The kimchi kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) that comes free was a quiet standout. The broth was spicy and refreshing from the start. Well-fermented kimchi added a subtle tang and heat, and the hot broth warmed me right up.

The noodles were chewy yet went down smoothly, great for slurping along with the broth, and the kimchi's savory flavor was well soaked into the soup, so I kept going back for more. Eating this alongside a meat dish like jokbal, the spicy, clean broth cut right through the richness — a great combo.

"."🐷 Emperor's Jokbal at Miss Jokbal: jokbal plus a full side spread

The emperor's jokbal isn't just jokbal on its own — it comes with a whole range of side dishes to enjoy alongside it. Eating jokbal can get a bit repetitive if it's just meat the whole time, but with all these dishes served together, it was fun to sample one after another.

The main jokbal itself looked pretty generous. A big, glossy portion of jokbal sat on top — the skin part was springy and chewy, while the meat was tender to bite into.

I could taste the clean yet rich pork flavor that jokbal is known for, and the chewy texture of the skin especially is the kind of thing jokbal lovers will enjoy.

Gimbap, japchae and salad served alongside the jokbal

What's fun about the emperor's jokbal is definitely the variety of dishes served alongside it! As you can see in the photos, all sorts of food is spread out generously around the jokbal — gimbap (seaweed rice roll), japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), salad, and even a jelly-type side — so many things on one table that it was fun just to look at.

The japchae in particular was great to eat between bites of jokbal, and the salad felt like a palate cleanser in between the meat. With gimbap in the mix too, the meal felt a lot more varied than just eating jokbal alone.

Personally, I love this kind of spread where you get to taste a little bit of everything, so it was right up my alley. I came for jokbal but ended up eating gimbap, japchae, tofu kimchi, and salad too haha. Once I started, my hands naturally kept reaching for one thing after another.

✨ Final verdict on Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch

Given its location in Myeongdong, Miss Jokbal is a solid stop for Korean food while out shopping or sightseeing. I saw plenty of foreign customers, and with people constantly coming and going, the whole place had a lively feel. If you find jokbal alone a bit lacking, or want to enjoy several dishes at once, a menu like the emperor's jokbal with its full lineup of sides should suit you well.