Seoul Korean BBQ beef and pork ribs in Apgujeong: Yeontan Gongjang

I was craving charcoal-grilled ribs, so I went looking for a place to satisfy it.

While looking for a good Korean BBQ spot in Apgujeong Rodeo, I found Yeontan Gongjang, where you grill the meat yourself right over a charcoal fire.

There are plenty of stylish Korean BBQ restaurants around Apgujeong Rodeo, but sitting in front of an actual charcoal fire and grilling your own ribs felt like a completely different experience. This time I ordered one serving of beef short rib (sogalbisal), two servings of pork ribs, and homemade kimchi jjigae — meat and hot soup all in one meal.

What is Yeontan Gongjang in Apgujeong Rodeo like inside?

Yeontan Gongjang sits right in the middle of Apgujeong Rodeo, but it has a different charm from the flashier BBQ places nearby. With a charcoal fire in the center of the table where you grill your own meat, it felt like a comfortable, easygoing spot for a meal with friends.

Chatting while waiting for the meat to cook and sharing bite by bite made for a natural flow — perfect for a casual dinner or a low-key gathering.

What we ordered at Yeontan Gongjang

Today's order was one serving of beef short rib (sogalbisal), two servings of pork ribs, and homemade kimchi jjigae. Instead of sticking to just one type of meat, we ordered both beef short rib and pork ribs to compare the flavors.

Alternating between the mild beef short rib and the more heavily seasoned pork ribs kept things interesting, and finishing with homemade kimchi jjigae rounded out a hearty dinner.

Grilling the beef short rib (sogalbisal) first

We put the beef short rib on the charcoal fire first.

Once the meat hit the grill, you could see the surface start to cook right away, which made it easy to pull each piece off at exactly the doneness you wanted.

Beef short rib is a great choice for enjoying the meat's own mild, savory flavor without heavy seasoning, so it made sense to eat it before the pork ribs.

Grilling it slowly right over the charcoal made the cooking process itself feel like part of the meal.

The main event: two servings of pork ribs

After the beef short rib, we put on the two servings of pork ribs that were the main course for the day.

Since these ribs were seasoned, the atmosphere on the grill was different from the beef short rib right from the start. Rather than leaving one side down too long, we flipped them often to keep them from burning.

As the edges of the ribs browned nicely, the seasoning and the smoky charcoal aroma came together — this ended up being the most memorable dish of the day.

Why charcoal grilling makes the ribs better

Yeontan Gongjang's biggest feature is definitely the charcoal fire set right in the middle of the table. Unlike gas or a regular grill plate, having the charcoal right in front of you while grilling gave off a warmer, more nostalgic Korean BBQ vibe.

The seasoned pork ribs in particular were fun to flip and watch as they cooked, and enjoying ribs this way right in the middle of Apgujeong Rodeo felt like a nice change of pace.

Beef short rib vs pork ribs: what's the difference?

Ordering both dishes together made each one's character stand out more clearly. The beef short rib was great for enjoying a mild, savory meat flavor, while the pork ribs led to a richer taste with the added seasoning.

Starting with beef short rib and moving on to pork ribs shifted my palate naturally, letting me enjoy two very different styles of meat in one sitting. If you can't decide on just one menu, ordering both like this works really well.

After the meat: homemade kimchi jjigae

After eating a good amount of meat, we had the homemade kimchi jjigae (spicy kimchi stew) alongside it. When you keep eating charcoal-grilled meat, you start craving warm soup, and the kimchi jjigae hit the spot perfectly as part of the meal.

Having a spoonful of soup along with the pork ribs made the whole spread feel more substantial than meat alone, and it's a great combination to order when you want a proper full dinner.

How to order on a first visit to Yeontan Gongjang

If you're picking a menu, ordering beef short rib and pork ribs together is a good approach. Starting with beef short rib and moving on to pork ribs let me compare the two, and finishing with the homemade kimchi jjigae made it a complete dinner!!

This combination of one serving of beef short rib, two servings of pork ribs, and homemade kimchi jjigae was satisfying — a good variety of meat plus a soup dish to round things off.

Yeontan Gongjang address and hours

• Name: Yeontan Gongjang
• Address: 36-4 Apgujeong-ro 48-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 16:00–24:00

Final verdict on dinner at the charcoal grill

If you're looking for an Apgujeong Rodeo BBQ spot with the atmosphere of grilling ribs directly over charcoal, Yeontan Gongjang was memorable. Starting mild with the beef short rib, moving on to pork ribs as the main, and finishing with homemade kimchi jjigae made for a hearty spread. More than anything, sitting right in front of the charcoal fire and grilling each piece one by one really captured the mood of this place, and it felt like a great spot when you want to enjoy ribs in Apgujeong in a slightly different way than usual. It's a nice spot for a meal or a drink in a cozy atmosphere!!