Dongmyeong-dong fusion Korean pub with doenjang sulbap: Ju Myeongdang

Hi, it's Ppeokkuk! I recently went looking for somewhere with a nice atmosphere to have a drink with good food, and stumbled onto a place — the currently-hot fusion Korean bar Ju Myeongdang, Dongmyeong branch.

Where Ju Myeongdang is, its hours and parking

Ju Myeongdang is a fusion Korean bar on the 2nd floor of 15-2 Jangdong-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju. It's open daily from 11:30 to 23:30 with last order at 23:00, and you get 1 hour of free parking if you use the ACC affiliated parking lot.

The entrance blackboard: Imo Bapsang, Samchon Suljang and waiting rewards

When I got to the entrance, the blackboard listed Imo Babsang (Auntie's Rice Table) and Samchon Suljang (Uncle's Drinking Table) as their late-night Korean menu. It seemed to be a late-night set that comes with warm dishes including straw-fire meat. Ju Myeongdang also gives you something extra the longer you wait — a drink for 15–30 minutes, alcohol for 30 minutes to an hour, and it's free beyond that, with 'store handed over to you' even written as a joke. It really showed the owner's mindset of not wanting to make people wait.

From the basic straw-fire meat sets to a grill-your-own hot plate option, plus a variety of jeon (savory pancakes) like shrimp jeon, kimchi jeon, and potato jeon, I thought — this is a proper fusion Korean restaurant.

A second-floor space with old Korean tavern charm

Honestly I hadn't planned on coming here specifically. I had plans in Dongmyeong-dong on the weekend and was just walking around casually — Ju Myeongdang is on the 2nd floor, so you can't really spot the exterior at a glance while walking by. It was through a friend's recommendation or searching online for hidden gems that I found it. I climbed to the 2nd floor, opened the door, and found a space I couldn't have guessed from outside — cozy, warm, and full of personality.

The place blends the affectionate feel of a traditional tavern with a sleek, modern sensibility, and the mix felt like walking into a cozy hideout.

The women's restroom was inside, but the men's restroom was outside the building, half a flight of stairs up.

We started off refreshingly with draft beer. Chicken drumstick-shaped crackers came out as a side snack, and taking a big gulp with those washed away all the fatigue of the day.

What comes with the Samchon Suljang set for 2–3 people

What we ordered at Ju Myeongdang was the Samchon Suljang 2–3 person set. It came with beef jeon, fried peppers, galbi, tartare gimbap sushi (2pcs), cheese potato pancake, and doenjang sulbap (fermented soybean paste rice stew).

With the upscale interior and unusual fusion Korean dishes greeting us, my plan of just looking around and leaving quickly disappeared. In the end we sat down and ordered a bit of everything. Sitting in that hidden, cozy space with well-made fusion Korean food and a drink in hand, all the fatigue I'd built up just melted away.

Doenjang sulbap (soybean-paste rice)

My coworker fell for the doenjang sulbap the moment it arrived! It came bubbling in a pot, and the savory doenjang aroma hit us as soon as it landed on the table. The rice grains had soaked up the stew broth deeply, so even a small spoonful looked thick and rich.

Taking a big bite, the deep, rich flavor of country-style doenjang came through with a modern touch of umami added — not salty, not overpowering, but the kind of thing you keep going back for. Soft tofu, various vegetables, and plenty of meat were simmered in among the rice grains, and every bite delivered a burst of savory flavor.

Cheese potato pancake

Thinly sliced potato fried until crispy — the outside crackled while the inside kept that distinctive chewy, moist quality of potato. Cutting off a bite with chopsticks, the more I chewed the more the potato's clean, savory flavor spread through my mouth. Really appealing.

Beef tartare inari sushi

The tartare gimbap sushi caught my eye the moment the dish arrived — big, generous portions. Sweet, moist fried tofu pockets packed with rice, topped with a heaping mountain of fresh red beef tartare.

Taking a big bite, the sweet moistness of the fried tofu and the chewy-yet-tender texture of the fresh tartare came together beautifully. The savory seasoning was just right, packed with umami, and the generous size meant even one piece felt satisfying — a really appealing dish.

Fried peppers

We also tried the fried peppers, textbook crispy-outside-juicy-inside style — a big cucumber pepper stuffed generously with meat filling, impressive just to look at. Freshly fried and audibly crispy, biting in released the pepper's sharp aroma along with a juicy, moist filling bursting in your mouth. Not greasy, clean but substantial — I kept reaching for more.

Galbi with a straw-fire aroma

Taking a bite of the well-grilled galbi (short ribs), the outside was nicely browned while the inside stayed moist and full of juice. The sauce was sweet and savory without being overly strong, soaked deep into the meat, and the more I chewed the more the umami built up. The subtle smoky scent of the straw fire paired perfectly with the sweet galbi — this was the main dish I kept reaching for. Next time I want to order the full straw-fire meat set to get even more of it.

They also gave us wrapping cabbage and lettuce, so I wrapped the straw-fire meat with pickled onion, ssamjang (dipping sauce), garlic, and pepper — one bite was hugely satisfying.

Finishing with hangover ramyeon and mini patbingsu

After eating like that, my coworker said she couldn't resist finishing with hangover ramyeon, and I agreed. It had bean sprouts and egg, giving it a refreshing flavor, and they kindly gave us chili powder on the side so we could spice it up if we wanted.

They were also running a review event — choose between highball 1+1, one draft beer, or mini patbingsu (shaved ice with sweet red beans). I left a Naver review and got the mini patbingsu. Ending on that sweet patbingsu made for a really satisfying meal. If you're visiting Dongmyeong-dong, come enjoy a good meal or date at Ju Myeongdang~