The Short Answer
- Hanwoo's 1++ label isn't one tier — it's three. Marbling numbers No.7, No.8, and No.9 all get sold as 1++.
- At May 2026 auction prices, No.9 went for ₩25,358/kg while No.7 fetched ₩22,206/kg. Same label, 14.2% gap.
- But here's the kicker: the cut matters way more than the grade. Grade 1 tenderloin (₩91,250/kg) is 4.8 times the price of Grade 1 short ribs (₩18,950/kg).
The moment you tell a butcher “I’ll take 1++,” you’ve actually picked one of three different slabs of beef. Different prices, different fat content. Yet most butcher shops and restaurants just write tu-ppul (1++) on the label and call it a day.
This article cracks open the Hanwoo grading chart number by number, calculates exactly how much “one grade notch” is worth using 2026 auction data, then maps out the Seoul restaurants where that beef actually ends up on the grill — sorted by budget. Every price comes with a source and a date.
There are actually two grades on every Hanwoo certificate
Every Hanwoo grading certificate carries one letter + one number. Something like 1++A. Most consumers only ever notice the back half.
Quality Grade vs. Yield Grade
- Quality Grade (1++, 1+, 1, 2, 3) — evaluates marbling (intramuscular fat), meat color, fat color, and texture. This is the grade consumers see.
- Yield Grade (A, B, C) — measures how much lean meat comes off a single carcass. Calculated from back-fat thickness, ribeye cross-section area, and carcass weight. It has nothing to do with taste — it's a profitability metric for ranchers and distributors.
So when a restaurant brags about "1++A grade," that trailing A has zero bearing on what lands on your plate.
It’s also worth knowing about the minimum-grade floor rule introduced in December 2019. Even if the marbling is stellar, the final grade gets knocked down to whatever the weakest component is — meat color, fat color, or texture. The days of marbling single-handedly carrying a grade are over.
How does a marbling number (BMS) become a grade?
A grader examines the cross-section of the longissimus dorsi (the cut face of the ribeye) and scores how much fat is dispersed through it on a scale from No.1 to No.9. This is the geunnae-jibangdo (intramuscular fat score), commonly called the Beef Marbling Standard (BMS). That number then gets converted into a quality grade.
🥩 Marbling Number (BMS) → Quality Grade Conversion (as revised December 2019)
| Marbling No. | Fat Content | Quality Grade | Common Nickname |
|---|---|---|---|
| No.9 | 19%+ | 1++ | Number Nine |
| No.8 | 17–19% | 1++ | tu-ppul |
| No.7 | 15.6–17% | 1++ | tu-ppul (was 1+ before 2019) |
| No.5++~No.6 | — | 1+ | won-ppul |
| No.4~No.5 | — | 1 | first-grade |
| No.2~No.3 | — | 2 | — |
| No.1 | — | 3 | — |
Which means “the old 1++” and “today’s 1++” wear the same label but are not the same beef. By pre-2019 standards, today’s No.7 1++ was a 1+.
No.9 vs No.7 — how much does the price actually differ?
The Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation (KAPE) tracks auction prices separately for each marbling number within 1++. That tells you the market is already pricing these three sub-tiers as distinct things.
📊 1++ Auction Prices by Marbling Number (₩/kg, all Hanwoo)
| Marbling No. | June 2025 | December 2025 | May 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No.9 | 22,201 | 25,182 | 25,358 |
| No.8 | 20,020 | 23,099 | 23,178 |
| No.7 | 19,177 | 22,341 | 22,206 |
The 2025 average Hanwoo carcass weight was 430.0 kg. Do the math at that weight: No.9 vs No.7 works out to roughly ₩1.35 million difference per animal. That’s the real wholesale cost gap hiding behind two pieces of meat that both say “1++” in the display case.
How to check what you're actually buying
- Ask for the grading certificate. Regulations require that 1++ beef display the intramuscular fat number (7, 8, or 9) alongside the grade.
- For packaged meat, take the 12-digit traceability number on the label and look it up on the Korea Beef Traceability System (mtrace.go.kr) — it'll show the grade and slaughter date.
- Shops that specialize in "No.9 only" tend to advertise it prominently. If there's no number on display, it's most likely No.7 — that's the biggest volume tier within 1++.
How much does one grade notch actually cost?
