Charcoal Korean BBQ · Hongdae, Seoul · Blue Ribbon 4 yrs
Cheongdonok is a charcoal Korean BBQ in Hongdae, Seoul, built on one obsession: domestic sow pork belly cross-aged for 240 hours. Staff grill every cut for you — no Korean needed. Pork, beef, and yukhoe. English menu available.
Cheongdonok (청돈옥) is a charcoal-grill Korean BBQ restaurant in Hongdae, Mapo-gu, Seoul, an 8-minute walk from Hongik University Station. Its signature is 240-hour cross-aged domestic sow pork belly — dry and wet aged for about ten days before it hits live charcoal. Staff grill every cut at your table, a full English menu is available, and corkage is free, which makes it one of the easiest Korean BBQ spots in Hongdae for foreign visitors. Alongside aged pork belly and pork neck it serves aged beef cuts and hand-cut yukhoe. It has been selected by the Korea Blue Ribbon Survey four years running and is rated 4.8 across 186 Google reviews.
What is 240-hour aged pork belly?
Most Hongdae BBQ houses serve pork fresh. We hold domestic sow belly for 240 hours — about ten days — through both dry and wet aging. It concentrates flavour and breaks the belly down until it eats tender, nutty and clean off the charcoal, with less of the greasy edge.
Korean BBQ can be intimidating if you've never grilled at the table. At Cheongdonok, you don't have to.
Cheongdonok is built for foreign visitors in Hongdae: the staff grill every cut for you over charcoal, a full English menu is available, and it's an 8-minute walk from Hongik University Station Exit 9 (or 6 minutes from Hapjeong Station Exit 3). You can relax and eat while the timing and the scissors are handled for you.
Every cut is cooked at your table over charcoal — timing and scissors all handled while you eat.
Order easily with a complete English menu. Staff are used to foreign guests.
Bring your own wine or soju and we charge nothing to open it. Cards, cash, parking.
8 minutes from Hongik University Station Exit 9, 6 from Hapjeong Station Exit 3.
What actually sets the 240-hour aging apart — no exaggeration, just the difference.
| Cheongdonok | A typical Hongdae pork BBQ | |
|---|---|---|
| The pork | 240-hour cross-aged (dry + wet) domestic sow | Fresh-cut, served the same day |
| Who grills | Staff grill every cut at your table | You grill it yourself |
| For foreign guests | Full English menu, staff used to tourists | Often Korean-only, self-service |
| Corkage | Free — bring your own wine or soju | Charged, or not allowed |
| Recognition | Korea Blue Ribbon, 4 years running · 4.8★ | Varies |
Prices in KRW. Weights are per serving. The aged pork tomahawk and full board are carved at the table.
No imported filler, no shortcuts. The aging and the charcoal do the work.
Every belly is dry and wet cross-aged for 240 hours before it reaches the grill — the reason the fat eats clean and the flavour goes deep.
Selected by the Korea Blue Ribbon Survey four years running — one of the country's long-standing restaurant guides.
Rated 4.8 across 186 Google reviews. Domestic sow only, grilled over real charcoal — pork, beef, and hand-cut yukhoe under one roof.
Rated 4.8 across 186 Google reviews, and listed in Korea's Blue Ribbon Survey four years running — a track record locals and travelers keep coming back for.
Real Google & Naver reviews — pick your language. Korean reviews translated.
★★★★★
“Very authentic Korean BBQ. Service is excellent! The pork is fresh and, most importantly, no porky smell. The waitress is very helpful and her grilling skill is great.”
“非常正宗的韩式烤肉。服务很棒！猪肉新鲜，最重要的是没有猪腥味。女服务员很热心，烤肉技术也很好。”
“とても本格的な韓国式BBQ。サービスも素晴らしい！豚肉は新鮮で、何より臭みがありません。スタッフが親切で、焼き加減も上手です。”
“아주 정통 한국식 BBQ예요. 서비스 훌륭하고, 돼지고기가 신선하며 무엇보다 잡내가 없어요. 직원분이 친절하고 굽기 실력도 좋아요.”
Celine · Google
★★★★★
“Amazing high-quality meats — just look at the marbling of the pork. The beef ribs were sublime with flaky salt, and the staff grilled everything for us professionally.”
“肉的品质非常高——看看猪肉的雪花纹。牛肋骨配上海盐简直一绝，店员还很专业地帮我们把肉全部烤好。”
“お肉の質が本当に高い——豚肉の霜降りを見てください。牛カルビは岩塩と合わせて絶品で、スタッフが全部プロの手つきで焼いてくれました。”
“고기 퀄리티가 정말 좋아요 — 삼겹살 마블링 좀 보세요. 소갈빗살은 소금과 환상적이었고, 직원분이 전문적으로 다 구워주셨어요.”
Elvis Tan · Google
★★★★★
“Brought my Taiwanese family here and everyone loved it. The staff grill everything for you, so we could just relax and eat. Great for a Hongdae date too.”
