Jeonju Korean restaurant dinner with moju: Hanok Maeul Mulgalbi

I visited Jeonju Hanok Village on a late summer vacation! I heard that mulgalbi, an original Jeonju local dish first made at an old-established restaurant in Jeonju, is the thing to try, so I had a wonderfully hearty dinner menu~

This is Hanok Maeul Mulgalbi, a Korean restaurant in Jeonju Hanok Village that feels a little like a large garden café with a lovely atmosphere.

There was also a little fountain and terrace tables outside, so it looked perfect for a meal on a nice day.

Apparently there can be a wait at peak times, so if you do not want to queue, I recommend arriving early like I did 😁

By the entrance, there was even a coffee vending machine for after your meal.

An interior where hanok style meets modern seating

The interior felt modern, but when I looked at the ceiling, it also gave me the feeling of a hanok ceiling. There were sofa tables, group seats, and four-person tables, and partitions between the tables made it seem much more comfortable to dine.

I did not know before visiting, but it was a popular restaurant that had even appeared on SBS TV 👍

There was also a guide on how to enjoy mulgalbi deliciously for first-timers like me, so you can refer to that.

Galbi hot pot set and add-ons

• Galbi hot pot set: ₩22,000 (one serving; 250 g hot pot + 120 g yukjeon)
• Galbi hot pot: ₩17,000 (one serving; 300 g hot pot)
• Extra galbi meat: ₩14,000
• One platter of yukjeon: ₩25,000
• Steamed egg: ₩5,000

We ordered two servings of the ₩22,000 galbi hot pot set, one bottle of moju for ₩6,000, and one bottle of makgeolli for ₩5,000. The galbi hot pot arrived along with the side dishes.

The yukjeon, which came with the set, arrived right away too.

My first taste of moju and yukjeon

My husband said that since we had come to Hanok Maeul Mulgalbi, we could not possibly skip the drinks, so he ordered moju.

It had been quite a while since I had drunk alcohol, and I had never even heard of moju, so I was a little worried when I received my first glass... ohhh...

It did not taste like alcohol at all. It tasted like sujeonggwa, a cinnamon-ginger punch, and was subtly sweet and delicious.

It did not feel like alcohol at all, so calling it drinking food feels a bit odd... but having it with nutty, juicy yukjeon made the moju go down even more easily!

Spicy, savory galbi hot pot broth

While we were drinking the moju, the galbi hot pot began to boil. We cut the long ribs into easy-to-eat pieces.

It was so good that before I knew it, I had finished the moju. My husband said moju was tasty but did not feel like alcohol, so this time he suggested makgeolli to go with the warming galbi hot pot.

I remembered not liking fresh makgeolli when I drank long ago, so I was worried~ but this makgeolli had a refreshing taste too?

Perhaps because the spicy house seasoning and broth base are made with natural ingredients and fruit, it was spicy and savory without being overpowering. It was the kind of flavor that made the makgeolli go down smoothly~

And not just the meat and vegetables in the galbi hot pot—the broth was deep, rich, and even sweet! Mixing rice into it was so delicious, it could give kimchi jjigae a run for its money. Eating it this way made me wonder how delicious the fried rice would be, but I was far too full to order it 🥹

We finished both bottles of alcohol, the galbi hot pot, yukjeon, and all the side dishes~ I truly thought my stomach was going to burst, haha.

Hanok Maeul Mulgalbi's galbi hot pot is not overpowering, yet has a deep, gently sweet flavor that people of all ages can enjoy without much risk of divided opinions. The restaurant was also pleasant and comfortable for a meal. If you are considering a hearty, delicious Korean meal in Jeonju Hanok Village, do make a visit!

Parking and visitor information

• Daily 11:00–22:00
• Break time Mon–Fri 15:00–16:30
• No break time Sat–Sun
• Groups, parking, takeout, and reservations available / separate restrooms for men and women
• Five parking spaces available in front of the restaurant; use public parking when full
• 2-minute walk from the rear entrance of Jeonju Hanok Village No. 1 Public Parking Lot