Siheung Korean restaurant for scallion bulgogi: Bulhyangjip

We were craving meat for dinner, so my husband and I headed to a barbecue restaurant around Mulwang Lake, haha. I went in half expectant and half excited after hearing that they carefully grill it over charcoal—and it really was different.

Bulhyangjip Mulwang Lake Main Branch: basics and parking

It is on the first floor at 46-2 Dongseo-ro 811beon-gil, Siheung-si, Gyeonggi-do, and is open from 11:00 to 20:30. Break time is 15:00–17:00, and last orders are at 20:00. It is regularly closed every Monday; when Monday falls in a holiday period, it opens as usual and closes Tuesday instead. A notice also said it stays open during the Chuseok holiday! Such useful news if you're worried about holiday closures 🙌

There is a spacious parking lot that fits about 30 cars.

Charcoal pre-grilling beside the mountains and lake

Bulhyangjip is said to have been started by a master who spent 49 years charcoal pre-grilling meat at the foot of Gwanaksan near Seoul National University. The current Bulhyangjip Mulwang Lake Main Branch is said to have carried that same skilled touch over to the local-food village by Mulwang Reservoir.

The restaurant has plenty of four- and six-person tables as well as floor seating, but we picked a terrace-style seat by the large windows. We could also watch meat being grilled directly over charcoal on one side, and you could really feel the care going into it.

Charcoal scallion bulgogi menu and our order

You order by tablet, and beyond the signature dishes, there was a satisfying range of meals, sides, and set menus.

• Charcoal scallion bulgogi — ₩15,900
• Charcoal gochujang bulgogi — ₩15,900
• Charcoal pre-grilled pork belly — ₩16,900
• Bulhyangjip spicy mixed noodles — ₩9,000
• Country Grandma soybean paste stew — ₩5,000
• Mom's steamed egg — ₩7,000
• Cold noodle soup / spicy mixed cold noodles — ₩8,000

We ordered two charcoal scallion bulgogis, one charcoal gochujang bulgogi, Bulhyangjip spicy mixed noodles, and Country Grandma soybean paste stew.

Instructions for ordering and enjoying the food were on the table, so we read them while we waited.

There was also a tip for making a “magic sauce”: add chili peppers and garlic to the house special sauce for an extra sharp kick. I tried it with just Cheongyang chili peppers 😋

Charcoal scallion bulgogi with golden-browned scallions

The basic side dishes were cabbage salad, seasoned bean sprouts, seasoned shredded radish, seasoned greens, napa cabbage kimchi, and wrap greens. They said the side dishes are all made in-house.

There is also a self-service bar, where you can refill the basic sides and pick up a variety of wrap greens beyond the standard ones.

The charcoal scallion bulgogi pairs pork bulgogi with sweet shredded scallions, grilled over charcoal. At a glance, it almost looks like a scallion pancake!

The meat arrives fully cooked, so you only need to turn it so it does not burn. They say the scallions get tastier as they cook, so I focused on browning those nicely.

For my first bite, I picked up only the meat—and this was not artificial smoke flavor, but the real charcoal aroma itself 🔥 The balance of fat and lean meat was good, so every chew released juices with a tender texture.

Eating it with the Cheongyang chili peppers in the special sauce brought sweetness and a sharp spice that cut straight through the richness.

I grilled the shredded scallions until they went soft, and even I, someone who normally dislikes the smell of scallions, kept reaching for them because they were sweet without that smell, haha. I also wrapped the meat and scallions in greens, and the smoky flavor came through with a crisp texture.

Gochujang bulgogi, soybean paste stew, and spicy mixed noodles

The charcoal gochujang bulgogi we added had a sweet-spicy gochujang seasoning and was such a rice thief, but I personally preferred the scallion bulgogi.

Country Grandma soybean paste stew is made with traditionally aged doenjang (fermented soybean paste), and from the first spoonful, the deep soybean-paste flavor and savory richness hit all at once~! Its earthy aroma rose from the broth, and mixed into rice, it was the kind of flavor that made me keep eating,, 🍚

They say the spicy mixed noodles are made with vegetable broth fermented for 14 days. The sweet-sour-spicy sauce came generously topped with sesame seeds, white kimchi, and cucumber. The noodles had a broth-y bibim-noodle feel that refreshed my palate after the meat. First comes the tang, then the nutty sesame flavor—this combination is quietly addictive 😆

Questions about this Mulwang Lake barbecue restaurant

Is parking available?

Yes, there is a spacious lot that can accommodate about 30 cars.

How do you eat the scallion bulgogi?

The scallion bulgogi arrives fully cooked, so simply warm it while turning it so it does not burn.

Which tasted better, the scallion bulgogi or gochujang bulgogi?

For us, the scallion bulgogi worked better because the scallion flavor and charcoal smokiness went together so well.

I keep thinking about the true charcoal aroma from the pre-grilling and the sweetness of the shredded scallions. With its terrace-style large-window seats and self-service bar, it also seemed like a nice choice for a family gathering.