Radish-salad pairing at a Hongdae Korean BBQ in Seoul: Chopilsal

Today I want to share a story about finally getting properly grilled pork belly in Hongdae after a long while. This time I visited Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch.

If you search for restaurants near Hongik University Station, so many kinds of Korean BBQ places come up, but this one is especially known for its thick pork belly and pork skin, so I'd been curious about it for a while. On top of that, it's only a few minutes' walk from Exit 1 of Hongik University Station, so the accessibility was really good.

Where is Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch, and what is the space like?

Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch is located at 172 Donggyo-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, and uses both the 1st and 2nd floors. It has that lively Hongdae energy that's perfect for eating meat, and the seating setup was good for groups too.

Accessibility matters a lot when looking for a Korean BBQ place near Hongik University Station, and being so close to the station made it easy to meet friends or grab dinner after work.

What is on the menu at Chopilsal Pork Grill?

The menu at Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch is pretty straightforward. Grilled pork dishes like salted ogyeopsal, pork skin, real dwitgogi, and chorang galbi are the main focus, and there are also meal options like kimchi jjigae, zucchini doenjang jjigae, cold noodles, double cheese egg steamer, and radish rice bowl — great for visiting with family too.

This time, as expected, I mainly went for the salted ogyeopsal I'd been most looking forward to.

How thick is the salted ogyeopsal at Chopilsal?

The first thing that caught my eye when the salted ogyeopsal came out was the thickness. It was noticeably thicker than typical samgyeopsal, and at first I wondered if it would cook through properly, but as it grilled slowly, the outside browned nicely while the inside stayed juicy. You could really feel that chewy texture unique to ogyeopsal.

For the first bite, I dipped it in just plain salt, and the savory pork flavor came through pretty clearly. Then I gradually started changing up how I ate it.

Myeongi, radish salad or meljeot: which pairing was best?

I tried the salted ogyeopsal with minari nari, radish salad, and salted anchovy paste in turn, and personally, the ogyeopsal plus radish salad combo worked really well. The savoriness of the thick pork belly meets the tangy, slightly spicy radish salad, and it cleans up your palate nicely. Adding salted anchovy paste on top gives it yet another dimension.

It was a place where switching up the different dips and sides was more fun than just eating a piece of meat plain.

Grilled pork skin, the other reason to visit this Hongdae BBQ

And a menu item you can't skip at Chopilsal Pork Grill is the pork skin. Chopilsal Pork Grill is also quite famous for its pork skin, and after actually trying it, I understood why so many people order it. The chewy texture unique to pork skin combined with its savory flavor made it a great drinking snack, and it was also good to add at the end after eating the main meat.

Personally, I visited looking for restaurants near Hongik University Station mainly for the ogyeopsal, but the pork skin made me want to make it the main dish on my next visit.

Is Chopilsal worth it as a Korean BBQ near Hongik University Station?

I also liked that the menu at Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch isn't complicated, so you can focus on the pork itself. The ogyeopsal has a satisfying chew thanks to its thickness, and being able to use various sides like minari nari, radish salad, and salted anchovy paste meant I could enjoy the same meat in several different ways.

Given its location in Hongdae, it's a great spot to meet friends for dinner, and the atmosphere suits having a drink with your meat too. It was a bit different from typical samgyeopsal — the juiciness and chewy texture that come from the thickness, and the pork's own flavor that comes alive when eaten with salt and salted anchovy paste.

A must-visit restaurant near Hongik University Station, Chopilsal Pork Grill — the ogyeopsal is on a different level

If you're looking for thick, properly grilled pork belly in Hongdae, this place is worth a visit. Next time I go, I plan to properly try both the ogyeopsal and the pork skin together.