Korean BBQ where staff grill for you near Balsan Station

Today I want to share my experience at Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch, a place where you can enjoy smoky, aromatic grilled meat even indoors.

Location and hours of Chamdwaejitgan Magok near Balsan Station

Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch is just a 1-minute walk from Exit 9 of Balsan Station.

16:00 – 02:30 the next day

Located in the Megabox building, Queens Park Nine Building C

Boseong Nokdon cheongyeopsal (pork jowl), 2 servings: ₩38,000

Soy sauce egg rice: ₩3,900

Exterior and interior

That day I met up with a friend who works near Balsan Station for dinner after a long while. While looking for a good Korean BBQ restaurant near Balsan Station, I heard this place grills the meat really well, so I decided to check out Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch.

The restaurant was on a main street so it was easy to find, and the black signage with the chimney stood out. It was pretty hot that day, so stepping into the cool interior felt great.

The place isn't huge, but the open layout didn't feel cramped at all. The table arrangement was tidy too, making it good for dinner with a friend as well as group gatherings. My friend who works nearby even said it would be great for a company dinner. Being close to the station and having staff grill the meat for you, it does seem like a solid choice for work dinners.

On one side of the restaurant there was a meat aging fridge and a self-serve bar.

Orders were placed via a tablet at the table, which made choosing from the menu convenient.

Before the grill plate was set down, I noticed charcoal and rice husk prepared together, which I found interesting.

The basic side dishes included seasoned green onion, cabbage salad, and lettuce wraps, while kimchi, seasoned bean sprouts, and water dropwort were placed directly on the grill.

There was also a variety of sauces to go with the meat — shiitake wasabi, plain wasabi, a spicy sauce, salt, garlic, and ssamjang (soybean paste dip) — so you could pair them to your taste.

How was the Boseong Nokdon cheongyeopsal (pork jowl)?

I debated between Jirisan black pork ogyeopsal (pork belly) and Boseong Nokdon cheongyeopsal, and ended up ordering the cheongyeopsal.

Cheongyeopsal seemed to refer to pork jowl, and since I'm used to seeing it pre-sliced, seeing it come out as a whole cut was interesting.

The staff grilled the meat quickly for us, so it was easy and delicious to eat.

I'm not very confident grilling meat myself, so I prefer places where staff grill it for you, and Chamdwaejitgan really delivered on that front.

The dual grill plate that keeps the meat warm

The grill plate was a bit unique too. Meat was quickly cooked on the round plate, then moved to the square plate next to it to stay warm while eating. I'd never seen a grill setup like this before, and I thought it was a really clever touch.

Leaving meat on the fire too long can burn it, but turning off the fire makes it cool down quickly — this setup let us keep eating warm meat right to the end, which I appreciated.

The pork jowl was thick yet tender, with a great chew. Thanks to the charcoal and rice husk, the aroma coming off the meat was really good too. Even though it was indoor grilling, it gave off a slight outdoor barbecue vibe that made it taste even better.

Dipped in salt, you could really taste the meat's natural flavor,

and the spicy sauce was quite fiery, good for cutting through the richness between bites.

The potato wrap, even better than lettuce wraps

The thinly sliced potatoes grilled alongside the meat were also delicious.

The staff suggested wrapping the meat in potato slices instead, and since I'm not a big fan of lettuce wraps, this potato wrap actually suited me much better.

The combo of savory potato and pork jowl was surprisingly memorable.

How much is the ₩3,900 soy sauce egg rice?

For a side, I ordered the soy sauce egg rice. It cost ₩3,900, but the portion was huge and generous — almost like two servings for the price, which was hard to believe.

The seasoning was just right, tasty on its own and a good match with the meat. Mixing in the kimchi and seasoned bean sprouts from the grill made it even more filling and delicious. It's a great side to order when meat alone isn't quite enough.

Thoughtful extras at the counter

When paying at the counter after the meal, I noticed lens cleaning tissues, hair ties, toothpicks, dental floss, yogurt drinks, lollipops, and deodorizer all laid out. Having these thoughtful extras on hand at a BBQ restaurant left a good impression.

In summary

Having staff grill the meat made things easy, and the pork jowl with its charcoal and rice husk aroma was delicious. The heat-retaining grill plate, the potato wrap, and the generous soy sauce egg rice stood out most in my memory. If you're looking for a Korean BBQ restaurant near Balsan Station where staff do the grilling, or a comfortable spot for meat with friends, Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch is worth a look.