Yongbong-dong jokbal restaurant with rice balls, Gwangju: Kkankkanhan

I was looking for a proper place to eat and have a drink around Yongbong-dong, and ended up at Kkankkanhan Jokbal Yongbong Branch!!! From the clean exterior to the interior space, it felt so pleasant that I was in a good mood the moment I walked in ✨✨

Kkankkanhan Jokbal Yongbong Branch

Inside Kkankkanhan Jokbal Yongbong Branch: wide spacing between tables

The first thing that caught my eye was how open the space felt — the store itself is on the larger side, and the tables were spaced generously apart, which I really loved... 🐥

At restaurants with tight spacing you often hear every word from the next table, or it's awkward to move around, but here there was no pressure at all, whether gathering with a group for drinks or having a quiet chat as a couple!!!

Drinks while watching baseball on the TV

Another highlight — you can watch baseball on the TV inside! During baseball season, there's nothing better than a cold beer or soju while watching the game, and the setup here lets you enjoy the game without missing a beat while eating delicious jokbal, so baseball fans, welcome! Before baseball starts, it's soccer.. ⚽️✨

The couple's set plus a rice ball: what two people got

What we ordered that day was the couple's set made up of charcoal-grilled jokbal (pig's trotters) and makguksu (buckwheat noodles). We added a rice ball on top!! Honestly, makguksu and rice ball are the unwritten rule when eating jokbal ❗️ The portion was quite generous for two people, so it felt like a full, satisfying spread 💚

The basic side dishes and steamed egg!!!!! Fluffy and delicious ☺️

And the fish cake soup!!!! Fish cake soup is the best drinking snack.. 💛

The rice ball we added extra came topped generously with savory roasted seaweed flakes, popping flying fish roe, and pickled radish. Putting on plastic gloves and rolling it up into a ball to eat alongside the jokbal is half the fun 🧡🧡

How the charcoal-grilled jokbal tasted

Finally, the main dish arrives! The moment it hit the table, the subtle smoky char scent brushing past my nose was striking. It wasn't overly burnt-feeling — just the right amount of the savory, slightly smoky charcoal aroma clinging to the skin 👍

An essential combo with jokbal!!!! Makguksu ✨✨✨ Ah, why do I love noodles so much... The makguksu was so good!! It comes topped with neatly shredded cabbage, lettuce and other vegetables, plus plenty of tangy-sweet sauce ❣️

The skin was chewy yet soft, and the meat held its moisture well, so it wasn't dry — nice and clean-tasting ✨ The seasoning wasn't too strong and there wasn't an overpowering herbal-medicine scent, so it stayed enjoyable bite after bite!!!! Wrapping a piece with the pickled radish or lettuce and a bit of garlic makes it super clean

Eating the jokbal with makguksu noodles

The makguksu! 🍝 The noodles hadn't gone soft and stayed springy, so there was a nice bite to it, and the sauce wasn't too spicy, with the sharpness toned down into a mild sweet-and-spicy style. Rolling a piece of jokbal in a strand of makguksu noodle and eating it together cuts through the richness completely while adding a tangy, savory depth 😍

The rice ball we added

The rice ball! 🍙 Perfectly seasoned, it paired well with the charcoal aroma of the jokbal, and it was also good with a bit of the makguksu sauce on top. Adding a rice ball to the set made the meal feel so much more complete — as expected, people really do need their rice..!!!😋

Why Kkankkanhan Jokbal works as a Yongbong-dong drinking spot too

Clean jokbal with a nicely absorbed charcoal aroma, tangy makguksu, and a rice ball to fill you up on carbs ✨ The drinking-snack lineup is so solid that it naturally makes you want a drink 🍻

Paired with a cold soju or beer, it cleanly washes away any greasy feeling — a perfect match as a drinking snack 👍 The wide table spacing makes it easy to chat comfortably over drinks, and you can even watch a baseball game on the TV screen, so it seems like a great Yongbong-dong restaurant and Yongbong-dong bar to stop by!!

For anyone who wants clean, deep charcoal jokbal flavor without being overly intense, or who wants to have a relaxed drink in a spacious, uncramped space, I fully recommend Kkankkanhan Jokbal in Yongbong-dong!!