📊 Hanwoo Auction Prices by Quality Grade (₩/kg, all Hanwoo, excluding ungraded)
| Grade | June 2025 | December 2025 | May 2026 | vs. Grade 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1++ | 20,786 | 23,838 | 23,957 | +28.7% |
| 1+ | 17,661 | 20,783 | 20,810 | +11.8% |
| 1 | 16,330 | 18,859 | 18,610 | baseline |
| 2 | 13,750 | 16,097 | 15,925 | −14.4% |
| 3 | 11,733 | 13,574 | 13,368 | −28.2% |
Narrow it to steers only and the spread gets wider. May 2026: steer 1++ at ₩24,210 vs steer Grade 3 at ₩13,085 — an 85% gap.
In fact, in June 2025, the Majang Livestock Market Hanwoo Cooperative formally proposed that “No.7 should be removed from 1++ and dropped back down to 1+.” The reasoning: inconsistent 1++ quality erodes consumer trust, and the market is flooded with 1++ while 1+ and Grade 1 are in short supply. No regulatory change has been made yet.
The cut matters way more than the grade
This is where most consumers miss the point entirely. The gap between the top and bottom grade (1++ vs Grade 3, about 79%) is dwarfed by the gap between cuts — which can be several times larger.
🏆 Hanwoo Wholesale Prices by Cut — Steer, Grade 1 (₩/kg, first week of July 2026)
| Rank | Cut | Price | vs. Short Ribs | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tenderloin (ansim) | 91,250 | 4.8× | steak, grilling |
| 2 | Strip loin (chaekkeut) | 68,650 | 3.6× | steak, grilling |
| 3 | Ribeye (deungsim) | 61,250 | 3.2× | grilling |
| 4 | Brisket (yangji) | 40,375 | 2.1× | soups, chadol |
| 5 | Top round (udun) | 29,000 | 1.5× | yukhoe, jangjorim |
| 6 | Chuck (apdari) | 27,900 | 1.5× | bulgogi, soups |
| 7 | Bottom round (seoldo) | 27,125 | 1.4× | bulgogi, yukhoe |
| 8 | Chuck roll (moksim) | 23,425 | 1.2× | grilling, bulgogi |
| 9 | Shank (satae) | 23,000 | 1.2× | braising, suyuk |
| 10 | Short ribs (galbi) | 18,950 | baseline | braising, marinated grilling |
The takeaway is dead simple. Extrapolate from the grade-level auction ratios and you’ll find that a Grade 3 tenderloin probably costs roughly 2.7× more than 1++ short ribs. “What grade is it?” matters far less than “which cut is it?” for your wallet. Yet supermarket displays and restaurant menus print the grade big and the cut small.
Cut + grade: a practical pairing guide
- Grilling & steak — Grade actually matters here. Go 1+ or above for ribeye and strip loin. That said, if heavy marbling isn't your thing, a 1+ strip loin often beats a 1++ No.9.
- Soups, stews, and braises — Grade is nearly meaningless. Buy Grade 2 brisket or shank and the result barely changes. Spending on grade here is just waste.
- Braised short ribs (jjim-galbi) — Short ribs are already the cheapest cut. Bumping the grade doesn't hurt the total bill much, so 1+ or above is fine.
- Yukhoe (raw beef) — Top round and bottom round are the classic choices. Less marbling actually makes for a cleaner mouthfeel, so you don't need 1++.
- Gift sets — Don't fixate on the grade label. Check which cuts are inside first. Two boxes both marked "1++ set" can have a raw cost gap of over 2× depending on whether they're loaded with ribeye and tenderloin or chuck and bottom round.
Where do Koreans actually eat Hanwoo in Seoul?
The list you’ll find in tourist guides and the list Koreans book for business dinners and anniversaries don’t overlap as much as you’d think. Below is a selection of Hanwoo-only specialists, sorted by per-person budget. Prices were verified on July 28, 2026 via Dining Code and each restaurant’s published menu. Hanwoo prices move weekly, so double-check before you go.
Ultra-premium — ₩150,000+ per person (business dinners & celebrations)
Born & Bread (본앤브레드) New Building · Original — Seongdong-gu, Majang-dong
This is the restaurant that invented the Hanwoo omakase genre. It operates a butcher shop (the Original) and a restaurant (the New Building) within the Majang-dong Livestock Market. The pinnacle is the underground 10-seat counter with a Hanwoo omakase at ₩380,000. The second floor runs a casual tasting at ₩165,000, while the third-floor private dining room does a dinner course at ₩280,000 and a lunch course at ₩230,000 — each floor has its own price tier.
