₩10,000 unlimited soju and beer in Duam-dong, Gwangju: Sin Jjukkumi

Why we drove back to Sin Jjukkumi in Duam-dong after work

Sin Jjukkumi Duam Branch is a jjukkumi (spicy webfoot octopus) and pork belly all-you-can-eat restaurant on the Duam-dong restaurant street in Buk-gu, Gwangju, and this was my second visit. I'm pharmacist CHU. Standing all day filling prescriptions and counseling patients at a pharmacy in front of Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital really drains my energy by the time I clock out, and the only thing that can wipe out that exhaustion and stress in one shot is a proper fiery spicy meal!

I'd actually raved about this place on my blog once before, and I simply couldn't forget that umami-packed spicy flavor and the generous all-you-can-eat value, so the moment I got off work I dragged a friend along for a repeat visit! A certified true 'go-back spot' if there ever was one. This time around we went all in again — jjukkumi and meat refills plus the ₩10,000 per person unlimited drinks add-on — and cranked the mood right up. We even cleared the finishing K-dessert fried rice down to the last grain. Here's my honest second review!

Where is Sin Jjukkumi Duam Branch? Hours and parking

• Name: Sin Jjukkumi Unlimited Refill Duam Branch
• Address: 4 Bamsil-ro 181beon-gil, Buk-gu, Gwangju, South Korea, 1st floor
• Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 16:00–23:00
• Closed: Every Monday

One reason I love this place is the warm, lively atmosphere of the Duam-dong restaurant street it sits on. With so many good restaurants clustered together, the whole neighborhood buzzes with energy, and wandering the alleys is fun in itself. Plus there are plenty of open roadside parking spots nearby, so even on a busy restaurant strip you can visit without any parking stress — a real perk.

The storefront has such a bright, eye-catching sign that you can spot it from far away, so even first-timers won't have trouble finding it.

Seats and atmosphere: watching baseball while you grill

Walk into Sin Jjukkumi Duam Branch and you'll find a large TV mounted on the wall, making it a perfect spot to eat while watching a baseball game. And when a Kia Tigers game — the soul of Gwangju locals — happens to be on, cheering along with good food is double the fun!

Further inside there are high-backed, semi-separated seats too, which are great for a more private, quiet meal.

₩23,500 buffet plus ₩10,000 unlimited soju and beer per person

The single biggest reason I have to recommend Sin Jjukkumi Duam Branch is the jaw-dropping value written right on the menu! For ₩23,500 for adults and middle/high schoolers, you can help yourself endlessly to jjukkumi, fresh pork belly, and thin-sliced pork belly at the self-serve bar.

But the real highlight is that for just ₩10,000 per person, you get unlimited soju and beer. The dedicated drinks fridge is stocked full, and you just help yourself without worrying about the staff watching — a system I really appreciate. Thanks to this unlimited drinks deal, my friend and I kept walking back and forth to the fridge all night because the side dishes were just too good, and we drank to our hearts' content.

The taegeuk-patterned half-and-half grill pan explained

Another signature feature of Sin Jjukkumi Duam Branch is its uniquely shaped 'taegeuk half-and-half grill pan.' It's a round cast-iron pan with delicate ring textures like tree growth rings, split perfectly in an S-shape. Pork belly goes on one side, and bright red jjukkumi on the other, each side optimized for grilling its own ingredient.

What's on the self-serve bar at Sin Jjukkumi

Let's take a look at the neatly kept self-serve corner. This place's biggest charm, hands down, is the generous all-you-can-eat system where you can help yourself as much as you want without any hesitation!

It's filled with plump jjukkumi soaked in a bright red special sauce, and the freezer case has good-quality, thick fresh pork belly and jjukkumi's soulmate — thin-sliced pork belly — kept fresh and ready.

Vegetables and side dishes that go well with the meal, like bean sprouts, shredded scallions, and pickled radish, are also kept hygienically and neatly stocked, so all you have to do is build your plate however you like and you're ready to eat!

A regular's tip for grilling jjukkumi just right

Just look at that visual — meat and jjukkumi piled high on the unique half-and-half cast-iron pan. Pretty overwhelming, right?

On one side, rosy pork belly turns golden brown, and on the other, the bright red jjukkumi sauce sizzles and bubbles as it cooks — just watching it is enough to make your appetite explode.

Here's one important tip from a true regular! If you leave the jjukkumi sauce on the pan too long and let it scorch and stick, the sauce reduces down and can quickly turn too salty. Keep adjusting the heat and flipping it often so the sauce doesn't burn or harden, and eat it while it's still moist — that's when the umami really shines.

Take a bite of well-cooked jjukkumi and you'll find it's not an artificial capsaicin heat but a satisfying, fiery spiciness that clings pleasantly to your mouth. The thin, tender sliced pork belly soaks up plenty of the spicy jjukkumi sauce and goes down smoothly, while the thick fresh pork belly bursts with savory fat and juices with every bite, mellowing out the spice. The combination of fiery jjukkumi and two kinds of pork belly is the textbook definition of the perfect sweet-salty-spicy balance!

Finishing the meal with griddle fried rice

No matter how full you are or how much you've had to drink, it's a crime to leave without fried rice made on the pan, mixing the leftover jjukkumi sauce with rich meat drippings. The crackling sound of rice grains cooking on the griddle and the smell of toasted sesame oil filling the air brought my appetite right back, even though I was already stuffed.

And there it is — the textbook K-dessert, griddle fried rice! Pressing the rice down onto the pan, then scraping up the crispy, sweet-and-spicy bits stuck to the bottom with a spoon — what a joy! The deep umami of the meat and jjukkumi soaked perfectly into every grain, and it was so addictive I couldn't put my spoon down until the very last bite. Carbs really are the ultimate finish.

Who will love Sin Jjukkumi Duam Branch

On a day when my stress hit its peak, I got proper healing from spicy jjukkumi, meat, and refreshing unlimited drinks. In a time when dining out prices are terrifying, being able to eat your fill of two kinds of quality pork belly and jjukkumi for just over ₩20,000 feels like a genuinely generous deal. And with unlimited drinks for just ₩10,000, there's no better option for whoever's organizing a company dinner or group gathering on a decent budget.

Once you go, you'll definitely end up going back a second and third time — that's how addictive Sin Jjukkumi Duam Branch is! I highly recommend it whenever you want to eat your fill of good-quality meat and jjukkumi at a fair price, or catch up with friends over drinks.