“带台湾的家人来吃，大家都说好吃！店员会帮你把肉全部烤好，可以轻松享用，也很适合在弘大约会。”
“台湾の家族を連れて行きましたが、全員美味しいと大満足！スタッフが全部焼いてくれるので楽に食事でき、弘大デートにもおすすめです。”
“대만인 가족들 데리고 방문했는데 모두 다 맛있어 했어요! 직원분이 다 직접 구워주셔서 편하게 식사했고, 홍대 데이트로도 추천해요.”
aa0**** · Naver
★★★★★
“Right by Hongik Univ. Station. The huge dry-aging fridge at the entrance tells you what the meat will taste like before you even sit down.”
“就在弘大入口站附近。一进门那座大型熟成柜，就让人对肉的味道充满期待。”
“弘大入口駅のすぐ近く。入口の大きな熟成庫を見るだけで、お肉の味に期待が高まります。”
“홍대입구역 근처에 있어요. 입구의 대형 숙성고만 봐도 고기 맛이 기대됩니다.”
먹죽귀 · Naver
★★★★★
“Came with seven coworkers and it was one of the best meals we've had. Great meat quality, and the staff grill it all so you just sit and eat — perfect for a group dinner.”
“和7位同事一起来，是我们吃过最好的一餐之一！肉质很好，店员全程帮忙烤，你只管吃——非常适合团体聚餐。”
“会社の同僚7人で行きましたが、これまでで最高の食事のひとつでした！お肉の質が良く、スタッフが全部焼いてくれるので食べるだけ——会食にぴったりです。”
“직장 동료 7명이랑 갔는데 역대급으로 맛있었어요! 고기 질이 정말 좋고 직원분이 다 구워주셔서 먹기만 하면 돼요 — 회식 장소로 강추.”
s5042 · Naver
★★★★★
“Got the pork set for three — belly, neck and tomahawk in one go. Being aged meat, it was tender all around and really juicy.”
“点了三人份猪肉套餐——五花、梅花和战斧一次吃齐。因为是熟成肉，口感整体很嫩，肉汁也很丰富。”
“豚3人セットを注文。サムギョプサル・モクサル・トマホークを一度に味わえて良かったです。熟成肉なので食感が柔らかく、肉汁も豊富でした。”
“돼지 3인 세트를 시켰는데 삼겹살·목살·돈마호크를 한 번에 맛볼 수 있어 좋았어요. 숙성 고기라 식감이 부드럽고 육즙도 좋았습니다.”
아리아리9590 · Naver
A short walk from Hongik University Station. Reserve ahead on weekends.
Cheongdonok pairs 240-hour cross-aged domestic sow pork with charcoal grilling and staff who grill every cut for you. It is a Korea Blue Ribbon Survey pick four years running, rated 4.8 across 186 Google reviews, with a full English menu and free corkage, a short walk from Hongik University and Hapjeong stations in Hongdae.
Yes — Cheongdonok is an 8-minute walk from Hongik University Station Exit 9 (and 6 minutes from Hapjeong Station Exit 3) and has a full English menu. The staff grill every cut at your table, so no Korean or grilling experience is needed.
Cheongdonok in Hongdae specialises in 240-hour cross-aged samgyeopsal — domestic sow pork belly dry and wet aged about ten days before the charcoal. The 240-hour aged pork belly (150g) is ₩15,000, with the same aging on the pork neck and the Aged Pork Tomahawk (360g, ₩36,000).
Cheongdonok is a charcoal Korean BBQ in Hongdae built for foreign visitors: staff grill every cut for you, a full English menu is available, and it is an 8-minute walk from Hongik University Station Exit 9. It has been selected by the Blue Ribbon Survey four years running and is rated 4.8 across 186 Google reviews.
Cheongdonok cross-ages domestic sow pork belly for 240 hours — about ten days — moving it through both dry and wet aging before it reaches the charcoal. Aging concentrates flavour and breaks the belly down so it eats tender, nutty and clean, with less of the greasy edge of a standard fresh-cut samgyeopsal.
Yes. Staff grill every cut at your table over charcoal from start to finish, so you do not need to know Korean BBQ or speak Korean to enjoy it.
Yes. A full English menu is available in-house and the staff are used to foreign guests. Ordering is simple because the staff grill for you.
The 240-hour aged samgyeopsal (pork belly, 150g) is ₩15,000. The signature Aged Pork Tomahawk (360g) is ₩36,000, and the Cheongdonok Full Board (630g) for the table is ₩63,000.
Yes. Alongside aged pork belly and pork neck, Cheongdonok serves aged beef short rib and skirt steak (half plate ₩46,000 each) and hand-cut Cheongdonok yukhoe, Korean beef tartare (₩22,000).
Yes. Bring your own wine or soju and there is no corkage fee. Cards and cash are accepted and parking is available.
Cheongdonok is open Mon–Thu 16:30–22:00, Fri 16:30–23:00, Sat 12:00–23:00, Sun 12:00–22:00. It is at 10 Jandari-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu (Hongdae), Seoul. Reserve on CatchTable or Naver, or call 0507-1319-0460.