Ttukbangjip in Cheongju: charcoal gochujang pork with ssam bar wraps

Today I went to check out a new spot in Sajik-dong by Musimcheon that's said to serve that nostalgic charcoal-grilled flavor~ It's cooked over real charcoal so it's packed with smoky aroma and tastes amazing — I left completely satisfied!

Ttukbangjip hours and parking

• ⏰ Tue-Sun 11:00-15:00 / Closed every Monday
• 📍 435 Musimseo-ro, 1st floor, Seowon-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, South Korea
• 🅿️ In front of the restaurant / roadside parking

A great location for a walk along Musimcheon

It's located along Musimcheon near Seongan-gil and Yukgeori, so with the cool weather these days it's a nice place to stop by while taking a walk!!

Interior and table spacing

The restaurant is on the smaller side, but the tables were spaced generously apart, which I loved! Thanks to that, I could eat comfortably without worrying about the next table, and the whole place was kept clean too, which made me like it even more.

Menu and what we ordered

They only operate 4 hours a day and the menu is kept simple, which made it feel special and built up my expectations!

📝 What we ordered

• Charcoal gochujang pork ₩14,000 x2
• Kimchi noodle soup ₩6,000
• Rice ₩1,000

Ssam bar wrap greens and basic side dishes

The basic side dishes come out neat and tidy, and if you need more you can grab extras from the self-serve bar. The charcoal gochujang pork is really delicious wrapped in greens, and it was great being able to load up on plenty of wrap greens!!

The basic side dishes are served neatly, and the fish cake side dish in particular was so good. It's a simple, classic flavor but chewy enough that I kept reaching for more! The water is barley water too, which had a nice toasty flavor. From the charcoal-grill menu itself to the side dishes and even the water, everything felt warm and nostalgic — that old-school feeling was really nice!

How was the charcoal gochujang pork?

While we were chatting after ordering, the food came out faster than expected! The subtle charcoal aroma from the gochujang pork was so good♥ It's grilled to order after you order, which I loved even more!! *The plate is hot, so don't touch it!!*

Meat grilled directly over an open flame like charcoal grilling can sometimes end up with a lot of burnt spots, but Ttukbangjip's charcoal grilling was cooked just right! You could really taste the smoky charcoal aroma without any burnt flavor at all, so it was delicious :)

I wrapped it up right away, and honestly, I was moved by that charcoal-grilled taste I hadn't had in so long..ㅜㅜ It wasn't harsh at all and was just the right amount of spicy — totally satisfying!!

The combo with green onion salad and the skin part

The combination with green onion salad turned out to be really good! The sweet-and-tangy green onion salad went so well with the meat, making it even tastier eaten together. The part with the skin still attached especially was chewy and savory — so good!!

Cheonggukjang comes standard with meat orders

At Ttukbangjip, ordering meat gets you cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) as a default side, and it's loaded with meat and tofu, so it's hearty and filling. Eating it with rice alongside the toasty stew made for a really satisfying meal.

It had such a deep, toasty flavor that it tasted like something a grandmother would make — really comforting. It pairs really well with the charcoal-grilled meat too, and you can easily polish off a whole bowl of warm rice with it!! I love cheonggukjang so much that I'll probably order rice, meat, and stew again next time.

Kimchi noodle soup leans more toward naengmyeon broth flavor

Since it was my first visit, I wanted to try a variety of menu items, so I also ordered the kimchi noodle soup, and the noodles were chewy and springy, which I liked!! Eating it with the tangy broth cleaned up the palate nicely, making it a good pairing with the charcoal-grilled meat~

Thanks to the cool, tangy broth, it was a good combination alongside the warm charcoal-grilled meat. The broth leaned a bit more toward naengmyeon (cold noodle) broth flavor than kimchi! Something to keep in mind when ordering :)

They're also running an event serving local Cheongju makgeolli, so make sure to check it out! The charcoal-grilled meat was the kind of flavor that makes you crave makgeolli, but since I drove there, I'll have to save it for next time ㅜㅜ

Overall verdict

✅ What I liked

• You can really taste that nostalgic charcoal-grilled flavor!
• Located right by Musimcheon, great for a walk after eating
• The owner grills it fresh as soon as you order, so it's easy to just sit and eat
• The cheonggukjang that comes with meat orders is generous and delicious, making for a filling meal
• Parking is available in front of the restaurant, convenient if you're driving

ℹ️ Who I'd recommend this to

• Go with parents who grew up in the charcoal-grill generation!!
• Anyone looking for a hearty lunch spot to visit with coworkers
• Anyone craving charcoal-grilled meat packed with smoky aroma
• Anyone looking for a good restaurant to pair with a walk along Musimcheon
• Anyone wanting a filling, hearty Korean meal