Seafood stew in Changwon with noodle add-on: Dwaeji Jogae

Refreshingly spicy seafood stew found at Bansong Market

When I keep craving a broth dish that is refreshing and nicely spicy, this is where I go—a truly proper haemultang (spicy seafood stew) spot in Changwon! It is already famous enough that those in the know probably all know it, and I visited Dwaeji Jogae (돼지조개), right in Bansong Market.

B1, 20-3 Woni-daero 473beon-gil, Seongsan-gu, Changwon, South Korea Closed Monday Tue–Sun 12:00–22:00 Break time 15:00–17:00 (no break time on weekends) Last order 20:30 (20:00 on Sunday)

The moment you head underground, you get that cozy, familiar atmosphere unique to a great market restaurant. Just seeing the entrance photo puts me in a good mood because I know I am about to eat.

Bansong Market parking information

Dwaeji Jogae provides a 1-hour free parking voucher, and you can use the Bansong Market parking lot opposite Bansong Police Substation or the one below the cathedral. After that, it is ₩200 per 10 minutes, up to ₩6,000. ✔️ Additional free parking is available after 6 PM on weekdays and on public holidays at Bansong Post Office, the community service office, and the Traffic Culture Training Institute.

The large-medium seafood stew we chose because we were starving

I had actually visited before, and they recognized me ♡ Last time I ordered the large-small size, but the two of us arrived absolutely starving, so I ordered the large-medium size without hesitation!

Every single side dish was worthwhile—nothing to leave behind! The geotjeori (fresh kimchi) was delicious, and the potatoes were a little sweet, so they disappeared in no time...

After a short wait, a pot of seafood stew with an incredible look to it landed on our table.

The pot was practically overflowing with piles of fresh seafood—scallops, abalone, octopus, pen shells, and more! The second we saw it, we seriously wondered whether the two of us could possibly finish it all, haha.

Service that handles the shellfish and even manages the heat

But there was absolutely no need to worry before even starting, because the staff kindly prepare every shellfish and piece of seafood for you, one by one -`♡´-

While preparing it, they kept checking in, looking around the table to carefully monitor how cooked everything was and adjust the heat. All we had to do was sit back and eat comfortably and deliciously.

Removing every shell is work in itself, so I thought this would be such a convenient, lovely place for a work dinner too!! Maybe this thoughtful service is why it has been loved as a shellfish spot in Bansong-dong for so long, haha.

The fresh abalone and scallops were pure tenderness dipped in chojang (sweet-tangy chili sauce) or wasabi soy sauce. Maybe because the broth has minari and bean sprouts, it was so refreshing and pleasantly spicy it felt like it cleared me right outㅠㅠ👍 It also comes with minari—what a huge role that minari plays in the broth ˘ᗜ˘

The broth had that deep flavor that makes you think of soju from the first sip. Luckily, the person who came with me has a huge appetite, so we went at it properly! Normally, it is enough for 3–4 people, haha.

Kalguksu noodle add-on after the seafood stew is essential

And once you finish the seafood stew, there is one course you absolutely cannot skip, right? Adding kalguksu sari (knife-cut noodle add-on)! It is essential! ⭐ Even if you are full, you have to eat this;

Adding chewy kalguksu noodles and boiling them in the broth reduced with all those seafood juices and deep stock was the best!

Top it with a bite of geotjeori kimchi and eat them together—it is the perfect combination for a clean finish.

Dwaeji Jogae, a great restaurant in Changwon's Bansong Market, falls short in none of it: generous portions, fresh ingredients, and friendly service. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone wanting to tilt back a glass of soju with refreshing seafood-stew broth or enjoy a proper shellfish dish. If you go to Bansong Market, definitely stop by at least once :)