The signature is seol-ya-myeok — a Joseon-era technique of repeatedly grilling and resting top blade king galbi over ice. The menu runs through 4-week aged bresaola, truffle chateaubriand, and a finishing stone-pot rice. It’s listed in the Michelin Guide Seoul Selected.
CatchTable reservation required. Closed Tuesdays. Corkage: first bottle per person free, ₩50,000 per bottle after.
Byeokje Galbi (벽제갈비) Bangi Branch — Songpa-gu, Bangi-dong
Arguably the only large-scale Hanwoo restaurant in Seoul that explicitly markets 1++ No.9. A Michelin Guide Korea feature article states it uses “1++ BMS No.9 top 1%.” Founded in 1986, the restaurant doesn’t buy pre-cut sub-primals — it buys whole carcasses at auction and breaks them down in-house.
The flagship dish is Seolhwa raw galbi, 200g at ₩160,000. Seolhwa flower ribeye runs ₩95,000 per 100g, Seolhwa tenderloin ₩90,000 per 100g. If that stings, the lunch strip loin set at ₩69,000 is the workaround. The restaurant shares a kitchen with Bongpiyang next door, so you can finish with Pyongyang naengmyeon.
The ground floor accepts walk-ins; second-floor rooms are reservation-only.
Jowoo (조우) — Gangnam-gu, Sinsa-dong (Apgujeong)
Every seat is a private room, and it’s 100% reservation-only. They hand-select one whole Hanwoo carcass at the daily auction. The Hanwoo omakase at ₩250,000 runs 13–15 courses in a dedicated space, but requires a minimum of four diners. In the standard rooms, a dinner mixed platter is ₩98,000, and the Signature A 300g (serves 2) is ₩240,000. Lunch sets range from ₩50,000 to ₩68,000.
The menu descriptions are unusually transparent — you’ll see “Hanwoo 1++ tenderloin” and “1++ galbi No.5–7 range” written out directly. CatchTable only, with a ₩50,000 deposit per person. Corkage is free (one bottle per person).
High-end — ₩70,000–150,000 per person
Samwon Garden (삼원가든) — Gangnam-gu, Sinsa-dong
Opened in 1976, this sprawling garden-style galbi house facing Dosan Park is practically a symbol of Korean corporate entertainment culture. Hanwoo raw galbi ₩130,000, flower ribeye ₩95,000, raw ribeye ₩85,000. The signature is the Samwon traditional marinated galbi at ₩65,000. Michelin Guide Selected, designated a Centennial Store by the Korean government. This isn’t a dry-aging or maturation specialist — it’s the classic marinated-galbi lineage.
Saebyeokjip (새벽집) Cheongdam Main Branch — Gangnam-gu, Cheongdam-dong
Founded in 1994, open 24 hours, 365 days a year. Built to absorb Cheongdam-dong’s peculiar late-night post-dinner demand — the kind where a corporate team rolls in for round two at 2 a.m. Flower ribeye 150g, marinated galbi 260g, and raw beef 150g are all priced at a uniform ₩85,000. They break down carcasses in-house and are known for Daegu-style raw beef (mungtigi) and yukhoe bibimbap. Yukhoe 200g ₩42,000, Hanwoo galbitang ₩28,000, yukhoe bibimbap ₩16,000.
Tongui-dong Gukbinkwan (통의동 국빈관) — Jongno-gu, Tongui-dong
One minute on foot from Gyeongbokgung Station, set in a hanok with a central pine tree courtyard. One of the few restaurants that prints “Hanwoo 1++” directly in the menu names — useful when you want to be absolutely sure what grade you’re getting. The two-person signature set (₩152,000) includes 1++ chuck flap tail, flower outside skirt, intercostal, brisket-flank, and outside skirt, plus premium yukhoe, doenjang-jjigae, and a rice course. À la carte: 1++ chuck flap tail ₩51,000, 1++ T-bone 100g ₩35,000, premium Hanwoo beef tongue ₩38,000.
As of May 2026, the restaurant switched from briquettes to white charcoal and binchotan grilling, with only the marinated briquette-grilled galbi keeping its outdoor pre-sear. Corkage free, no parking available.
Chowon (초원) — Yongsan-gu, Namyeong-dong
A restaurant that built its reputation on beef tongue alone. They select only the soft inner part of the tongue and slice it thick: premium tongue, 130g at ₩38,000. Hanwoo ribeye marinated 1++, 130g at ₩38,000, and flower chuck flap tail marinated 1++, 130g at ₩48,000 (daily limited) round out the lineup. Finish with Chowon fried rice at ₩10,000. The restaurant markets itself as “top-grade 1++(9) selected and aged.” One caveat: the marinated salt galbi is US beef — if you want Hanwoo only, check the menu carefully.
Insaeng Hanwoo (인생한우) — Seongdong-gu, Majang-dong
The flagship of the Majang-dong jeongyuk-sikdang (butcher-restaurant) model. You pick your cuts from the in-store display case and pay a separate table charge (₩4,000 per person in the hall, ₩6,000 for a room). Real-world May 2026 prices: chuck flap tail roughly ₩22,000 per 100g, flower ribeye roughly ₩20,000 per 100g. Budget about ₩70,000–90,000 per person. Yukhoe arrives as a complimentary starter, and they accept Onnuri gift certificates. Rooms are by phone reservation only.
Value legends — ₩30,000–70,000 per person
Isok Uhwacheongong (이속우화천공) — Gangnam-gu, Sinsa-dong (Apgujeong)
The restaurant that set the benchmark for affordable Hanwoo omakase. Single-menu Hanwoo omakase at ₩69,500. It opens with yukhoe, moves through meat pie and two rounds of grilled beef (ribeye, chuck flap tail, flat iron, and others depending on the day), then closes with burdock rice and doenjang-jjigae. Corkage free, one dedicated server per four diners, two seatings at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The price hasn’t budged much — it was already in the ₩70,000 range in 2024.
The catch is the reservation. A one-month wait is typical. Many regulars say you’re better off setting a cancellation alert on CatchTable than trying to grab a slot the normal way.
Daedo Sikdang (대도식당) Wangsimni Main Branch — Seongdong-gu, Hongik-dong
Founded in 1964, designated a Seoul Future Heritage site. The identity here isn’t charcoal — it’s the thick cast-iron griddle the founder developed in-house back when the place opened. Hanwoo raw ribeye Original Cut, 170g at ₩49,000, is the signature. The Daedo three-cut platter (450g) is ₩176,000. Chuck flap tail, outside skirt, and flat iron are each ₩62,000. Hanwoo yukhoe 150g is ₩29,000. You haven’t finished until you’ve had the kkakdugi fried rice at ₩6,000.
Free valet parking, low reservation difficulty — ideal when you’re bringing parents or older relatives.
Wooreaok (우래옥) Main Branch — Jung-gu, Jugyo-dong
Opened in 1946. Most people know it as a naengmyeon house, but it’s also the keeper of Seoul-style bulgogi’s original form. Bulgogi, one serving (150g) at ₩46,000; all naengmyeon varieties ₩18,000. A server grills it for you on a dedicated pan at the table. Famous for using only brisket and shank in the broth. Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand.
No reservations. Walk-in waiting list only via TableRing, and weekend lunch waits run 1.5–2 hours. Closed Mondays. There is an exception: groups of four or more who order meat for every person can book one week ahead.
Hanilgwan (한일관) Apgujeong Branch — Gangnam-gu, Sinsa-dong
Opened in 1939, this is the definitive name in Seoul-style ribeye bulgogi — the kind simmered in a shallow pool of broth. Served as a brassware course set. Lunch set (ribeye bulgogi) ₩37,000, lunch set (grilled galbi) ₩45,000. Important: the bulgogi set is only available from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Traditional galbitang ₩20,000, goldongban (mixed rice bowl) ₩18,000, Seoul naengmyeon ₩14,000. Private rooms, valet parking, and large group capacity make reservations easy to come by.
Son Geon-ho’s Hanwoo Ilbeonji (손건호의한우일번지) Main Branch — Seongdong-gu, Majang-dong
The Hanwoo platter: 800g at ₩230,000. Split among four people, that’s ₩57,500 per person. The special 1kg platter is ₩280,000. A server handles all the grilling from start to finish, which makes it surprisingly solid for a business dinner given the price point. Phone reservations only, dinner service only, closed Sundays.
