Bossam restaurant near Chonnam National University: Kkankkanhan Jokbal

Lately my skin's been feeling a bit saggy, so I found myself craving something filling with plenty of collagen — jokbal (pig's trotters), obviously! So I headed straight to Kkankkanhan Jokbal Yongbong Branch, a famous Yongbong-dong restaurant in Gwangju.

I ordered the couple set, which comes with charcoal-grilled bossam (boiled pork wraps), makguksu, fish cake soup, steamed egg, and a drink. All that for just ₩48,000?! Looks like a lot of food already, right? Let me tell you how it actually tasted.

Where is Kkankkanhan Jokbal Yongbong Branch? A short walk from Chonnam National University's main gate

Kkankkanhan Jokbal Yongbong Branch isn't far from Jeonnam University's main gate, and it's also close to Gwangju Hyundai Hospital, so I imagine plenty of hospital visitors stop by too.

The sign says "Kkankkanhan Jokbal" in big letters, so no chance of getting lost — no-no! I wonder what "kkankkanhan" (meticulous/picky) means here — maybe it's about meticulously selected jokbal? Haha.

Through the window I could see charcoal flames blazing away, and the moment I saw that, I just wanted to run in and eat, haha.

I figured "kkankkanhan" (meticulous) meant they look at things carefully, and I was right! According to the banner, it means showing the peak of meticulousness, the essence of class, haha.

Kkankkanhan Jokbal Yongbong Branch offers both takeout and delivery. If you pick up your order in person at the store, you get a whopping ₩3,000 discount. Sounds like a nice option to enjoy comfortably at home too.

Inside Kkankkanhan Jokbal: tables for 4 to 8 people

Inside, wooden tables and chairs plus warm lighting give Kkankkanhan Jokbal Yongbong Branch a cozy feel. Right as you walk in there's a cute pig figurine that instantly put me in a good mood, haha. Made me want to touch it for some reason? (Wishing for wealth,,, haha)

The seating is spaced out really generously, with plenty of room from 4-person tables all the way up to 6–8 person tables.

Looks great for family get-togethers or group gatherings, right? The lighting is also really soft and pretty, so it'd be nice for a date too.

This is the first time I've seen a certificate like this — turns out it's a certification recognizing the place as a representative Gwangju restaurant, haha.

They said they don't recycle leftover food at all, so you can eat here with complete peace of mind! Solid, solid.

Menu and prices at Kkankkanhan Jokbal: kiosk ordering, couple set ₩48,000

The menu board at Kkankkanhan Jokbal Yongbong Branch comes with actual photos of the dishes.

You order at the kiosk, and there's quite a variety — charcoal-grilled jokbal, flame-grilled spicy jokbal, half-and-half jokbal, couple set, and more.

The side dishes here are pretty good value, so if the main dish isn't enough, you can just add a side!

We ordered the couple set (₩48,000), which comes with generous sides too! We went back and forth between bossam and jokbal, but after seeing the fire show outside earlier, we finally settled on the charcoal-grilled bossam.

The couple set comes with makguksu (medium), fish cake soup, steamed egg, and a drink all together, haha. By the way, there was also a review event going on.

If you write a receipt review, you can get a rice ball, or 200g of charcoal-grilled or spicy tail, or one of three mini jokbal options as a service. That's a generous perk too, haha.

How does the couple set's charcoal-grilled bossam taste, and how much do you get?

Now let me properly introduce the couple set we ate~~ First, the basic side dishes! We got a solid spread of lettuce, perilla leaves, garlic, pickled radish, kimchi, dried radish strips, and more.

The staff set everything up quickly, so all we had to do was get ready to eat, haha.

Not long after, the main dish, charcoal-grilled bossam, arrived! The outside had a subtle charcoal aroma, and the texture was chewy yet tender — I could see why this is a Yongbong-dong favorite, haha.

It wasn't very fatty either, so there was no gamey smell at all, and it was too much for two people. I think it'd be just right for three adults, haha.

The fish cake soup that came with it had a spicy, refreshing broth that was exactly my style. It went so well with the bossam. The kind of flavor that makes you want a drink!

The makguksu was sweet and tangy, pairing really well with the meat. It cut through the richness of the meat nicely — the meat-plus-makguksu combo really is a classic.

Can you see how springy and chewy the makguksu noodles look? (Looking at this photo makes me want it again..) We wrapped everything up neatly in perilla leaves with pickled radish, kimchi, dried radish strips, and bossam, and polished it all off :)

Final verdict on the Kkankkanhan Jokbal couple set: better for three than two

The moment I took a bite of the bossam, I completely understood why Kkankkanhan Jokbal Yongbong Branch is a representative Yongbong-dong restaurant in Gwangju, haha. The set is a lot for two people and great value, so it'd be perfect for a family gathering to share all together :)