When people think about Korean food, they often think of Korean barbecue, bibimbap, or fried chicken. But if you want to try something that feels a little more local, jokbal is worth considering.
Jokbal is Korean-style braised pig’s feet. It is usually sliced and served with lettuce, garlic, vegetables, and dipping sauces. We visited Jangchung-dong Jokbal Alley during our family trip to Seoul and had jokbal with our child. It was one of those meals that felt less like a tourist attraction and more like experiencing everyday Korean food.
📍 Where This Fits Into Your Trip
- Area: Jangchung-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul
- Nearest subway: Dongguk University Station, Line 3
- Walking distance from: The Shilla Seoul, Jangchung Arena, Namsan, Taegeukdang Bakery
- Good to combine with: A Namsan visit, or a stop on a wider Seoul itinerary around Dongguk University Station
Why Is Jangchung-dong Famous for Jokbal?
Jangchung-dong is one of Seoul’s well-known food alleys, and the area became famous for jokbal around Jangchung Arena. In the past, many sporting events and concerts were held at Jangchung Arena. People would stop at nearby jokbal restaurants after the events, and over time, the area developed into the jokbal alley known today.
The area is still known for jokbal, along with side dishes such as mung bean pancakes and green onion pancakes. So this isn’t simply a restaurant near our hotel. Jangchung-dong itself is part of Seoul’s food culture.
Our Visit to Ttungttungi Grandma’s House
We chose Ttungttungi Grandma’s House, a jokbal restaurant on Jangchungdan-ro. The restaurant has a very casual, local atmosphere. It is not a fancy restaurant, and that was part of the experience. There were Korean customers eating at the tables, and the menu was displayed in Korean as well as several other languages.
What We Ordered
Before the main dishes arrived, several simple Korean side dishes were placed on the table. There was fresh lettuce, garlic, green chili pepper, onion, seasoned radish, pickled vegetables, and dipping sauces. These are the kinds of side dishes that make more sense once you know how Koreans usually eat jokbal.
We Didn’t Order the Set Menu
The restaurant has set menus that combine jokbal with buckwheat noodles. We decided not to order a set. Instead, we chose the dishes separately because we were eating with our child. I don’t eat mustard or wasabi very well, and I also thought the mung bean pancake and seolleongtang would be easier for our child to eat than the spicy, tangy buckwheat noodles.
So our order was: Small Jokbal, Mung Bean Pancake, and Seolleongtang. The menu prices when we visited were KRW 30,000 for small jokbal, KRW 10,000 for mung bean pancake, and KRW 11,000 for seolleongtang. Current online menu listings show the same lineup, but prices may vary by the time of your visit.
The Jokbal
And finally, the jokbal arrived. The meat was sliced and arranged on a large plate, with the glossy brown skin still attached to some of the pieces. Jokbal has a very different texture from grilled pork. The meat is soft and tender, while the skin has a slightly chewy, gelatinous texture. If you have never tried it before, the texture is probably the most interesting part.
How Koreans Eat Jokbal
One of my favorite parts of eating jokbal is making a lettuce wrap. Take a piece of lettuce and add some jokbal, seasoned radish, garlic, or other toppings. Then fold it up and eat it in one bite. You can also dip the meat into the salted shrimp sauce or the restaurant’s dipping sauce. There isn’t really one correct way to eat it — you can simply choose the combination you like.
Mung Bean Pancake: A Good Choice with Kids
The mung bean pancake was one of the reasons we were happy we didn’t order the set menu. It was savory, crispy around the edges, and easy to share. For us, it was also a better family-friendly side dish than the spicy buckwheat noodles. If you are visiting with children who are not used to spicy Korean food, a mung bean pancake can be an easy dish to add to the table.
Seolleongtang for a Mild Option
We also ordered seolleongtang, a mild Korean beef-bone soup. It was another good choice for a family meal because it wasn’t spicy. We could have some jokbal, some mung bean pancake, and then eat the soup and rice together. It made the meal feel much easier with a child.
What Is Jokbal Like for First-Time Visitors?
If you have never eaten jokbal before, the idea of eating pig’s feet may sound unusual. But the flavor itself is not as unfamiliar as the name might suggest. It is savory, slightly sweet, and rich, while the texture of the skin is what makes it different from other pork dishes. For first-time visitors to Korea, I think jokbal is worth trying at least once. And Jangchung-dong is a particularly interesting place to try it, because you are eating it in one of Seoul’s traditional jokbal neighborhoods.
Is Jangchung-dong Jokbal Good with Kids?
I would say yes, with a little planning. Jokbal itself is not necessarily spicy, but some of the side dishes and sauces can be spicy or strongly flavored. For our family, ordering the mung bean pancake and seolleongtang alongside the jokbal worked well. So instead of choosing the most popular set menu, I would recommend looking at the full menu and choosing a few dishes that everyone in your family can eat.
Jangchung-dong Jokbal Alley + Namsan
One reason I like Jangchung-dong for travelers is its location. You can combine a jokbal meal with a visit to Namsan, especially if you are already staying around The Shilla Seoul or Dongguk University Station. Jangchung-dong Jokbal Alley is close to Dongguk University Station, and Taegeukdang, one of Seoul’s historic bakeries, is also nearby. The official Seoul tourism guide lists Taegeukdang and other attractions as nearby places around the jokbal alley. So you don’t have to make a separate trip just to eat jokbal — it can easily become part of a Seoul sightseeing route.
Practical Information
- 📍 Area: Jangchung-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul
- 🚇 Nearest subway: Dongguk University Station, Line 3
- 🍽️ What to try: Jokbal, mung bean pancake, green onion pancake
- 👪 Good for: Trying traditional Korean food, local food experiences, family meals
- 💡 Tip for families: You don’t have to order a set menu — choose side dishes separately depending on what your children eat.
Jangchung-dong Jokbal Alley is officially listed by the Seoul tourism guide as a food alley near Dongguk University Station.
Is Jangchung-dong Jokbal Worth Trying?
Yes, especially if you want to try something beyond the usual Korean tourist foods. Jokbal may look unfamiliar at first, but it is a classic Korean dish, and Jangchung-dong is one of the places where you can experience its food culture firsthand.
For families, I would not worry about ordering the “right” set menu. We simply ordered what worked for us: jokbal, mung bean pancake, and seolleongtang. That made the meal much easier with our child. And that is probably my favorite thing about traveling in Seoul with a child — you don’t have to follow a perfect tourist itinerary. Sometimes, eating a local Korean meal in an ordinary neighborhood is enough.