Weekend 5:30pm dinner at Songjeongok, a Songjeong Korean restaurant

Songjeongok Songjeong Main Branch is an abalone pot rice set-menu Korean restaurant at 54-1 Songjeonggwanghagol-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan. Songjeong Beach isn't too crowded and has a nice atmosphere, so I go there often — this time, a review of a great meal at Songjeongok, famous for its abalone pot rice!

• Location: 54-1 Songjeonggwanghagol-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00-22:00, break time 15:00-17:00 (no break time Sat/Sun)
• Parking: about 5 spaces in front of the restaurant

How to get to Songjeongok and where to park

Songjeongok is really close to Songjeong Beach — just a one-minute drive. Parking is available right in front, so it was a very convenient place to eat.

I visited for a slightly early dinner on a weekend, arriving around 5:30pm, which meant I could eat at a leisurely pace and still have time for a walk along Songjeong Beach afterward — very satisfying.

Inside Songjeongok: family tables and group seating

The interior was in a wood tone fitting for a Korean restaurant, but with a tidy, refined feel — and best of all, the tables were wide, great for family meals. There were plenty of 6-person tables in addition to 4-person ones, generously sized so you're not cramped even with a hearty spread, which made the whole experience feel even better.

Songjeongok occupies the whole building, and there's an even bigger hall upstairs — with high ceilings, the space felt elegant and never cramped. The second floor has about 50 seats, great for family meals, family events, or group dinners, and the staff mentioned they get a lot of group reservations for anniversaries.

Baby chairs are available too, so it's a good spot for dining with kids.

Songjeongok's menu: 4,000 won more adds the seafood hinoki steamer

The menu at this Songjeong restaurant, Songjeongok, centers on a set meal built around abalone pot rice — pot rice, gabrisal bossam (pork wrap), and various banchan (side dishes) all served as one full spread.

The easiest way to understand the difference between the pot rice set and the pot rice seafood hinoki set is: abalone pot rice set + hinoki (cedar box) steam = abalone seafood hinoki set. If you want something even more filling with a bit of edge, add the whole octopus sashimi for a full hanjeongsik (traditional set meal) experience!

The abalone pot rice set is ₩19,000, and for just ₩4,000 more you get one whole hinoki steam per person — a combination too good to pass up. We ordered the abalone seafood hinoki set for two! ₩23,000 per person.

What comes with the abalone pot rice set: gabrisal bossam and side dishes

The gabrisal bossam that comes with the abalone pot rice set.

Gabrisal bossam sits in the center, surrounded by seasoned raw crab, tofu, green onion kimchi, baek kimchi (white kimchi), cockle salad, seaweed stem, and radish salad. On top of that, fresh lettuce wraps, a sweet-and-tangy shrimp salad, and spicy stir-fried squid are served separately — a truly abundant Korean spread.

Personally, I think the joy of a Korean set meal is enjoying a variety of banchan alongside the rice — and with so many dishes you keep reaching for, you'll polish off a whole bowl of rice with just a bite of each at this Songjeong restaurant, Songjeongok.

The shrimp salad, which I tried first, was a refined starter — crisp vegetables of all kinds, plump shrimp, and a sweet-tangy sauce that paired beautifully.

One pot each: Songjeongok's abalone pot rice

The rice isn't plain white rice — it's abalone pot rice! Served one pot per person, it's loaded with Songjeongok's own scrambled egg, abalone innards sauce, and sliced abalone — just mix it all together and it's ready! The savory aroma hits the moment you open the lid.

Once you've scooped out the rice, pour in the warm water they provide, and you get sungnyung (scorched-rice tea) to finish the meal.

Songjeongok's abalone pot rice has a distinct flavor unlike other places — with egg mixed in, it packs some protein, and the soft texture and taste make it clear why kids love it too, adding to why families keep coming back.

Gabrisal bossam with green onion kimchi

The gabrisal bossam, which you could call the main dish, was boiled well with no gamey smell, and the ratio of chewy, savory fat characteristic of gabrisal was excellent.

It went well with the fresh lettuce wraps, and the accompanying green onion kimchi was perfectly fermented — a match made in heaven, and right up my and my husband's alley!

One seafood hinoki steamer per person: is it worth 4,000 won?

The seafood hinoki steam arrives! This whole spread for just ₩4,000 — can you believe it? Skipping this add-on for ₩4,000 more would only lead to regret. It's not a shared dish — it's one hinoki steam per person.

Big, plump shrimp, cleanly prepped abalone, clams, corn, potato, fish cake, broccoli, bean sprouts, mushrooms, and even pine cone-cut squid — a wonderfully full lineup packed inside.

As a shrimp lover, the plump shrimp was the most satisfying part. Paired with the chili sauce set on each table's side, it turned spicy-sweet and even more delicious.

Even eaten plain, the hinoki aroma soaks in beautifully, so it's a combination kids will love too.

Who Songjeongok in Songjeong is for

With its elegant, refined atmosphere and a Korean set menu that people of all ages will love — abalone pot rice, gabrisal bossam, and seafood hinoki steam all in one meal — this Songjeong restaurant clearly earns the love of visitors near Songjeong Beach.

• If you're looking for a hearty Korean restaurant in Songjeong
• If you're curious about a satisfying pot rice restaurant to visit with parents and a baby
• If you want a restaurant near Songjeong Beach with parking available