Baby octopus BBQ worth a repeat visit in Jeonpo, Busan: Yongdusan

Why did I come back to Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi?

Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi (용두산 숯불쭈꾸미) is a true local favorite around Seomyeon and Jeonpo-dong in Busan, where you can hardly get in without a wait, even on weekday evenings, let alone weekends. If you often hang out in Seomyeon or Jeonpo, you probably know it already. I visited for the first time not long ago and was completely won over by the strong charcoal aroma and the tender texture, so I couldn't resist and went back again recently!

Even among the restaurant alleys of Jeonpo-dong, Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi has a standout presence, and it's easy to reach from Bujeon Station, Seomyeon Station and Jeonpo Station, so it's great as a meeting spot too! I couldn't forget the thrill of my first visit, so this time I went with a friend on an early weekday evening, and sure enough the front of the shop was packed with people waiting. Why has it become a hotspot that needs a wait even on weekdays? Let's dig into its charms along with the hearty set menu I ordered this time.

What did I order at Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi?

Here's the menu of Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi :-) I ordered a set in regular spice! The portion is very generous for two people and the combination is perfect >_<

Is it easy to get to from Seomyeon, Jeonpo and Bujeon stations?

Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi is easy to reach whichever subway line you take. When heading to central Busan by public transport, one of the most important things is the distance from the station, right? You can walk over from Seomyeon Station and enjoy the cute, charming vibe of Jeonpo-dong along the way, and it's very close to Jeonpo Station and Bujeon Station too, so whichever direction you come from, you can find it easily without getting lost.

A neat, friendly-looking sign that stands out even from far away welcomes you. Even though it was right after weekday work hours, the place was already full and there were teams lined up waiting, and seeing that I felt sure I'd been right to come back, haha. Trendy restaurants these days often get a flash of popularity and then vanish, but Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi has a steady wait on weekdays and weekends alike, which I think is proof that it's a proven spot with solid word of mouth among local residents and office workers.

Order composition (recommended for 2 people)

• 72-hour aged charcoal baby octopus
• Tender, premium bosam (boiled pork)
• Visually explosive bomb cheese steamed egg

How do the 72-hour aged charcoal baby octopus taste and feel?

The biggest strength of Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi is, above all, the flavor and texture of the baby octopus (jjukkumi). When I asked the owner, he told me the octopus isn't just tossed in sauce and served right away; it goes through a full 72 hours of cold aging in a secret marinade. The seasoning doesn't just sit on the surface but soaks deep into the flesh, so every bite is an explosion of savory depth! The spice isn't an artificial capsaicin kind of heat either; it's pleasantly kick-y with a clean finish, so you keep reaching for more~~ Maybe the tenderizing worked well over those 72 hours, because the octopus keeps its signature bounce yet is soft enough that even people with weak teeth can eat it without trouble!

Do you have to grill the charcoal baby octopus yourself?

At Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi the staff grill the octopus for you from start to finish, so there's nothing to worry about. Seasoned octopus can easily burn black over charcoal if you slip up, so it's one of the trickiest ingredients to grill yourself. Thanks to the expert hands that flip it at the right time and cut it into bite-size pieces, we could just chat comfortably and enjoy octopus finished at its best.

The sight and smell of the octopus turning golden on the grill, soaking up the charcoal aroma, is so tempting that the waiting time felt like torture T_T The moment I took a bite, the rich smoky flavor filling my mouth blended with the spicy secret sauce, and it was simply amazing.

How were the bosam and sujebi that come with the set?

The sujebi (hand-pulled dough soup) they serve by default at Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi!!! This stuff is seriously a little temptress '-' And the moment you put a slice of the set's bosam in your mouth, you'll understand right away why a baby octopus specialist sells bosam in a set too. The pork has no gamey smell at all and is incredibly tender T_T There are no dry cuts, and the ratio of lean meat to fat is golden, so it feels like it melts in your mouth after just a few chews.

Stacking a piece of spicy, smoky charcoal octopus with a piece of mild, tender bosam, the "jju-bosam" combo, is a total cheat code! The savory fat of the bosam softly wraps the spice, and the kick of the octopus wipes out any richness from the bosam, so you can keep eating nonstop.

How to eat at Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi

The walls and tables of Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi have detailed instructions on how to eat the octopus deliciously. Looking around the shop, there were many touches showing the owner's thoughtful care, and even first-timers can have a no-fail experience just by following this guide.

• Perilla leaf + pickled radish combo: Put a slice of tangy pickled radish (ssambu) on a fragrant perilla leaf, dunk a well-grilled piece of charcoal octopus in the special mayo sauce, add it on top with a piece of garlic, and wrap it up. Crunch, bounce and fragrance go wild in your mouth ;;
• Octopus and bosam samhap: On a perilla leaf, stack a slice of bosam, a piece of octopus, and the bosam kimchi or dried radish strips served alongside, and eat it in one big bite! You get a perfect meeting of land and sea.
• Make good use of the mayo sauce: Even the regular spice has a sneaky spicy finish, so if you're not great with spicy food, I recommend dunking generously in the white mayo sauce provided by default!!!! The heat gets neutralized and the savory flavor doubles.

What role does the bomb cheese steamed egg play?

The bomb cheese steamed egg (gyeran-jjim) in the Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi set is overwhelming from the look alone, puffed up as if about to spill over the earthenware pot. It's generously topped with savory cheese, so when you scoop it up with a spoon the cheese stretches out. The fluffy, soft egg texture plus the salty, savory flavor of the cheese works perfectly: when your mouth gets a little spicy from the octopus, a spoonful tidies it right up. It plays the role of a seasoning that makes you nod at how well-balanced the set is!!

Is Jeonpo's Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi worth going back to?

Jeonpo's Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi is a well-rounded place where nothing falls short: flavor, service, set composition, location. Charcoal octopus carefully aged for 72 hours for deep flavor, bosam so tender it would hold up as a standalone dish, and the finishing touch of the bomb cheese steamed egg. For two people, it offers a quantity and quality that sends you out full and satisfied.

Above all, the staff carefully grill all the octopus, which is seasoned and burns easily, so I felt well looked after and could taste it at its best~~ You could say it makes you nod about why people wait in long lines even on weekday evenings! It's a place with a magnetic charm that turns you into a regular after one visit, like me!

If you're near Seomyeon, Jeonpo or Bujeon Station and want proper charcoal grilling with a drink, or a no-fail hearty dinner, I strongly recommend Yongdusan Sutbul Jjukkumi :-) Just note there's a wait even on weekdays, so either go a bit early or go with a relaxed mind. Of course, I plan to visit again soon! >_<