Baseball on two screens at a Sangsu bar with crispy yuringi: Kkoko

A review after trying the charcoal-grilled chicken neck and icy makguksu (buckwheat cold noodles) at Kkoko Land

With a retractable rooftop and big screens, this is a Hongdae outdoor bar that's great for enjoying a cool autumn evening

With the weather turning cool, I wanted a drink with a friend that felt like a terrace, so I checked out this spacious new spot near Hongdae haha

Looking up at the open sky while eating great chicken dishes made for a really satisfying spot!

Where is Kkoko Land, and what are the hours and parking like?

Kkoko Land / 18 Wawsan-ro 19-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 1st & 2nd floors

Hours: Daily 17:00–03:00 (calling ahead is recommended)

Parking: There's no dedicated lot, so I'd recommend using a nearby paid or public parking lot in Hongdae/Seogyo-dong!

What we ordered — menu highlights and flavors

Once we sat down, we ordered the signature charcoal-grilled chicken neck with salt, the crispy yuringi, and the amazing icy makguksu as our mains!

After ordering, the basic starters arrive first — crunchy chicken-leg-shaped crackers that fit the shop's concept, plus a sweet orange juice welcome drink.

They gave us chopsticks and tongs, which made it easy to pick up the chicken — a nice detail.

Crispy yuringi (₩22,000)

The first dish out was the crispy yuringi (₩22,000) — fried chicken thigh with a shatteringly crisp coating and a moist interior, topped generously with a tangy-sweet house sauce.

Piled with spicy cheongyang chili and cabbage underneath, it cut through the fried richness beautifully haha.

This is my absolute favorite dish at Kkoko Land!! Haha honestly this yuringi puts Chinese restaurants to shame.

Signature charcoal-grilled chicken neck with salt (₩21,000)

Next came the signature charcoal-grilled chicken neck with salt (₩21,000) — a special cut you only get one piece of per chicken, piled generously and fully infused with charcoal aroma.

The chicken neck meat itself is incredibly chewy and tender, and with the subtle char flavor added, it was great even eaten plain!

This dish comes plated with tortillas, spicy jalapeños, and soft potato salad — a nice special touch.

Wrap a piece of sauce-dipped chicken neck in a golden tortilla with spicy jalapeño and creamy potato salad, and it tastes like a fusion taco — the combo really works.

Amazing icy makguksu (₩16,000)

The side we added, the amazing icy makguksu (₩16,000), comes in a large bowl piled generously with cold, tangy-sweet icy broth and crunchy vegetables!

The noodles are boiled chewy and don't get soggy, so they're perfect to alternate with bites of the charcoal chicken neck or crispy yuringi!

It resets your palate from any greasy lingering taste with a cold, spicy kick — the synergy with the mains was genuinely great!!

With a good balance of varied chicken cuts and crispy fried dishes, this is a great chicken spot near Hongdae/Sangsu for meat lovers!

Rooftop outdoor atmosphere and the baseball screens

Once the sun goes down, they open the retractable rooftop ceiling, so you can enjoy your food under the open night sky — a great Hongdae/Sangsu outdoor bar to visit in fall!

They play baseball on two channels on a big screen inside the shop, so it's great to use as a Hongdae spot for watching sports games with a drink in hand!

You can book up to a hundred people through Naver reservations, and the hall and rooms are separate, so it's great for group dinners or gatherings.

Each restroom has AC and a sink, and there's an outdoor terrace-style smoking area and even dental floss provided — the amenities are well thought out.

Overall verdict

Enjoying charcoal-scented chicken neck and crispy yuringi in the cool fall breeze made for a really satisfying time haha.

With good food quality, a spacious layout, and friendly service all in one place, this will stick in my memory as an excellent Seogyo-dong spot for gathering with friends!

Next time I visit, I'm thinking of ordering the spicy kalbaengi that's popular in Seogyo-dong, or the cool fruit hwachae, paired with a slushy draft beer.

The open, airy feel of the outdoor seating definitely makes me want to come back again this fall!