Hongdae Korean BBQ, wood interior and myeongi namul wraps: Gogikkun

Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch (고기꾼김춘배 홍대본점) is a Korean BBQ place known for great pork belly and beef in Hongdae. Good value, a good set menu, a great Hongdae find. The atmosphere is nice too, and above all the meat is so fresh that it's a Hapjeong-area spot I'd want to take friends to. Here's my detailed review, one step at a time! :)

Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae: exterior and parking

There's a standing sign in front of the restaurant, and for parking you can use a nearby public parking lot. The sign alone already has serious Hongdae-hotspot vibes, and I was so taken by how it looked that I headed straight in ◡̈

It's a Hongdae pork belly restaurant recognized by News Today of the Korea Press Reporters Association! Seeing the certification mark makes it feel so much more trustworthy, haha.

What are the atmosphere and seating like?

Gogikkun Hongdae is a wood-interior restaurant spread over the 3rd and 4th floors, so the mood is really warm. It's a comfortable space for a meal, and it's roomy and pleasant, which makes it perfect for a group gathering in Hongdae~

There are plenty of staff, too, so this Hongdae pork belly spot grills the meat for you, piece by piece.

What does the Hanwoo/HanDon set for 2 include, and how much is it?

What I ordered at Gogikkun Hongdae was the Hanwoo/HanDon set for 2 (Korean beef and Korean pork): pork belly (150g), fresh galbi-sal (rib meat, 250g) and today's hanwoo (200g) for ₩118,000.

Look at that gorgeous beef. The set comes with the beef of the day. See the marbling~? It looks super fresh and delicious ^^

The mushroom has "Gogikkun Gim Chunbae" written on it. You know it's even better grilled whole alongside the meat, right~?

What side dishes come out?

The basic sides at Gogikkun Hongdae include seasoned scallion salad, lettuce wraps, myeongi namul (pickled wild garlic-like leaves), white kimchi, scallion kimchi, ssamjang (wrap sauce) and more~ I especially love that they bring out the pricey myeongi namul 👍🏻

Staff-grilled hanwoo of the day and myeongi namul wraps

At Gogikkun Hongdae the staff grill the meat for you, so you can just sit back and eat, which is great~ Beef really is love, right~? The smell of beef grilling had me dying to dig in.

The first bite was so juicy, with a lovely fresh beef aroma! The galbi-sal is so good, isn't it~? Above all, the meat quality is excellent.

My beloved myeongi namul 💚 Wrapped in the tangy myeongi namul, it tastes even better. It's an expensive side, but since they serve it as a free side dish, I can pile it on without worrying, which I love >_<

It's good on its own, but it was even better with beef, pickled onion, scallion salad and a dab of ssamjang piled on my favorite lettuce wrap. Fresh vegetables and beef are a love story.

The mushroom is juicy, chewy and tender too, and it's even better with the meat. Mushrooms really are best eaten with meat^^

How do the fresh galbi-sal and pork belly taste?

They put the pork belly on the grill too. You know the meat can't stop coming, right~?

The fresh galbi-sal is tender and chewy. It's chewy and clean-tasting, which makes it even better~~^^

They put the pork belly on right away too~ It'd be a shame to have meat without pork belly, haha.

The golden ratio of lean meat to fat is so good! The richness of the fat and the juicy lean meat are both delicious. Looking at the photos makes me want to eat it again. It was a thoroughly satisfying meal.

Finishing with half-and-half naengmyeon and kkakdugi fried rice

To finish the meal at Gogikkun Hongdae, I had half-and-half naengmyeon (cold noodles) and kkakdugi fried rice for 2.

Half-and-half naengmyeon

The regular naengmyeon is so good~^^ The spicy bibim naengmyeon is seriously good too~ The seasoning and the broth are totally on point~

Kkakdugi fried rice for 2. It has crunchy kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) in it~

It's fried rice with kkakdugi in it~ Nutty, spicy and so good ❤️ Koreans really do believe rice is the truth, haha. The fried rice was a perfect finish and made me happy.

Who is Gogikkun Hongdae good for?

If you're looking for tasty pork belly and beef in Hongdae, you have to try Gogikkun Hongdae. The atmosphere is nice too, so it's great as a Hongdae date spot! The space is large, so it's also good for groups.