Byeolmi Gopchang (별미곱창): No Guts, No Glory
During my trip to South Korea, Annie brought me to Lotte World, the world’s largest indoor theme park. We even observed the park’s longstanding tradition of dressing up in school uniforms. After a fun-filled afternoon, Annie and I needed some recovery food (and maybe two bottles of soju to wind down a little bit). Since we were already in Songpa-gu, we decided to eat nearby.
Songpa-gu is located on the eastern part of Seoul. It’s mainly known for Lotte World and Olympic Park (the facilities used for the 1988 Seoul Olympics). For me, I associate this area with delicious food and lively sooljips (술집), which literally translates to “alcohol houses”. For reference, Songpa-gu is east of Gangnam-gu, one of the most affluent and well-known areas of Seoul.
For our first stop, we decided to go to Byeolmi Gophang, a small chain of restaurants specializing in Gopchang. After doing some initial research, it seems like this place could be a franchise. Byeolmi Gopchang is a very casual restaurant with a lot of shared tables and stools for seats. It has a busy and energetic atmosphere.
Gopchang refers to the small intestine of a cow. In Korean cuisine, it’s usually chopped into 1 to 1.5-inch pieces and grilled on a hot plate at the table and may also include rice cakes or vegetables like onion, scallion, or chives.
Gopchang is incredible. It’s fatty but still has that intense meaty and buttery flavor. The most unique part about Gopchang is probably the texture. These little tubes are chewy and elastic so it’s a lot of fun to eat. The grill is on high heat so the gopchang exterior continues to sear and crisp.
The richness of Gopchang can taste overwhelming after a while. That’s why you should enjoy it with some ice cold soju and beer. In my opinion, it’s one of the best drinking foods. Definitely consume Gopchang with the wide variety of sauces, condiments, and vegetables that it comes with.
Byeolmi Gopchang costs about $10 USD per serving. We ordered the Modeum Gopchang (모듬곱창), which comes with gopchang (small intestine), makchang (fourth stomach), and daechang (large intestine). For an extra 3,000 WON (or $2.30 USD), order the fried rice, or Bokkeumbap (볶음밥). They fry the rice on the same grill for extra flavor.
Overall, I was happy with the quality, value, and vibe at Byeolmi Gopchang. It was good for an unplanned visit but if you’re in South Korea and have limited time, I would suggest going somewhere on Majang-ro, or Gopchang Street, instead.
Cuisine: Korean
Average Price per Person: $10 USD / 12,500 WON (Food Only)
Address:
14 Ogeum-ro 11-gil, Bangi-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea
서울특별시 송파구 방이동 오금로11길 14
Recommended:
Modeum Gopchang (모듬곱창)
Let’s get some gopchang at Byeolmi Gopchang.
We ordered Modeum Gopchang (모듬곱창) so that we could try a little bit of everything. This assorted plate comes with gopchang (small intestine), makchang (fourth stomach), and daechang (large intestine).
For an extra 3,000 WON (or $2.30 USD), order the fried rice, or Bokkeumbap (볶음밥).
Like many Korean restaurants serving grilled meats, Byeolmi Gopchang gives you ssamjang (a thick, spicy paste made with fermented soybeans, red chili paste, sesame oil, onions, garlic, and sugar), raw garlic, and cheongyang peppers.
You can ask for refills of this and any other condiments / side dishes.
The sauce on the left is called Oil Sauce (기름장). It’s made with sesame oil, salt, and pepper. It’s a very common dipping sauce for grilled meats.
The condiment on the right is made with Soy Sauce, Onions, and Peppers. These bold flavors help balance out the richness of the offal.
This is Pa Muchim ( 파무침) and Raw Liver. It’s very common for gopchang places in South Korea to give you a small plate of raw liver. I’m not exactly sure why though. Try it if you’re feeling adventurous! It’s slimy, almost jello-like, and tastes like minerals. Doesn’t sound cute but it’s actually quite nutritious.
The Pa Muchim is a little spicy and made with scallions. These vegetables have a slightly acidic flavor.
The Ttukbaegi (뚝배기), or stone bowl, on the left is Odeng Guk (오뎅국). It’s a hot, mildly spicy bowl of fish cake soup. It’s also complimentary and goes well with the gopchang!
Finally, the Modeum Gopchang (모듬곱창), or assorted gopchang, is on the grill on the right. We recommend throwing in those pieces of raw garlic so that it can grill with the meat and chives. The long, dark slices of meat on top of the mountain of chives is beef heart. It has a firm texture and a strong, meaty flavor.
Enjoy the gopchang with the chives and the rest of the condiments. This helps cut through the greasiness of the offal.
(25,000 WON)