# Late-night hagfish pocha in Yuseong, Daejeon: Set 1 for two, Jinppaei - By Haeon (https://superchart.com/en/@ceramic-bowl/) - Written Aug 31, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Yuseong, Daejeon - Sponsored: This post was written as part of an in-store sponsorship visit. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@ceramic-bowl/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@ceramic-bowl/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/index.md) ## In short Jinppaei is a late-night, old-school pocha-style bar in the Bongmyeong-dong food alley of Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, where live hagfish are caught to order and grilled over an open flame. A couple shared Set 1 — hagfish half salt-grilled and half seasoned, plus a shellfish tasting platter — for 51,000 won, then stayed on for round two with hagfish stone-pan stir-fry and fried rice. Even a diner who had never liked hagfish changed their mind at the first bite of the salt-grilled version. ## Good to know - **Address**: 21 Oncheonbuk-ro 13beon-gil, 1F Unit 102, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon - **Hours**: Mon–Sat 18:00–02:00 (next day) - **Closed**: Every Sunday - **Ordered**: Set 1 – hagfish (choose half salt, half seasoned) + shellfish tasting platter, 51,000 won - **Also ordered**: Live hagfish stone-pan stir-fry, fried rice - **Parking**: Free parking available; alternate lot at Skyview City (20m away); parking support for diners - **Getting there**: 630m from Exit 7, Yuseong Oncheon Station - **Price reference**: ₩51,000 ≈ $38 (2026-09-15) *as written by the visitor on Aug 31, 2026* How I woke up to the taste of hagfish. I heard there's a place that hand-preps live hagfish, conger eel (anago), and shellfish to recreate the flavors I loved in Busan, so I went to check it out. Let me introduce Jinppaei, a shellfish grill spot near Yuseong Oncheon Station. ![Table spread of hagfish and shellfish grill at Jinppaei](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-01-11lpr-1200.webp) ![Hagfish set side dishes at Jinppaei](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-02-1bpax-900.webp) ![Full table view of a drinking night at Jinppaei](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-03-wh0ek-900.webp) The menu lineup was just too good for a night of drinks 👍 100000% would come back. ![Side dishes and a shot of soju at Jinppaei](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-04-oi5m3-900.webp) > Where the soju flows and the food never disappoints ## Where is Jinppaei? Hours and parking in Bongmyeong-dong Jinppaei is located at 21 Oncheonbuk-ro 13beon-gil, 1F 102-ho, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. Closed every Sunday, open Monday to Saturday from 18:00 to 02:00 the next day. - Parking: free on-site parking available - Alternate lot nearby – Skyview City, 20m from this location (21 Oncheonbuk-ro 13beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon) - Parking support available for guests dining in It sits in the main strip of the Bongmyeong-dong food alley in Yuseong, 630m from Exit 7 of Yuseong Oncheon Station. ![Exterior of Jinppaei in the Bongmyeong-dong food alley](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-05-1nhbc-900.webp) ## The only spot in Bongmyeong-dong serving live hagfish Jinppaei is the only place in Bongmyeong-dong where you can eat live hagfish (san-kkomjangeo). Honestly, I never used to enjoy hagfish, but I fell completely for the flavor of it grilled fresh over charcoal here. ![Live hagfish in the tank at Jinppaei](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-06-jqqwk-900.webp) ![View of the tank inside Jinppaei](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-07-2esou-900.webp) Live hagfish swimming in a clean tank. They catch and cook it the moment you order, so with ingredients this fresh, the taste is basically guaranteed, haha^^ ![Retro pocha-style interior of Jinppaei](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-08-1ue8w-900.webp) ![Seating and interior decor at Jinppaei](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-09-lr30c-m-900.webp) ### Old-school pocha atmosphere at Jinppaei The old-fashioned pocha (street tent bar) feel here is off the charts. The nostalgic vibe, retro interior, and a soundtrack of 90s–2000s hits all came together into something cozy and familiar — totally our type of place ^^ That old-pocha feeling makes it perfect for a first, second, or third stop of the night! Great for date nights, gatherings, or work dinners 😀 ## Jinppaei's menu and what Set 1 costs Jinppaei's menu ranges from set combos you can enjoy all sorts of ways, to à la carte live hagfish, conger eel, shellfish grill, and even a spicy cod soup that's cool and refreshing — more than enough to win over any drinker haha. We ordered Set 1, hagfish (choice of salt or seasoned, or half-and-half) plus a shellfish tasting platter, for ₩51,000. The basic side dishes (sukki) were varied too — washed aged kimchi, anchovies with gochujang, and a hwangtae (dried pollack) bean sprout soup so refreshingly spicy it was a soju-worthy side dish all on its own 👍 ![Basic side dishes: aged kimchi and hwangtae bean sprout soup](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-10-zj3ec-900.webp) Even the lettuce salad, served in a cute little bowl, was excellent paired with the hagfish thanks to its seasoning! ## Salt-grilled hagfish: the first