Early-dinner Korean BBQ in Magok: 3 pork cuts at 150g, Chamdwaejitgan

Coming back up to Seoul this time, I had a late-night drinking appointment with a close friend from Daegu near Magok Station, so I spent the early evening wandering around the Magok–Balsan Station area.

It had been a while since I'd had meat back in Daegu too, so I decided on a proper BBQ dinner in Seoul! I made a reservation and visited "Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch," a Balsan Station pork belly spot known for its top-grade aged Jirisan black pork belly and ogyeopsal (five-layer pork belly). Let me write it up!

• Name: Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch
• Hours: Mon–Sat 16:00–02:30
• Closed: Every Sunday
• Parking: Available at Queens Park Nine Building C

Location and parking — how far from Balsan Station

Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch is a 1–2 minute walk from Balsan Station Exit 9, on the 1st floor of the Megabox building. Parking is available at Queens Park Nine Building C, they say.

The walk over was so pretty I couldn't tell if I was in a residential area or an office district.

Since it's in the Megabox building, it also seems like a great date course — watch a movie, then go eat.

Inside the restaurant — good for group dinners and family gatherings?

The interior at Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch is pretty spacious. There's a variety of seating — sofa seats, mid-floor seats — and I saw plenty of families as well as office workers, which tells you it's popular for group gatherings and company dinners too!

There's a separate dining space further inside as well, so it can handle even more guests!

The restroom is right outside the restaurant, within 40 meters!

You can also hear explanations of each cut of meat — there's a video playing inside about the secret behind Chamdwaejitgan's flavor, which was fun to watch too!

Unlimited refill self bar — what's included

Nearly all the side dishes that come with your meal at Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch are also on the self bar. Everything except minari (water dropwort) is unlimited refill, apparently. Unlimited refills, very welcome!

What we ordered — 150g each of black pork ogyeopsal, Boseong nokdon pork belly, and black pork neck

I didn't get to see a separate paper menu — we ordered from the tablet PC on the table. I went with a bit of everything: black pork ogyeopsal, Boseong nokdon pork belly, and black pork neck, one serving each!

• Black pork ogyeopsal 150g
• Boseong nokdon pork belly 150g
• Black pork neck 150g
• Fried rice, 1 serving

Kimchi and minari made for a hearty spread too. Domestically grown minari really is precious these days.

A whole lineup of side dishes came out — the classic combo that goes so well with pork belly. Remember, these side dishes are also on the self bar, minus the minari.

Thickness and grilling — staff grill everything for you

Thick, good-quality-looking cuts of pork belly, ogyeopsal, and neck came out, and the staff put them straight on the grill as soon as they arrived.

The color on the neck, belly, and ogyeopsal was seriously impressive.

The thickness is no joke, right? Once it's sliced, you can really see what good meat it is. The staff put all of it on the grill and cook it perfectly for you — that's the best part!

All done! Three kinds of meat together with kimchi, bean sprouts, minari, and mushrooms. Juices dripping, and my mouth watering right along with it.

The pork belly and ogyeopsal already looked great raw, but once grilled, they really shone even more! Nice and thick, with a good balance of lean meat and fat!

Wrap vegetables, sauces, and how the neck tasted

The wrap vegetables were working hard.

Good to wrap with the side dishes that came along too. Grilled minari and kimchi wrapped together — absolutely delicious.

Dipping it in the seasoned sauce was good too — a bit spicy, which suited my taste.

The plump neck cut — so soft and moist for pork neck. Hard to believe it was neck at all.

Potato wraps — a combo worth trying at Chamdwaejitgan Magok

The potato slices were thin and absolutely delicious — and here's why: potato wraps.

Unlike the veggie wraps, the potato wrap had its own full-on charm and flavor.

How much is one serving of fried rice

When you order fried rice at Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch, it comes out already made and gets placed on the grill for you. And then, shape shape shape — they mold it into a nice neat square for easy eating, then reshape it into a heart on the spot, haha.

Even at one serving, the fried rice portion was pretty generous — plenty to fill up two people if you've already eaten meat! It's tasty on its own, and even better with little bits of grilled meat mixed in!

Spotted this on the way out. Febreze, plus Chupa Chups, yogurt drinks, floss, and mouthwash, all generously stocked and free of charge. Enjoyed every last bit of it before leaving.

Final thoughts on Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch

Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch is right near Balsan Station, so access is easy. Since it's in the Megabox building, it's also great for a movie-and-dinner date course!

The interior is quite spacious, so it's fully capable of handling group dinners and family gatherings. The meat itself is well-aged and the quality is excellent — that's the real strength. If you love meat, I'd definitely recommend a visit, and it'd earn compliments as a company dinner spot too! Recommended as a Balsan Station pork belly restaurant and a Magok Station pork belly restaurant!