They bought forty-seven knives.
Not one. Not a dozen. Forty-seven.
The buyers were three Italian Michelin-starred chefs — Lele, Matteo, and Daniele — on their second trip to Korea. On July 23rd, they appeared on MBC every1's "Hey! First Time in Korea?" (어서와 한국은 처음이지?), a Korean travel variety show that drops foreign guests into the country and watches what happens.
What happened was this: predawn seafood ramyeon at Noryangjin Fish Market. A brief moment of culinary confusion over Korean-style pizza back at the guesthouse. Then a blacksmith's workshop in Bonghwang-dong, Gimhae, where master craftsman Jeon Byeong-jin — forty-seven years into his trade — was forging knives so beautiful the chefs cleared out his entire stock, planning to gift them to colleagues back at their two-Michelin-star restaurant in Italy.
Forty-seven knives from a forty-seven-year veteran. Somebody in the editing room noticed that coincidence too.
But the knives weren't the story. The story was where they went next.
They drove to Busan. And their final stop of the day — after Michelin-starred chefs had just spent a fortune on artisan blades — was a street lined with pig's trotters.
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| Jokbal |
Quick Answer
Jokbal (Korean braised pig's trotters) is pork leg — specifically the section running down to the knee — slow-braised in a broth of soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. It traces back to a North Korean dish from Hwanghae Province called "dwaejijok jorim," brought south by refugees displaced during the Korean War, who began selling it in Seoul's Jangchung-dong neighborhood. That's where jokbal became a national obsession. Busan's Bupyeong-dong jokbal alley later gave birth to a cold, spicy variation called naengchae jokbal.
What Exactly Is Jokbal?
Jokbal is pig's feet. More precisely, it's the portion of pork leg extending down to the knee, braised for hours in a seasoned broth of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and onion, then sliced thin and served like cold cuts.
Each layer offers something different:
- The skin: Soft, almost bouncy, gelatinous — this is where the seasoning goes deepest and the flavor hits hardest.
- The fat: Tender and rich, melting slightly on contact.
- The meat: Clean, mild, carrying just a whisper of soy.
Koreans eat it dipped in salted shrimp sauce, or wrapped in lettuce and perilla leaves like a handheld package of flavor.
The Origin Story: From a North Korean Kitchen to a Seoul Alley
Every great dish has an origin story, and jokbal's starts in a place that no longer exists on modern maps of South Korea: Hwanghae Province, now part of North Korea.
There, home cooks made "dwaejijok jorim" — pig's feet simmered with rice syrup, soy sauce, and ginger until they turned glossy and dark. It was regional. It was local. Nobody outside the area had heard of it.
Then the Korean War happened.
Displaced people from Hwanghae and Pyeongan provinces — those who fled south and could never return home — settled in Seoul's Jangchung-dong neighborhood. In the 1950s, this area was full of empty houses abandoned by departing Japanese residents. The refugees moved in and started selling the food they remembered from home, simplifying the recipe along the way. That simplified version became jokbal as we know it today.
By the 1960s, jokbal restaurants were thriving in Jangchung-dong. Then in 1963, Jangchung Gymnasium opened nearby. Wrestling matches, boxing bouts, crowds pouring out hungry and looking for something to eat with their beer. Jokbal was right there waiting.
There was also a logistics advantage: Majang-dong livestock market sat just twenty minutes away by bicycle, supplying fresh pig's feet daily. That combination — displaced cooks, a captive audience, and a reliable supply chain — turned Jangchung-dong into the undisputed capital of jokbal.
Three Faces of Jokbal: Original, Spicy, and Cold
| Type | What It Is | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Original jokbal | Classic soy-braised, sliced thin | Purists who want the unfiltered flavor |
| Buljok (spicy jokbal) | Same base, coated in a fiery chili glaze | Heat-seekers |
| Naengchae jokbal (cold jokbal salad) | Thin-sliced jokbal tossed with jellyfish, cucumber, carrot, and lettuce in a tangy mustard sauce | Anyone who wants richness without the grease |
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| Buljokbal |
Many restaurants split the difference and serve "banban jokbal" — half original, half spicy, on one plate. Others pair naengchae jokbal alongside the classic version as a combo set.
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| Naengchae jokbal |
Personal note: in summer, naengchae jokbal wins every time. That mustard sauce cuts through the fat like nothing else.
Bupyeong-dong: The Birthplace of Naengchae Jokbal
Naengchae jokbal was born in Bupyeong-dong, a neighborhood in Busan's Jung-gu district. The area sits close to Jagalchi Market, Gukje Market, and Bupyeong Market — foot traffic has flowed through here for decades.
The jokbal alley's origin traces to a small shop called Hanyang Jokbal, opened in the early 1980s. Then, in the late 1990s, the owner of a restaurant called Oryukdo Jokbal invented naengchae jokbal — and the entire alley became a national destination overnight. That mustard-and-jellyfish combination did something previous jokbal versions hadn't: it pulled in younger customers and women who wanted something lighter than a plate of pure fat and skin.
