Whole pork jowl grilled at a Bupyeong Korean BBQ: Dongducheon

Hours and parking at Dongducheon Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal Bupyeong Branch

• ⏰ Open daily 11:30–23:00 / last order 22:30
• 🚗 No parking on site (use nearby public parking lots)
• 🚽 Restroom inside the building

That always-too-short end of the weekend, and our couple went hunting for meat like hyenas again. This time it was Bupyeong's own Dongducheon Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal!!

Their 30-year tradition of low-temperature aging is impressive, and what really stood out was the generous sides and value you get with a single platter order!

A house-like interior with a wide open window

The entrance looked like an actual house door, and I thought, 'wait, did they just renovate a home?' The inside had that same cozy, residential feel. It was instantly welcoming, and with a big window wide open, it almost felt like outdoor dining on a nice day — no trace of the usual stuffiness you get at BBQ places.

Hahaha, I really love this kind of homey touch. And of course fried rice at the end is a must! Just a heads-up — if the place is full, note the time limit on tables.

Soju with pork belly, beer with pork neck, highball with pork jowl — let's all keep that in mind!

Menu and ordering — sold by the platter, kiosk order

The interior has that retro '90s-2000s homey vibe, but ordering is easy thanks to the kiosk! Dongducheon Sotttukkeong fresh pork belly is sold by the platter first — but honestly, when two people eat meat together we usually go through at least 3 servings anyway, so it wasn't much of a stretch, and it actually felt cheaper this way! Plus, ordering a platter comes with doenjang jjigae and steamed egg included, which made it feel even more worth it.

The basic table setting

Lettuce, garlic, pickled onion, chives, and sauce.

Ah, and you can't have sotttukkeong (cauldron-lid) pork belly without kimchi and bean sprouts! But our couple didn't order pork belly today!! Today we specially went for the pork jowl platter that the lady of the house apparently loves.

A whole, untrimmed pork jowl platter

Wait, isn't pork jowl usually served already trimmed? This might've been the first time I've ever seen it come out completely whole, haha.

Wow, but just looking at it made me want to grill it fast and take a big bite — my eyes kept drifting back to the meat, haha.

Up close, that heavy, substantial look felt even more real! Fat was woven tightly through the lean meat, and even before grilling it already promised a rich, savory flavor!

Looking again, what caught my eye was the grain of fat running across the pork jowl — like thin layers of fat stacked between the meat. It made me curious how this would change once it hit the heat!

When staff steps in to trim it tableside

Once the outside of the pork jowl turned golden, you're told to call over a staff member! They kept coming around to check on the meat, and once it was cooked enough, they trimmed it up expertly.

Random detail: the sound of those scissors mixed with the sizzle of cooking meat was so satisfying, it was basically ASMR..? Apparently the owners actually train at company headquarters to master meat trimming! Thanks to that, we got to enjoy an even more expertly prepared cut!

And once trimmed, the pork jowl looked like this—

Tada~ perfectly golden brown! The fat that stood out before cooking had melted in just a bit under the heat, leaving the surface glossy and shiny. Pick up a piece and the outside is crisply seared while the inside stays springy and alive!

On the first bite, the crisp golden exterior gave way, and the more I chewed, the more that signature pork jowl texture came through — crunchy yet chewy. Add in the savory richness from the fat, and the flavor just deepened the longer I chewed. Wow, I already liked pork jowl, but it had genuinely been a long time since I had one this good!!

The included doenjang jjigae and steamed egg

The doenjang jjigae that comes free with a platter order had clams and crab in it, giving it a deeper flavor along with a notably sweet edge!

Can't skip the steamed egg either, right? Instead of looking glossy, this steamed egg leads with texture — which actually worked well to cut through the richness. I liked this style even more for it!

Truffle Jjapagetti served right on the cauldron lid

After eating meat for a while, I got a craving for a side, and spotted the truffle Jjapagetti (black bean noodles) on the menu — so I boldly ordered it!! And they just plopped it right onto the cauldron lid, haha.

Thanks to that, it stayed warm the whole time we ate it!! I didn't really know what truffle tasted like before, but wow — the truffle aroma really came through, and you could tell they weren't holding back on ingredients!

Finishing with fried rice

Finish it off with fried rice! Remember what we learned earlier?? Order the fried rice and it comes cooked up like this.

Once the egg in the center is cooked just right, mix it all together and you've got a perfect finish to the meal!

From the pork jowl to the truffle Jjapagetti to the fried rice, we cleaned every last spoonful before heading out. It wasn't just about the meat — the side dishes made it feel like a truly complete meal. The whole, untrimmed pork jowl and the truffle Jjapagetti also gave it a unique charm, so if you want a hearty platter of meat in Bupyeong, I recommend Dongducheon Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal!