Manmankokoro: Jangga Pub from Itaewon Class

Manmankokoro is the real-life Jangga Pub from Itaewon Class. The restaurant located in Hongdae is known for being the rival pub portrayed in the drama. It is as beautiful as the show makes it look!

Introduction

Manmankokoro (만만코코로) is the restaurant known as Jangga Pub in the famous drama, Itaewon Class. However, unlike the Netfilx K-drama, the building is located in Hongdae, not Itaewon. Also, it is a pub, but not exactly the kind you might expect after watching the drama. It’s a dalkgalbi (or spicy stir-fried chicken) restaurant chain, which has other locations throughout South Korea.

In the drama

In the drama, Jangga Pub is owned by Jang Dae-Hee, the protagonist’s (Sae-royi) rival. And it is one of the most popular pubs around. In the series, Jangga Pub is also managed by Soo-ah, who is Sae-royi’s childhood friend. All of which makes for some pretty serious drama!

The aesthetic

Exterior

The exterior of Manmankokoro is as great as it was on screen. The building itself has four levels, but due to covid, they are letting fewer customers. And so, only the first and second floor are available for dining. 

The building at night is especially beautiful with all the lights and panels lit. Manmankokoro is easily distinguishable amid the dark alleyways of Hongdae.

Interior

The interior of Manmankokoro is incredible. The whole place is lined with wood panels. In the middle of the room, you can find a cherry blossom tree, which makes it all look natural and magical at the same time. The yellow lights blend everything together. Overall it makes for a nice vibe.

The menu

Manmankokoro’s menu has a large number of dishes, mainly Korean food. My friends and I ordered a portion of fish cakes, and some fried shrimp. Both dishes were really delicious, and kudos for the fish cake soup. The waiter also brought us some chips to snack on.

The fish cakes were listed for 15,000 won (came with eight sticks and the soup), and the shrimp was 16,000 won, which came with around ten big shrimp.

Below you can find a summarized list of the menu and the prices:

• Fish Cake Soup – 15
• Pork Kimchi Hot Pot – 17
• Clam Soup – 14
• Japanese Seafood Soup – 19
• Japanese Spicy Seafood Soup – 19
• Beef Intestines & Pork Belly Hot Pot – 19
• Special Cuts pork Barbecue – 19
• Stir-Fried Pork – 19
• Snow Cheese Hot Chicken – 19
• Spicy Chicken Foot Stew – 19
• Stir-Fried Cartilage – 17
• Stir-Fried Chicken Gizzard – 14
• Sweet & Spicy Fried Chicken – 18
• Sweet & Sour Fired Pork Slices – 17
• Spicy Bar Top Shells with mixed vegetables – 19
• Deep Fried Shrimp Tempura – 16
• Assorted Sausage – 16
• Fried Bread & Sweet Condensed Milk – 4
• Nacho – 5
• Extra noodles – 2

The prices are fair when sharing the dishes with other people. I was with three friends, so it did not turn out to be a super expensive night out. 

Conclusion

If you are a fan of Itaewon Class, or just want a pretty and nice place to drink and eat, Manmankokoro is for you. You should check out their gorgeous building and spend some time in this beautifully decorated pub.

Check out their Instagram page Here.

Manmankokoro Hongdae

Address:  34 Yanghwa-ro 16-gil, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Korean Address: 서울특별시 마포구 양화로16길 34
Operating Hours: Weekdays 17:00 ~ 6:00AM ; Weekends 17:00 ~ 7:00 AM (Pandemic Hours vary)

To read about more Itaewon Class filming locations, Click Here!