Where the Italian Chefs Fell in Love
Back to that TV episode.
After clearing out a blacksmith's shop in Gimhae, the three chefs drove to Busan and landed in — of all places — the Bupyeong-dong jokbal district. The specific restaurant featured was Hongso Jokbal, on Gwangbok-ro, a five-minute walk from Jagalchi Station. The chefs sampled all three versions: original, spicy, and cold.
If you've ever planned a Busan itinerary, you already know why this makes sense geographically. The Bupyeong-dong jokbal alley connects on foot to Jagalchi Market, Gukje Market, and BIFF Square — it fits naturally into any Nampo-dong sightseeing route.
Where to Eat Jokbal: Seoul and Busan
Seoul: Best Subway Access
| Restaurant | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Manjok Ohyang Jokbal (City Hall branch) | City Hall Station, Exit 8, 1-min walk | Michelin Guide Seoul Bib Gourmand honoree since 2017. Five-spice blend cuts the funk; a bowl of manduguk (dumpling soup) comes free with every order. Combo set (large banban jokbal + naengmyeon + drink): roughly ₩63,000 (~$44 USD) |
| Jangchung-dong Jokbal Alley | Near Dongdaeipgu Station, Line 3 | Where it all began. Old-guard spots like "Ttungttungi Grandma's House" and "Pyeongan-do Jokbal" still operate here |
| Yeongdong Jokbal (main branch) | Near Yangjae Station, Line 3 | Regularly named among Seoul's "top three jokbal" |
| Seongsu Jokbal | Near Seongsu Station | Pair it with a walk through the Seongsu cafe district |
| Wonhalmeoni Bossam Jokbal (Myeongdong branch) | Central Myeongdong | Chain restaurant with strong foreign-language menu support — easiest option for non-Korean speakers |
Busan: Near the Tourist Trail, Naengchae Specialists
| Restaurant | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hongso Jokbal | Jung-gu, Gwangbok-ro, ~250m from Jagalchi Station Exit 7 | Featured on the TV show. Banban buljok: ₩40,000–55,000 ( |
| Hanyang Jokbal | Bupyeong-dong jokbal alley | The original shop on the strip. Signature dishes: jokbal and naengchae jokbal |
| Subyeon Wang Jokbal Bossam | Suyeong-gu, Gwangan Beach Road | Close to Gwangalli Beach, popular with Taiwanese tourists for its clean, chewy texture |
| Bupyeong-dong Jokbal Alley | Jung-gu, Bupyeong-dong | The birthplace of naengchae jokbal — pair with Nampo-dong and Jagalchi Market sightseeing |
Exchange rate used: approximately ₩1,440 = $1 USD. Korean won prices are the accurate figure; dollar conversions are for reference only and fluctuate with the market.
Practical Tips Before You Go
- Ordering strategy: First-timers should start with banban jokbal (half original, half spicy or naengchae). Committing to one style before you know your preference is a rookie mistake.
- Sauces: Salted shrimp sauce and garlic sauce cut the richness. The mustard sauce on naengchae jokbal has real bite — go easy if you're spice-sensitive.
- Wait times: Manjok Ohyang Jokbal's City Hall branch and the popular spots in Bupyeong-dong alley get crowded at dinner. Go early.
- Parking in Bupyeong-dong: Most restaurants in the alley have no dedicated lot. Use a public parking garage or take public transit.
- Takeout warning: Original jokbal loses its signature skin texture fast once it cools. Eat it fresh, at the restaurant, if you can.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between jokbal and bossam?
Bossam is boiled pork — usually belly or shoulder — sliced and served whole. Jokbal is specifically the pork leg, braised in soy-based broth. Different cut, different method.
Is naengchae jokbal actually served cold?
Yes. As the name suggests, it's chilled jokbal tossed with vegetables, jellyfish, and mustard sauce. Especially popular in summer.
Can foreign tourists walk in without a reservation?
Most jokbal restaurants don't require reservations, but expect a wait during peak dinner hours. Chain locations like the Myeongdong branch are a safer bet if language support matters to you.
I can't handle spicy food — can I still order buljok?
Order banban jokbal instead. You get both the original and spicy versions on one plate, so you can test the waters without full commitment.
The Bottom Line
Jokbal isn't just late-night bar food. It's a dish carrying the memory of people who lost their home and never got it back, reshaped differently in every city it landed in. In Seoul, try the original Jangchung-dong style. In Busan, go for Bupyeong-dong's naengchae jokbal.
And if you need proof of how good it is: three Michelin-starred chefs spent a fortune on hand-forged Korean knives in one afternoon — and their last stop of the day was still a jokbal alley.
Three-line summary:
- Jokbal originated as a North Korean dish, popularized in Seoul's Jangchung-dong by war refugees.
- Naengchae jokbal, born in Busan's Bupyeong-dong, uses mustard sauce and vegetables to cut the fat.
- Seoul's best spots cluster around City Hall, Jangchung-dong, Yangjae, and Seongsu; Busan's center on the Bupyeong-dong alley.
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