Yoojung Sikdang: BTS's Trainee-Era Restaurant in Seoul | Black Pork Dolsot Bibimbap

 Yoojung Sikdang: BTS's Trainee-Era Restaurant in Seoul | Black Pork Dolsot Bibimbap

Tucked into a quiet street near Hakdong Station in Gangnam, Yoojung Sikdang looks like any other neighborhood restaurant from the outside. Step inside, though, and the walls tell a different story — covered floor to ceiling in BTS photos, posters, and memorabilia. This is the restaurant BTS members are known to have visited regularly during their trainee days, long before the world knew their names.


Why BTS came here

Trainee life in K-pop is famously grueling — long hours of practice on a tight budget. Places like Yoojung Sikdang, serving generous, affordable Korean home-style food nearby, became a natural go-to. It's the kind of restaurant every trainee needs: filling, fast, and kind to a limited wallet.


What is Black Pork Dolsot Bibimbap?

The restaurant's signature dish is heuk-dwaeji dolsot bibimbap — rice, vegetables, and thick-cut black pork served sizzling in a hot stone bowl, with a side of doenjang (soybean paste) soup. Among fans, it's affectionately nicknamed "Bangtan Bibimbap." It's a heartier, meatier take on regular bibimbap — the char from the hot stone bowl adds a smoky depth that plain versions don't have.


What should you order?

Black pork dolsot bibimbap ("Bangtan Bibimbap") — the signature dish, and the one dish worth building your visit around

Yoojung Ssambap — stir-fried pork wrapped in lettuce, a popular side option

Kimchi jjigae or budae jjigae — good alternatives if you want something warm and stew-like

Banchan (side dishes) are reportedly generous, with free refills


How to get there

Yoojung Sikdang is within walking distance of Hakdong Station (Line 7). Prices and exact opening hours can change, so it's worth checking current details before you go.


A quiet reminder of where it all started

BTS is now a global phenomenon, but this restaurant hasn't chased the spotlight. The photos on the walls are the only sign of what this place has quietly witnessed — a group of trainees, grabbing a meal between long hours of practice, years before anyone knew their names.


FAQ

Is Yoojung Sikdang expensive?

It's a casual, home-style Korean restaurant, not a tourist-priced destination — but menu prices can change, so check current pricing when you visit.


Do I need a reservation?

Not typically required, though it may be busier during lunch hours. For a quieter visit, consider coming outside the lunch rush.


Label: BTS Food Trail


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