Coming back to South Korea meant we'd have an opportunity to eat all of our favorite Korean dishes and at the very top of that list was going out for a classic Korean barbecue. One of our favorite types of Korean BBQ (Gogigui - 고기구이), in terms of unmarinated cuts of meat, is Samgyeopsal (삼겹살 - fatty slices of Korean pork belly. With that in mind we hit up a local spot specializing in this dish. Our feast, aside from all of the wonderful Korean barbecue, included a huge array of side dishes including lettuce (상추), raw garlic (마늘) and dipping sauces such as ssamjang (쌈장). Additionally, we had kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew), salad, pickled vegetables and seafood and a whole lot more. This was a feast of feasts - a Korean meal we soon won't forget.
If you're visiting Korea we highly recommend you try Korean barbecue. In our opinion it was one of the top things to do in Seoul.
🥓 Korean Samgyeopsal BBQ Feast: Our Ultimate Pork Belly Experience in Seoul 🇰🇷🔥
🇰🇷 Arrival & Atmosphere: Classic Korean BBQ Vibes
We dive right into the sizzling heart of Korean food culture with a Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) lunch—thick, fatty pork belly grilled right at the table. It's a hot day in Seoul, so the AC and fans are blasting, creating a breezy, laid-back vibe perfect for enjoying a hearty meal. The TV in the background cycles through everything from Korean dramas to game shows and sports, giving us the true local BBQ restaurant atmosphere.
🥢 Table Tour: Side Dishes & Essentials
Before the grill heats up, we explore a colorful spread of Korean side dishes (banchan/반찬):
Pickled Vegetables: A variety of crunchy, tangy bites to refresh your palate.
Fresh Garlic (마늘/manul): A must-have addition for BBQ, perfect when grilled or raw.
Ssamjang (쌈장): A savory, spicy paste made from gochujang (red chili) and doenjang (fermented soybean) for wrapping your meat.
Kimchi (김치): Fermented spicy cabbage, served both fresh and later, grilled on the BBQ.
Pink Radish & Salad: Adds crunch and coolness to your wraps.
Dipping Sauce: Simple yet flavorful oil and salt mix for the perfect finishing touch.
Crab: A special banchan treat, adding extra variety to the meal.
🔥 Grilling Samgyeopsal: The Art of Korean BBQ
We watch as thick slices of pork belly hit the grill, sizzling as their fat melts and turns them golden brown. The restaurant staff help by cutting the meat into bite-sized pieces so it cooks evenly and crisps up perfectly. There’s no oil or seasoning needed—the natural fat does all the work! As the meat cooks, we add fresh garlic to the grill, letting it turn sweet and golden at the edges for extra flavor.
🥬 How to Eat Samgyeopsal: The Ultimate Bite
Building the perfect bite is an art:
Grab a lettuce leaf (상추쌈)
Add a crispy slice of Samgyeopsal
Top with grilled garlic, ssamjang, a bit of salad, rice, and pickled veggies
Roll it up, and pop the whole thing in your mouth for an explosion of flavors—smoky, fatty pork, nutty sauce, fresh greens, and bold garlic.
The meal gets even more exciting with the arrival of kimchi jjigae (김치찌개), a hot, comforting kimchi stew loaded with cabbage, tofu (두부/dubu), pork, and a savory broth. Audrey shows her unique style: dipping rice in the soup for extra flavor.
🥢 Tips for Enjoying Korean BBQ Like a Local
Char your pork: We love our Samgyeopsal extra crispy and golden. Don’t rush it—let it grill until it’s caramelized.
Grill your garlic: Place garlic on the edge so it doesn’t burn. A golden clove in your wrap is a game-changer!
Try all the sauces: Ssamjang is the classic, but don’t skip the simple oil and salt dip for pure pork flavor.
Cook the kimchi: Grilled kimchi mellows out and gains depth, offering a totally different flavor from raw.
Go early: We come before the lunch rush (11:30 am) for a peaceful, crowd-free experience.
🥘 Kimchi Jjigae & Rice: Comfort in a Bowl
The kimchi stew arrives as a complimentary bonus. It’s packed with tender pork, soft tofu, spicy fermented cabbage, and served with a side of purple rice—a special touch compared to the usual white rice. The broth is bold but not too spicy, making it the perfect pairing for BBQ.
🍽️ Finishing Up: The Last Bites & Grill Clean-Up
As we near the end, we pile the remaining kimchi and garlic onto the grill, letting them caramelize. Grilled kimchi has a unique, mellowed flavor that’s less spicy and more savory. We wrap up with laughs as a dramatic K-drama scene plays out on the TV, making for an entertaining end to our meal.
💸 Price & Value: Korean BBQ on a Budget
Our entire Samgyeopsal BBQ feast, including all the side dishes and soup, comes to just 10,000 KRW per person (20,000 KRW total, about $17–18 USD). For authentic Korean BBQ in the heart of Seoul, that’s unbeatable value.
Korean Samgyeopsal BBQ in Seoul 🇰🇷 | Pork Belly, Banchan & Kimchi Stew | Best Korean BBQ!
Samgyeopsal (삼겹살): Best Korean Barbecue in Seoul, Korea ( 고기구이) Travel Food Video:
Music in this video courtesy of Audio Network
