Yongsan Korean BBQ with fermented pork and free corkage: Jeokto

A great place for fermented pork belly in Yongsan

I visited Jeokto Balhyo Gui Yongsan Branch (적토발효구이 용산점), where you can enjoy distinctive pork belly with a deep flavor in Yongsan. It is a pork restaurant that also serves traditional Korean drinks. They have well-known products across several varieties. Corkage is free, so some guests bring wine too. I recommend reserving ahead for dinner time.

For parking at Jeokto Balhyo Gui Yongsan Branch, the Yongsan Tax Office is a good option. It is free after 6 PM on weekdays and throughout the weekend. Parking was easy, with room for around 60 cars, and it is about a six-minute walk away.

A combination of fermented pork belly and meal dishes

Fermented pork belly

The golden-brown grilled pork belly had such deep savory flavor and was full of juices, perhaps thanks to its aging and fermentation process. With the mushrooms and peppers served alongside it, I could enjoy it in a clean, nutty way without feeling greasy.

Fresh buckwheat noodles

The fresh buckwheat noodles, topped generously with savory seaweed flakes and sesame seeds in a cool, clean broth, were perfect for refreshing my palate after rich meat. The noodles were springy, and the broth's deep flavor worked beautifully with the pork.

Jeotbap

I chose jeotbap, rice seasoned with salted seafood, as a finishing dish after the meal. The savory seasoning had soaked nicely into every grain of rice. Sprinkled with nutty sesame seeds, it was a thoughtful, filling dish after finishing the grilled meat.

A menu spanning meat and traditional drinks

There is a satisfying lineup of appealing meal dishes and drinks.

• Grilling: jeot samgyeop (salted-seafood pork belly), fermented pork neck
• Meals: doenjang jjigae (soybean-paste stew), fresh bibim buckwheat noodles, steamed rice
• Dishes to share with drinks: Korean beef yukhoe (seasoned raw beef), spicy charcoal-grilled deodeok root, spicy hand-torn noodle soup, pork and tofu hot pot
• Drinks & traditional Korean alcohol: yuzu highball, lemon highball, Munbae highball, maesil highball, draft beer, Cass, Kelly, Hite non-alcoholic beer, Ilpum Jinro, Hwayo, Jinro, Chamisul, cola, Coke Zero, cider, lemon slices, sparkling water, tonic water, Goun Dal Oak, Gimpo Geumsal saeng makgeolli, Kkamang Tokki, Red Monkey, Chusa Oak, Mungyeong Baram Oak, Gamuchi, Munbaeju, Pungjeong Sagye Chun, Dudumulmul, Woo Hee-yeol Hansan Sogokju, Jeju Nimome

First-floor bar seating and second-floor table atmosphere

These are the first-floor bar seats, and the basic side dishes arrive first. Since their signature dishes are seasoned, I found myself eating plenty of white kimchi and onion. The various side dishes and sauces that pair with the meat were neatly laid out. You can feel the care in every tidy side dish and sauce, and the staff were kind, making it a place where I could enjoy the whole meal comfortably.

The first floor is arranged like this, in bar form. It is just right for two people. It seemed popular with couples and for business visits too. I could not photograph the second floor because it was busy, but it has tables and looked suitable for Yongsan wedding-invitation gatherings as well. Jeokto Balhyo Gui Yongsan Branch takes Naver reservations, so booking is essential.

Its stylish exterior made a distinctive impression, so I was excited from the moment I went in. Inside, soft lighting and calm-toned decor came together for a refined yet cozy feeling. The broad, orderly bar-table setup makes for a neat meal, with an atmosphere that is perfect for visiting with a date or friends.

Unlimited free corkage

Jeokto Balhyo Gui Yongsan Branch has free corkage!!! The next table seemed to have brought wine too, and they provide a wine chilling bag, wine glasses, rocks glasses, and more! There is no limit either, haha.

Unlike an ordinary Korean barbecue restaurant, Jeokto Balhyo Gui Yongsan Branch has the major advantage of letting you taste original pork that has gone through a fermentation process.

Walking from Yongsan Station

Jeokto Balhyo Gui Yongsan Branch is an 11-minute walk from Yongsan Station. It was easy to stop by on foot after casually shopping for running shoes at Yongsan I'Park Mall. I had such a satisfying time tasting neatly prepared, deeply flavored grilled pork in an upscale atmosphere. If you want to enjoy both distinctive flavors and atmosphere, I definitely recommend visiting at least once.