Hongdae Korean BBQ after work: brisket ramen, doenjang stew, Yookmong

Why I came to Yookmong in Hongdae after work

After work, a friend and I went to Yookmong (육몽) in Hongdae for the hanwoo pork set. You know those days after work when you just crave meat? After a full day of working, I wanted a hearty meal, so we headed to Yookmong Hongdae, a well-known Korean BBQ spot in Hongdae.

I'd heard the reviews were good and the pork was delicious, and I'd wanted to try it for a while, so we went right when we got off work.

Yookmong is said to be a modern take on the idea of "juji yungnim" (주지육림, a lavish feast of wine and meat). The idea is to serve guests good drinks and good meat as if they were kings, and it felt like they cared about the atmosphere as much as the food. I was even more excited because they say they focus on doenjang stew (soybean paste stew), the basic of any BBQ place, and tender meat.

Yookmong Hongdae Main Branch location and hours

• Address: 19 Yanghwa-ro 16-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (floors 1-3)
• Hours: Mon-Thu 11:30 - 24:00
• Fri, Sat, Sun 11:30 - 1:00 the next day

A comfortable, cool interior even on a hot day

Inside, the air conditioning was cool and the tables were fairly far apart. It was quite hot the day we visited, so we ate indoors, and the heat vanished the moment we walked in. The place is clean, and with the wide spacing it was easy to chat with my friend and eat comfortably.

Throughout the meal the staff checked often to see if we needed anything, and they were friendly. The place was kept tidy, so we could relax, and thanks to the cool interior we spent a pleasant time even on a hot day.

What did two people order, and how much was it?

The two of us ordered the hanwoo pork set, brisket ramen, caviar cheese egg custard and two Zero Cokes. Here is what we got:

• Hanwoo pork set (snowflake pork collar + galbi pork belly + whole skirt meat + premium doenjang stew) ₩69,900
• Brisket ramen ₩8,000
• Caviar cheese egg custard ₩13,000
• Zero Coke x 2 ₩4,000

There were two of us and we wanted to try a bit of everything, so we chose the set.

What's in the pork set, and the recommended grilling order

The Yookmong hanwoo pork set lets you taste snowflake pork collar, galbi pork belly and whole skirt meat all at once. The set came out first and it looked generous just at a glance. You get a range of cuts without ordering one by one, which I liked.

They say it tastes much better if you eat in this order: pork collar → skirt meat → galbi pork belly.

How were the brisket ramen, doenjang stew and sides?

The Yookmong brisket ramen (₩8,000) had plenty of brisket, so the broth was rich and nutty. It was a good add-on. With so much brisket in it, the broth was much deeper and the savory flavor really came through. Taking a sip of hot broth in the middle of eating meat felt so filling. Personally I always eat ramen with BBQ, so this was a great choice.

The premium doenjang stew that comes with the set

The premium doenjang stew included in the pork set had a rich, earthy broth and wasn't salty. I'd always thought the doenjang stew at BBQ places was just a side, but Yookmong's was good enough to stand on its own. One bite of meat and a spoonful of stew was a really great combo. Because it wasn't salty, I enjoyed it to the very end.

For a drink I got Zero Coke, which is of course the classic partner for BBQ.

Caviar cheese egg custard

The caviar cheese egg custard (₩13,000) was soft and nutty, with a generous layer of cheese over fluffy steamed egg. It caught my eye right away. The caviar on top made it feel a little more special, and eating it between bites of meat cleansed my palate, so it paired well with the BBQ.

Snowflake pork collar, galbi pork belly and whole skirt meat: cut by cut

My favorite of the three was the Yookmong snowflake pork collar. It was also the first one we ate. Pork collar can be dry, but Yookmong's was really tender. It got juicier the more I chewed, tasted great with just a dip in salt, and was personally my favorite of the three cuts.

The galbi pork belly had a nicely rich, savory flavor that kept me reaching for more. It wasn't too greasy, so it was easy to eat, and it went well with rice too.

The whole skirt meat couldn't be skipped either. It kept its chewy texture without being tough, and the savory flavor built the more I chewed. Each cut has a different texture, so alternating between them was fun.

The meat at Yookmong is so tender that it tasted great without any special seasoning. It went well with the side dishes too, and trying them one by one was fun. Maybe because they care even about the doenjang stew, I left feeling like I'd had a really satisfying meal.

When is Yookmong Hongdae a good choice?

I think Yookmong Hongdae is a good place when you want a tasty meat meal with a friend after work, or when you're looking for a date or group spot in Hongdae. Next time, once the weather cools down, I'd like to have a drink with BBQ on the outdoor terrace.

If you're looking for a BBQ place in Hongdae where you can enjoy tender hanwoo pork and earthy doenjang stew together, give Yookmong Hongdae a visit! I especially recommend the hanwoo pork set, which lets you taste several cuts at once :)