Changwon pork restaurant for a new-love celebration: Hanpanjip

When you meet up with a friend after a long time, where do you usually go? A restaurant, a café, or straight to a bar—something like that. When I meet someone one-on-one, I do not often go to a bar; when there are three or four of us or more, though, we tend to head straight there. We fill up on hearty meat for the first round, then have drinks with better bar snacks for the second and enjoy a good time together.

This time, I heard the lovely news that one of my closest friends had found the most charming, lovable woman who suits him best in his life, and I spent some good time with him while treating him to a congratulatory meal. I have been happily dating for a year myself, so whenever I hear good news like that from friends or people around me, I naturally feel happy and want to celebrate.

I was sad that I had not even seen him over the Lunar New Year holiday, so when we finally met one-on-one with this good news, I wanted to treat him to some delicious pork. I had eaten at Hanpanjip before in Jinhae, and I heard a branch had opened in Gaeum-dong, Changwon, so I contacted him right away and went without hesitation. There was a long wait, too. My friend was so pleased that he said we should meet here again next time.

Ready-grilled pork at Hanpanjip Changwon Gaeum Branch

Hanpanjip says it uses only top-quality pork and carefully ages it for the most delicious condition. The aged meat is cooked over charcoal for a deeper, richer flavor. They select domestic 1+ grade female pork, wet-age it at low temperature for more than 240 hours, then cook it completely over charcoal at about 1,000 degrees Celsius before serving it. In other words, diners can immediately enjoy deliciously grilled meat without grilling it themselves. The prices are very reasonable too, so it is popular and waits are common.

The restaurant is inside Gaeumjeong Market in Gaeum-dong, Seongsan-gu, Changwon, Gyeongnam. Namsan Green Park, Wetland Park, Youth Square, and Rose Park are nearby, so it is nice to take a walk after eating. It is also close to Changwon Tunnel, making it easy to reach from Gimhae and Jangyu.

Hanpanjip Changwon Gaeum Branch

Gaeumjeong Market parking and the wait

This is the Gaeumjeong Market parking lot. When I visited, there were plenty of spaces, so I easily parked on the third floor, took the elevator down, and entered the market directly. It was only a short walk to Hanpanjip Changwon Gaeum Branch. I wanted to photograph the restaurant sign and exterior too, but the dinner-time wait was so long that I did not want to stir people up, so I could not take exterior photos.

A tidy interior where the pork is grilled for you

The pork restaurant has a simple, tidy interior, making it a comfortable place to enjoy meat and drinks. You can store coats, bags, and other belongings inside the chairs. The kitchen is at the very back, where the owner personally grills the pork deliciously over high-heat charcoal. I got closer to take photos, and the skill really is on another level.

Ordering the minari platter and meal dishes

There is a clearly arranged menu board on the wall, but you can see the menu in greater detail on the tablet at the table, including tips for enjoying Hanpanjip deliciously.

• Small minari platter ₩39,900
• Spicy seafood ramen ₩4,500
• Kimchi-cheese fried rice ₩5,500

We ordered like this and waited.

Generous side dishes and a fully grilled platter

The pork is quite good value, you know? But look—the complimentary side dishes are generous too. There are lots of varieties, and you get no fewer than six sauces, plus steamed egg as a service item. Really perfect.

This is what the fully grilled platter looks like. It has a balanced mix of thick samgyeopsal (pork belly) and pork neck, with pork skin underneath. There are also minari (water parsley), bean sprouts, and kimchi, which make an exquisite combination when cooked and eaten together. Looking at it again makes my mouth water—it looks that delicious. Is this not such a generous spread? That is why it truly is a great-value restaurant.

A celebratory meal with my friend

My friend was already in a good mood from starting a happy new relationship, and the delicious pork made him even happier, so he chatted away. I listened carefully, reacted along with him, and we had a fun time together. The spicy seafood ramen and kimchi-cheese fried rice were hearty and tasty too, so we ate well from beginning to end.

There is a reason restaurants with a wait are popular. I recommend it!