[Busan] Ending the Night at Eom Yong Baek, Haeundae: Thick-Cut Pork and a Table Full of Side Dishes

After the street stalls of Nampo-dong, we returned to Haeundae for the day’s finale: the Haeundae branch of Eom Yong Baek, a Busan brand famous for chasing the “ideal dwaeji gukbap.” Here, though, the star is not soup but grilled pork.

Among the hotels, a curved wooden wall glows softly in the dusk. Inside, exhaust ducts descend over tables fashioned from steel drums, and the room was nearly full even in the early evening. I understood this was a popular place before we had even sat down.

The menu is refreshingly focused: moksal (pork neck), ogyeopsal (skin-on pork belly), hangjeongsal (jowl) and a few others, each in 130-gram portions. We ordered the moksal and the ogyeopsal.

Thick Cuts, Grilled for You

The pork arrives startlingly thick by Japanese yakiniku standards, its surface glittering with salt. The grilling is left entirely to the staff, who flip and trim with tongs and scissors and return only perfectly cooked pieces to your plate. The moksal is deeply savory; the ogyeopsal all crisp skin and sweet fat. Thick-cut pork, grilled slowly, is a different food from the thin-sliced kind.

The Side Dishes Are Half the Fun

What makes this table entertaining is the supporting cast: green chilies and raw garlic, kimchi glossed in red sauce, sheets of tofu skin, little pots of seasoned dipping sauce. Small plates keep landing on the table, and the same piece of pork changes character with every pairing. Somewhere in the experimenting, my beer glass emptied itself.

The crowds make sense — it was a delicious night. We walked back to the hotel in the Haeundae sea breeze. Day two in Busan: from the temple on the sea to the hillside village to the night stalls — a day of long walks and better meals.

Notes from the Day

• Eom Yong Baek is a popular Busan brand built around the idea of the “ideal dwaeji gukbap” (pork and rice soup). At the Haeundae branch, grilled pork takes center stage.
• Cuts come in 130g portions — moksal (pork neck), ogyeopsal (skin-on belly), hangjeongsal (pork jowl) — at roughly 15,000–17,000 won per plate as of my visit.
• Staff handle the grilling. The thick cuts take time, so relax and play with the side-dish combinations.
• Dinner time gets very crowded — arrive early or expect a wait.
• Area information on the official Visit Busan website — details as of my visit.

Visited in August 2026. Prices and details are as of my visit.

Eom Yong Baek, Haeundae: Frequently Asked Questions

What is Eom Yong Baek known for?

Eom Yong Baek is a Busan brand built around the idea of the “ideal dwaeji gukbap” — pork and rice soup. At the Haeundae branch we visited, however, the star of the menu is grilled pork rather than soup. Menus differ by branch, so check the current line-up on site.

Which cuts can you order, and how much do they cost?

The menu is short and focused: moksal (pork neck), ogyeopsal (skin-on pork belly) and hangjeongsal (pork jowl), each served in 130-gram portions. We paid roughly 15,000–17,000 won per plate as of my visit. Prices change, so treat this as a rough guide.

Do you grill the meat yourself?

No. The staff handle the grilling from start to finish, turning and trimming the pork with tongs and scissors and returning only the pieces that are ready to eat. The cuts are thick by Japanese yakiniku standards, so the grilling takes time — that is part of the meal.

What comes with the pork?

A generous supporting cast of side dishes: green chilies and raw garlic, kimchi glossed in red sauce, sheets of tofu skin and small pots of seasoned dipping sauce. Small plates keep arriving, and the same piece of pork tastes different with every combination.

How busy does it get?

The room was close to full in the early evening on our visit, and dinner time gets very crowded. Arriving early, or being prepared to wait, is the safer plan.

More from the same Busan trip

• [Busan] Morning Dwaeji Gukbap at Eom Yong Baek — the soup this brand is famous for
• [Busan Haeundae] The Westin Josun Busan: a 1978 grande dame with the beach at its door
• [Busan] Gamcheon Culture Village, the Machu Picchu of Korea