Some of the best meals in Korea are not special occasions at all.
This one was a simple evening with old university friends: thick cuts of pork on the grill, a few bottles of soju and wine, and a long conversation that moved from our lives today back to our student days.
A Small Reunion in Seocho
We met at Seochojip, a pork restaurant in Seocho-dong, in southern Seoul.
The restaurant takes a break from 3 to 5 p.m., so we met right at 5, just as it reopened for dinner.
Each table has its own built-in grill and a smoke extractor hanging from the ceiling. We arrived right at 5 p.m., before the dinner crowd.
There were five of us, all from the same university. In Korea, it is common for people who studied together to stay in touch for years, sometimes decades, and to meet now and then over a meal and a drink. These gatherings are usually relaxed. Nobody needs a special reason to meet.
We don't see each other often, so once we sat down and started talking, the evening went by quickly.
Not Your Usual Samgyeopsal
When most visitors think of Korean pork barbecue, they think of samgyeopsal (pork belly). It is popular for good reason.
But many Korean barbecue restaurants also offer other cuts, and some have special menus that appear only on certain days.
This restaurant had a limited menu served only on Tuesdays and Fridays. We ordered three servings each of two cuts from it:
- Bon-galbi: bone-in pork ribs, grilled as large, thick pieces
- Samgak-sal: a cut from the front leg near the shoulder, which the restaurant described as the "armpit" area. It has less fat than samgyeopsal and a clean, light flavor.
Bon-galbi (bone-in pork ribs) and samgak-sal, two limited-menu cuts, with a king oyster mushroom on the grill.
Later, we added three servings of moksal (pork neck), a cut many Koreans love for its balance of meat and fat.
What surprised me was the texture. Compared with the samgyeopsal and moksal most people usually eat, these cuts were much thicker and incredibly juicy, with no gamey smell at all. Each bite was rich but clean.
The staff grilled the meat for us at the table. They cooked the thick pieces whole first, then cut them into bite-sized pieces so they would cook evenly. A large king oyster mushroom went on the grill alongside the meat.
The metal hood hanging over the grill is a smoke extractor. It pulls the smoke up and away, so your clothes don't smell like barbecue all evening.
How to Eat It: Change the Flavor With Every Bite
One of the pleasures of Korean barbecue is that you can change the flavor of each piece of meat with what you eat it with.
Salt, wasabi, ssamjang, pickled myeongi leaves, and other side dishes. Each one changes the flavor of the meat.
That evening, the table was set with:
- Coarse salt: to taste the meat itself
- Wasabi: a common pairing for thick pork cuts in many Korean barbecue restaurants
- Ssamjang with sliced green chili: savory and slightly spicy
- Myeongi (pickled wild garlic leaves): wrap a piece of meat in one leaf for a tangy, garlicky bite
- Pickled radish and other side dishes: to refresh your palate between bites
- Pa-jeori with egg yolk: shredded green onion salad topped with a raw yolk. Mix the yolk into the onions and eat them with the meat.
Pa-jeori, a spicy green onion salad, topped with an egg yolk. Mix it in and eat it with the grilled pork.
There is no single right way. Try a piece with salt first, then with wasabi, then wrapped in myeongi, and find your favorite.
A Drink, a Meal, and Then Coffee
We kept it light: two bottles of soju, plus two bottles of wine we brought ourselves. The restaurant charged a corkage fee of ₩10,000 (about $7) per bottle.
To finish, we ordered three servings of sulbap. It is a soup made with bean sprouts and pork, with rice added to the pot. Some people eat it as a final meal to settle the stomach after drinking. Others enjoy it as anju, food to go with their drinks, and keep the glasses going.
For the second round, or 2cha, we did not go to another bar. We walked to a café nearby and kept talking over coffee before heading home.
In Korea, a night out often moves from one place to another, and the second round does not always mean more drinking. A café is an increasingly common choice, especially for a relaxed gathering like ours.
What It Cost
The total bill was ₩220,000 (about $165) for five people, or about ₩44,000 (about $33) per person (October 2026). That included the meat, soju, corkage for our wine, and sulbap at the end.
Prices are listed by weight. The limited menu (Tuesdays and Fridays) includes bon-galbi (400g, ₩40,000 / about $30) and samgak-sal (180g, ₩30,000 / about $22).
Prices at Korean barbecue restaurants are often listed by weight, for example 180g or 400g per order, so check the menu carefully and order a little at a time.
Good to Know
- Check the break time. Many Korean restaurants close between lunch and dinner, often in the mid-afternoon. If you arrive during the break, you may have to wait until they reopen.
- Look for limited menus. Some barbecue restaurants offer special cuts only on certain days. Ask the staff if anything special is available.
- Order a little at a time. Start with a few servings and add more later, as we did.
- Ask about corkage. Some restaurants let you bring your own wine for a corkage fee. Ask before you bring a bottle.
- Let the staff help. At some restaurants, the staff grill and cut the meat for you, especially thick cuts. Enjoy it.
As we get older, it becomes harder to see old friends. Everyone is busy with work, family, and their own lives.
So when we do meet, the conversation goes everywhere. We caught up on each other's news, talked about what was happening in Korean society these days, and, of course, ended up telling the same old stories from our student days.
The meat was excellent, but that is not what I will remember most. In Korea, a meal around a grill is often a way to keep friendships going. The food brings people to the table, and the conversation keeps them there.
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