Seoul Korean BBQ restaurant after a half marathon: Geumseong Hoegwan

A Seoul City Hall Korean BBQ restaurant after a half marathon

I successfully completed the half marathon I took on for the first time in ages! 🏃🏻♀️ After finishing the race on such a high, I headed to Geumseong Hoegwan Seoul City Hall Direct Branch to properly fill my hungry stomach.

Even on a weekend afternoon, the restaurant was bustling with marathon finishers and international guests—every table was full, with a waitlist too! Luckily, I had reserved ahead, so I was happily shown straight to my table 👍🏻

Cool indoor seating and tables for groups

When I stepped inside, it was cool and comfortable—so happy~ I was a little worried it might be hot since it is a BBQ restaurant, but the air conditioning was blasting, making it perfect for a comfortable meal even right after running the marathon. From standard four-person tables to group seating, there were lots of setups, so it looked like a great place for nearby office workers to have a City Hall Station team dinner too.

Marinated king beef ribs ordered by tablet

Ordering is easy on the tablet at the table. Looking carefully through the menu, I found a range of cuts from pork to beef, so it is easy to choose whatever suits your taste. For myself after all that hard work, I splurged on beef ribs for the first time in ages! Beyond the meat, there were also so many side dishes that looked delicious. For a group visit, you could really order up a feast to suit everyone~

As soon as the order was in, they set out the basic side dishes. A neat spread of sauces to bring out the meat's flavor, pickled banchan (Korean side dishes), and nicely fermented kimchi arrived at the table.

The complimentary kimchi jjigae was exactly my taste

But oh my goodness! They brought out kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) in a ttukbaegi (earthenware pot) as a complimentary dish! 😭 It was packed with pork, and the broth was clean and refreshing—exactly my kind of food. It was honestly tasty enough that I would have happily paid for it as a separate menu item.

Grilling two servings of marinated king beef ribs

Marinated king beef ribs: ₩29,700 / 2 servings. Next came the star of the day, the marinated king beef ribs! I ordered two servings, and out came two huge, thick, seriously impressive rib pieces.

Before the charcoal arrived, I mixed myself a refreshing somac (soju and beer cocktail) to celebrate surviving the half marathon~ I had held off drinking for a whole week while preparing for the race, so it tasted unbelievably cool and sweet... Somac after crossing the finish line is 100 times better 🍺

Soon, good-looking charcoal was brought over and the table was loaded with such a generous feast that my heart started bouncing with excitement.

I slid one enormous king beef rib onto the well-heated grill first.

Because the meat has a sweet marinade, you need to turn it carefully so it does not burn. As it browned, the juices rose to the surface, and it looked absolutely delicious 😭

A bite of ribs delicious even without sauce

First bite of the perfectly cooked beef ribs—yum! The marinade had soaked all the way in, so it was best eaten plain without any extra sauce, or placed over a bowl of warm rice. There was also a special powder that was a bit like tonkatsu seasoning, and it was a perfect match for the sweet-and-salty beef-rib marinade. I absolutely devoured that combination 👏🏻

Finally, I made sure to eat the meat attached to the bone—the highlight and best part of the ribs. That crisp-chewy, springy texture was the best! At Geumseong Hoegwan Seoul City Hall Direct Branch, I could fully enjoy quality king beef ribs and a generous complimentary kimchi jjigae in a cool, comfortable setting. If you are looking for a delicious Korean BBQ restaurant for a group dinner near City Hall Station, I recommend paying a visit.