5-part gopchang platter for two with fried rice: Uhwa Gopchang

On a day when we wanted both gopchang (grilled beef intestine) and that outdoor yajang atmosphere in Dunsan-dong, the two of us headed to Uhwa Gopchang. We ordered the gopchang assorted platter for two, which lets you taste gopchang, makchang, daechang, usamgyeop (thin beef brisket), and yeomtong (heart) all at once, then finished things off with a hearty order of flying fish roe fried rice.

Uhwa Gopchang's location and outdoor yajang seating

Uhwa Gopchang is located at 58 Daedeok-daero 195beon-gil, The Prime City 1F Unit 105, Seo-gu, Daejeon, South Korea. Besides the indoor seating, there are outdoor tables that are great to use on nice days — on a cool evening you can enjoy your meal while soaking up the yajang vibe of Dunsan-dong.

The gopchang assorted platter: what's in it and how much

The gopchang assorted platter we ordered that day was ₩23,000 per person, and the two of us went with two servings. One platter comes with gopchang, makchang, daechang, usamgyeop, and yeomtong all together — perfect for when it's hard to pick just one part. As first-time visitors, it was also a great way for us to try most of Uhwa Gopchang's main grilled menu at once.

Starting light with heart and beef brisket

First up was heart (yeomtong), which was appealing for its low fat content and clean, chewy texture. It cooks relatively fast, so there wasn't much waiting around, and it was a nice, light way to start before getting into the heavier parts. The usamgyeop was thin and tender, cooking quickly, and its savory fat paired nicely with beefy umami and the vegetables served alongside.

Gopchang vs. makchang — how different are the textures?

Gopchang has a distinctive richness that spreads from the fatty lining inside the more you chew it. Grilling the outside until golden brought out a nice contrast between the chewy exterior and soft interior. Makchang had a firmer, more springy and crunchy texture than gopchang, and the more slowly you chewed it, the more its clean flavor came through. Even though both are offal cuts, the textures were noticeably different, which made switching between them all the more fun.

The richest flavor of them all: daechang

We waited until the daechang (large intestine) was fully cooked before digging in. Biting into the plump daechang released its fat smoothly, giving it the richest, most savory flavor of the whole platter. When that richness felt like a bit much, pairing it with chives or kimchi helped reset the palate. Watching all these different ingredients cook together in the gopchang fat on the grill was part of the fun of eating gopchang in general.

Good for two, or for a group dinner

With five different parts laid out on one platter, our own preferences naturally diverged. Whether you love the soft, rich daechang or prefer the chewy, clean makchang, you can each pick out the part you like best when dining together. If you're planning a bigger group dinner, starting with the assorted platter and then adding a single order of whichever part gets the best reaction seems like a solid strategy too.

Finishing with ₩5,000 flying fish roe fried rice

Once we'd nearly finished the grilled dishes, we ordered the flying fish roe fried rice for ₩5,000. Rice gets fried up in the leftover savory gopchang fat on the grill, then flying fish roe is added in for a pop-in-your-mouth finish. The crispy, browned parts were nutty and delicious, and the roe added a salty umami kick — even full, we kept reaching for more. A great choice for when finishing on grilled gopchang alone feels like it's not quite enough.

Total bill for two and business hours

The gopchang assorted platter for two came to ₩46,000, and with the ₩5,000 flying fish roe fried rice added, our total that day was ₩51,000. Without having to order gopchang, makchang, and daechang separately, we got to enjoy all five parts evenly and finish with fried rice — a satisfying, well-rounded meal for two.

Uhwa Gopchang is listed as operating from 5 PM to midnight.

If you want to try several kinds of grilled gopchang in one sitting in Dunsan-dong, or you're after that group-dinner feel at an outdoor table on a cool night, keep Uhwa Gopchang in mind. From the varied textures of the assorted platter to the flying fish roe fried rice at the end, everything flowed naturally — a place well suited to a dinner for two or a Dunsan-dong drinking session.