bite that changed my mind This was my first time with live hagfish, so I flinched a bit haha. Seeing it wriggling on the grill was a pretty intense visual, I couldn't look away, haha 👀 The staff cut it into bite-size pieces, pre-cooked it in a little dish, then let us choose salt, seasoned, or half-half! ![Salt and seasoned hagfish on the grill](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-11-1d9d2-900.webp) My first-ever taste of hagfish elsewhere hadn't been great, so I grilled this one with half worry, half hope about whether it'd suit my taste. ![Hagfish grilling over an open flame](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-12-yo0i8-900.webp) Golden-brown from the charcoal, the first bite hit with a pop of salt. Wait, what????? The meat was so soft and moist — nothing like the chewy, tough texture I remembered. Pre-cooking it in that little dish before grilling must be the secret move 👍 A subtle smoky char blended with a clean, nutty flavor, and the more I chewed, the chewier and more tender it got — so good 👍 ![Golden-brown salt-grilled hagfish](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-13-1mrbr-900.webp) ![A piece of salt-grilled hagfish picked up with chopsticks](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-14-umxzm-900.webp) ### What does the seasoned hagfish taste like? Time to try the seasoned one too~ Hagfish grilled in a spicy sauce, with the flavor soaked right in, umami through the roof~ Grilled over charcoal so the smoky char layers on top, the pairing of tender hagfish and spicy sauce is unbeatable 👍 My chopsticks wouldn't stop ~~haha This is exactly why people rave about hagfish ~~~ ^^ ![Spicy seasoned hagfish grill](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-15-i71d8-900.webp) ![Seasoned hagfish served with lettuce salad](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-16-1mim8-900.webp) ## What's in the shellfish tasting platter: abalone, scallop and pen shell The thing that won over this hoochoo-mom, the shellfish tasting platter 👍 No tiny random shellfish here. It's exactly my favorite lineup — abalone, scallop, and razor clam. Sizzling away ~~ my favorite menu item, straight dopamine ~~🤤 ![Abalone, scallop, and razor clam grilling over charcoal](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-17-1um3b-900.webp) The cheese scallop was genuinely delicious. Melted cheese over tender scallop meat — absolutely top tier. ![Cheese scallop with melted cheese](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-18-1108b-900.webp) The chewy, springy abalone left me speechless. The ingredient did all the work!! Not a hint of fishiness. The razor clam was amazing too 👍 chewy and springy ~~ grilling razor clam and abalone together like this is a flavor I won't forget 😋 ![Razor clam grilled with abalone inside](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-19-1by1i-900.webp) ![Shellfish grill spread on the table](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-20-14cxv-900.webp) ## Round two without moving: hagfish stone-pan stir-fry and fried rice With a lineup this fresh and tasty, the soju just kept flowing ~~ Honestly, I'd been wondering where to go for round two after the hagfish, but nope — change of plans! haha Round two was also Jinppaei, with the hagfish stone-pan stir-fry 🤣 Wow, live hagfish cooked to order right on a stone pan, the spicy, delicious smell was mouthwatering ~~ Loaded with onions and vegetables, sizzling away deliciously ~ It was so fresh there wasn't a hint of fishy smell, which honestly surprised me 👍 ![Hagfish stone-pan stir-fry loaded with vegetables](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-21-xs3ri-900.webp) One bite of hagfish soaked moist in that spicy sauce ~ I'd recommend this as a top-tier hagfish spot. ![Spicy sauce soaked into the stone-pan hagfish stir-fry](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-22-1ezfv-900.webp) The rich sauce, spicy-sweet, clings right to your mouth. Salt-grilled, seasoned, and stone-pan stir-fried — all three have their own charm ~ ![A bite of stone-pan hagfish stir-fry sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-23-u58fn-900.webp) Fried rice cooked right on the stone pan. There are definitely people who order the stir-fry just for this fried rice haha ![Fried rice cooked on the stone pan](https://img.superchart.com/images/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night-24-t8rvq-900.webp) They tossed in the leftover cherry tomatoes into the fried rice and wow 👀 it added an exotic touch — a total hidden gem of a flavor! ## What to order at Jinppaei for the best combination A nice touch — the service even looks out for your hangover 👍 From clean, simple salt-grilled to seasoned, then spicy stone-pan stir-fry and fried rice, to charcoal-grilled shellfish, there's enough variety to pick and choose by mood, and it was especially satisfying to start clean with the salt-grilled version, then switch over to the spicy seasoned one ^^ ## Where it is - Jinppaei (진빼이) - 21 Oncheonbuk-ro 13beon-gil, 1F 102-ho, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea - 대전광역시 유성구 온천북로13번길 21 1층 102호 진빼이 - 36.3580235, 127.3446012 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%A7%84%EB%B9%BC%EC%9D%B4/@36.3580235,127.3446012,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@ceramic-bowl/jinbbaei-live-hagfish-set-couple-night/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt