Hapjeong Station bar with pork platter and wild kiwi soju: Bako Jumak

Bako Jumak, a bar near Hapjeong Station, with a pork belly and skirt meat platter and stir-fried pork intestines and gizzards

I was looking for somewhere in Hapjeong to have dinner and a light drink with a friend, and ended up at Bako Jumak.

What we ordered at Bako Jumak

Bako Jumak had more menu variety than I expected, so we spent a while deciding before going meat-heavy for the night. We ordered han-don samgyeop-dwitgogi modeum (small) — a mixed platter of Korean pork belly and skirt meat — the gopchang-dongjip bokkeum (salt, small), a stir-fry of pork intestines and gizzards, and dallae soju to drink.

As soon as we sat down, gangnaengi (roasted corn kernels) came out as the complimentary starter. Easy to pop one at a time while waiting for the food.

What does dallae (wild kiwi) soju taste like?

Instead of the usual soju, I picked dallae soju (made with wild kiwi) this time, and its subtle fruity aroma went well with the meat. Chatting away with my friend over a light drink, the main dishes came out pretty quickly.

Pork belly and pork skirt meat platter (small)

First up, the han-don samgyeop-dwitgogi modeum (small)! This mixed platter of Korean pork belly and skirt meat let us try several cuts at once.

Grilled until golden brown, the pork had that unmistakable savory flavor, and each cut had a slightly different texture, which made picking through them fun.

The dwitgogi (skirt meat) especially had a chewy texture that got better the more you chewed — a great match for drinks.

The pork belly had a rich, savory flavor and was even better eaten hot off the grill. My friend and I kept picking at it and the plate emptied faster than I expected, haha.

Pork intestine and gizzard stir-fry, salted (small)

We also ordered the gopchang-dongjip bokkeum (salt) — pork intestines and gizzards stir-fried together, giving us a different vibe from the belly and skirt meat.

Seasoned simply with salt, it was clean and easy to eat,

and the gizzards had a firm, springy bite that made chewing fun.

The intestines added a chewier texture, so even within one dish we got two different mouthfeels.

Is it enough food for two to share?

Ordering two meat dishes worked well for sharing bites while chatting, and both went nicely with the dallae soju. Bako Jumak has a fairly wide range of anju, so it also seemed like a good spot for a bigger group to order several dishes and share.

If you love meat-based anju like we do, ordering the han-don samgyeop-dwitgogi modeum together with the gopchang-dongjip bokkeum seems like a solid combo. It's a good place to stop by in Hapjeong for a relaxed drink with a friend over good food. Next time, I'd like to try some of the other anju on the menu too :)

Bako Jumak location, hours and parking near Hapjeong Station

• Address: 27 Dokmak-ro 7-gil, 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Directions: about 498m, 5–7 min walk from Hapjeong Station Exit 3 / about 400m from Hapjeong or Sangsu Station, about 900m (15 min walk) from Hongik Univ. Station
• Parking: Seogyo-dong No.4 private lot, ~1 min walk, ₩3,600 per 30 min / Hapjeong 1 public lot, ~2 min walk, ₩500 per 5 min
• Hours: daily 17:00–04:00, last order 03:00