All 13 Seoul Hanwoo restaurants at a glance
🏆 Seoul Hanwoo Restaurants — Price & Feature Comparison (verified July 28, 2026)
| Restaurant | Area | Signature Menu & Price | Grade Listed | Reservation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born & Bread New Bldg. | Majang-dong | Omakase ₩380,000 / Casual ₩165,000 | Premium female | CatchTable required |
| Byeokje Galbi Bangi | Bangi-dong | Seolhwa raw galbi 200g ₩160,000 | 1++ No.9 top 1% | Rooms reserv. only |
| Jowoo | Apgujeong | Omakase ₩250,000 (4+) / Platter ₩98,000 | 1++ stated | All rooms reserv. |
| Samwon Garden | Sinsa-dong | Raw galbi ₩130,000 / Marinated galbi ₩65,000 | Unconfirmed | Rooms recommended |
| Saebyeokjip | Cheongdam-dong | Flower ribeye, marinated galbi, raw beef — each ₩85,000 | Unconfirmed | 24h walk-in |
| Tongui-dong Gukbinkwan | Tongui-dong | 2-person signature set ₩152,000 | 1++ stated | Reserv. recommended |
| Chowon | Namyeong-dong | Premium tongue 130g ₩38,000 | 1++ No.9 stated | ~30 min wait |
| Insaeng Hanwoo | Majang-dong | Chuck flap tail 100g ₩22,000 + table charge | Unconfirmed | Phone reserv. required |
| Isok Uhwacheongong | Apgujeong | Hanwoo omakase ₩69,500 | 1++ stated | 1-month wait |
| Daedo Sikdang | Wangsimni | Raw ribeye 170g ₩49,000 | Unconfirmed | Easy |
| Wooreaok | Jugyo-dong | Bulgogi 150g ₩46,000 | Unconfirmed | No reservations |
| Hanilgwan Apgujeong | Sinsa-dong | Lunch ribeye bulgogi set ₩37,000 | Unconfirmed | Easy |
| Son Geon-ho’s Hanwoo Ilbeonji | Majang-dong | Platter 800g ₩230,000 (serves 4) | Unconfirmed | Phone only |
How to book a high-end Hanwoo restaurant
- Omakase spots run on CatchTable; old-school houses run on phone calls. Isok Uhwacheongong, Jowoo, and Born & Bread are CatchTable-only. Insaeng Hanwoo and Son Geon-ho's are phone-only.
- If reservations look fully booked, set a cancellation alert. Places that charge a deposit see frequent cancellations.
- Corkage policies vary wildly. Jowoo and Isok Uhwacheongong are free. Born & Bread is one bottle per person free, then ₩50,000 per bottle. Check ahead if you're bringing wine.
- Lunch is dramatically cheaper. Byeokje Galbi's strip loin set at ₩69,000 and Hanilgwan's ribeye bulgogi set at ₩37,000 are about half their evening counterparts.
- Not every item at a "Hanwoo restaurant" is Hanwoo. Chowon's marinated salt galbi is US beef. Country-of-origin labeling is on the wall board, not the menu.
The Bottom Line — three things to remember when you're staring at Hanwoo
The Bottom Line
- 1++ is three tiers. No.7, No.8, and No.9 are all sold as 1++. No.9 and No.7 differ by ₩3,152/kg (14.2%). If no number is shown, it's usually No.7.
- The cut beats the grade. A Grade 1 tenderloin costs 4.8× what Grade 1 short ribs do. One grade notch (Grade 1 → 1++) is just a 28.7% bump.
- Spend where it counts. Grade matters for grilling. For soups, stews, and yukhoe, the cut is everything. Using 1++ for soup meat is the most common waste of money in Korean beef.
Sources / Data
- Grade-level & marbling-number auction prices — KAPE Livestock Distribution Information Dabom (monthly averages for June 2025, December 2025, May 2026)
- Wholesale prices by cut — Korea Meat Trade Association, Hanwoo Cut Price List (steer, Grade 1, first week of July 2026)
- Grade appearance rates & average carcass weight — KAPE, 2025 Livestock Product Grading Statistical Yearbook (published March 2026)
- Year-over-year wholesale price analysis — Chuksan Shinmun · Nonghyup Hanwoo Group, 2025 Hanwoo Wholesale Price Rise Factor Analysis
- December 2019 grading revision and 1++ appearance rate change — Farm Insight
- Proposal to remove No.7 from 1++ — Farm Insight, July 1, 2025
- Retail prices — Dabom Consumer Prices, aT KAMIS
- Byeokje Galbi 1++ No.9 top 1% — Michelin Guide Korea
- Restaurant prices — Dining Code restaurant profiles and published menus, verified July 28, 2026
Hanwoo prices shift weekly. Auction prices in this article are monthly averages; cut-level prices are weekly trading averages. Individual businesses may vary.