Myeongdong Korean BBQ with bone-in pork belly: Yuktongnyeong

My husband and I went to Myeongdong recently. I'd heard there was a Blue Ribbon-rated pork belly place there, and I was curious just how good it had to be to earn that. 😉 So here's my review of Yuktongnyeong, a Myeongdong favorite.

Where is Yuktongnyeong Myeongdong Main Branch, and what are the hours?

Yuktongnyeong Myeongdong Main Branch is at 37-2 Myeongdong 8na-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea, just 217m from Exit 5 of Myeongdong Station (Line 4). You can also get there from Exit 6 of Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station (Line 2). It's open daily from 11:30 to 23:00.

For reference, it's right in front of the new large Uniqlo store.

Inside Yuktongnyeong: three floors with group seating

Yuktongnyeong spans three floors. The building also houses Eunseong Yangkkopchang, so you can enjoy both pork belly and grilled intestines in one visit.

There's group seating too, so it seems like a great spot for company dinners with coworkers nearby.

Usually there's a long wait, but since we came a bit after the lunch rush, we got to eat at a relaxed pace. Yuktongnyeong has held a Blue Ribbon rating since 2021, so my expectations were even higher.

Yuktongnyeong menu and prices

What stood out about Yuktongnyeong was that the pork is aged with omija (schisandra berry).

• Omija-aged black pork premium yukgyeopsal 20,000 won
• Omija-aged black pork wang-do-kki-bbyeo pork belly 49,000 won
• Omija-aged Gwanggaeto black pork belly 17,000 won
• Omija-aged Gwanggaeto handmade pork ribs 18,000 won
• Omija-aged Gwanggaeto pork belly 16,000 won

🌱 We ordered (for two people): omija-aged black pork wang-do-kki-bbyeo pork belly 49,000 won, mul-naengmyeon 8,000 won, and soju.

They also brew their own craft beer at Yuktongnyeong, just so you know.

Banchan and the six dipping sauces at Yuktongnyeong

First, the banchan (side dishes) were set out. The scallion salad that pairs so well with pork belly looked appetizing too.

For dipping the meat, they bring out ssamjang (soybean-chili paste), salted hairtail, omija sauce, salted shrimp, wasabi, and wine salt. I loved being able to try the meat so many different ways.

The salad was fresh and went really well with the meat.

There was also white kimchi, pickled cucumber, myeong-i namul (wild garlic leaves), and more on the side — such a satisfying spread. Every single banchan was delicious 👏🏻

The pickled perilla leaves in particular were seasoned just right — wrapping the meat in them was genuinely amazing. Definitely try these with the pork.

Omija-aged black pork bone-in pork belly, 49,000 won: seriously thick cuts

Finally, our omija-aged black pork wang-do-kki-bbyeo pork belly arrived. Wow, doesn't it look incredible? 👍 The cut was thick and the quality looked top-notch. Pass!

As it slowly cooked over the charcoal, the thickness of this omija-aged black pork wang-do-kki-bbyeo pork belly was just unbelievable.

Staff grill the pork for you at the table

The staff grilled the meat themselves and cut it into bite-sized pieces, which made eating so much easier. And since they grill it to just the right doneness, the meat practically melts in your mouth. 🫶🏻

The black pork wang-do-kki-bbyeo pork belly cooking beautifully.

You can see the juices coming out as it cooks — I couldn't wait to dig in!

Watching the meat sizzle over the charcoal again just makes me want to eat it all over again.

Once cooked through, they cut it into easy-to-eat pieces and move it to keep it warm. For the first piece, they suggested trying it plain, and wow — the juiciness combined with that chewy-yet-tender texture was genuinely delicious! 👏🏻

The meat was so good on its own that even dipped in plain salt, which preserves the pork's natural flavor, it was still fantastic.

The whole mushrooms served on the side looked so appetizing too. We ate them alongside the pork, and they were wonderfully chewy and delicious.

Finishing with mul-naengmyeon cold noodles, 8,000 won

To finish, we had mul-naengmyeon (cold noodle soup). I debated between rice with stew and cold noodles, but went with the naengmyeon. Cold noodles after grilled pork — pure love 😊

Why Yuktongnyeong Myeongdong Main Branch keeps its Blue Ribbon

I get why Yuktongnyeong keeps its Blue Ribbon rating year after year. The meat was moist and tender yet still had that chew, and I kept saying 'this is so good' the whole time I was eating. Once you try it, you immediately understand why it's a Blue Ribbon pork belly place 😉

The staff were friendly, and the two of us ate our fill from what we ordered. Having the staff grill the meat for us made the whole meal so relaxed and enjoyable. I'd recommend this place for company dinners or family meals in Myeongdong. Next time, I want to come back with my kid.