AI robot pre-grills pork at Ddeoggogi Ttaenggijae, a Gyeongju Hyeongok

I'd heard there was a great BBQ spot in Hyeongok, Gyeongju, so after work on a Friday night I rushed straight over — and true to its reputation as a Gyeongju BBQ hotspot, the place was packed.

The interesting thing about Ddeoggogi Ttaenggijae (뒷고기 땡기재) is that a robot pre-grills the meat for you — curious, right?? Here's my review of this Gyeongju samgyeopsal spot!

Location and parking at Ddeoggogi Ttaenggijae

This Gyeongju Hyeongok BBQ restaurant sits on the road across from the Hyeongok-myeon Central Prugio Apartments. You can park in the lot behind the shop or on the street (though the street in front is enforced for parking from 7:30am to 6pm).

Exterior

This Gyeongju Hyeongok BBQ spot was really clean. Most ddeotgogi places have that old-school, weathered vibe, but Ddeoggogi Ttaenggijae felt more like a polished, stylish BBQ restaurant, you know?!

Interior vibe and the AI robot pre-grilling

The inside was totally clean and stylish too. The tables were spotless and spaced generously, so we could talk comfortably with our group.

And here's the thing I was most curious about on the way over — the robot that pre-grills the meat!!! I knew robots were doing all sorts of things these days, but I didn't expect one to be pre-grilling meat too. The AI robot has cameras and sensors, so apparently it can pre-grill more precisely than a human.

You order through the tablet at each table.

Menu at Ddeoggogi Ttaenggijae

This Gyeongju Hyeongok BBQ spot doesn't just serve ddeotgogi — there's a wide range of meat dishes.

• Ddeotgogi platter (500g)
• Ddeotgogi half platter (250g)
• Ddeotgogi combo special (platter + pork jowl + pork belly) (700g)
• Whole female pork belly (120g)
• Whole pork neck (120g)
• Whole pork jowl (100g)
• Whole pork belly platter (500g)
• Whole pork neck platter (500g)
• Whole pork belly and pork neck combo platter (700g)
• Makchang (pork intestine) special (makchang 300g + ddeotgogi platter 500g)
• Pork rib special (pork rib 400g + ddeotgogi platter 500g)

We were craving pork belly and pork neck, so we ordered the whole pork belly and pork neck combo platter!! I wanted a somaek (soju-beer mix) but I'd driven, so I had to skip it, haha.

I liked the water at Ddeoggogi Ttaenggijae right from the start. Instead of the default bottled water, they served my favorite brand of water, haha. I always forget the name, but it's my favorite.

Side dishes and steamed egg

Before the meat arrives, the basic side dishes come out first, and they looked amazing right off the bat. Apparently all the ingredients are domestic, and the side dishes are made by an ajumma (ma'am) who's run a side-dish shop for years. Homemade by an actual side-dish shop owner? Of course they'd taste good, right?? Yep — they were so good I almost finished them all before the meat even showed up, lol.

Steamed egg came out too, warm and fluffy with a drizzle of sesame oil — it warmed up my stomach nicely before diving into the meat.

The whole pork belly and pork neck combo platter, pre-grilled

Now the pork belly and pork neck combo platter, already pre-grilled by the AI robot, arrived.

We finished off the pre-grilled meat over the charcoal grill!! Since it came pre-grilled, it cooked much faster, which I loved. Waiting in front of the grill is usually the hardest part, but with the pre-grilling, that waiting time shrank — so happy, haha.

The meat cooked up nicely golden brown. They also grilled up some mushrooms and garlic to eat alongside.

Time to eat~~ Dipped it in ssamjang, dipped it in salt, wrapped it in lettuce, and ate it with pajaerayi (spicy scallion salad) — and honestly the pajaerayi was my favorite. Like a scallion muchim?! It's tasty on its own, but paired with the meat, the combo was next level. The pork belly and neck were both thick, incredibly tender, and the texture was amazing — juices bursting with every bite~~

Finishing with doenjang stew and rice

And of course, the essential final course at any Korean BBQ place — doenjang (soybean paste) stew and rice after the meat, no exceptions?!

The doenjang stew even had crab in it, along with tofu, mushrooms, radish, and a bunch of other ingredients. The broth was so good I polished off a whole bowl of rice with it. Really satisfying, delicious meal!!

Looking at the other tables, a lot of people were ordering ddeotgogi, so next time I want to come back and try that. (Even while we were eating, more customers kept coming in — that's how popular this place is.)

If you're looking for a great BBQ spot, samgyeopsal spot, or ddeotgogi spot in Hyeongok, Gyeongju — head to Ddeoggogi Ttaenggijae~~