Sokcho market roe shop: broken white roe on zucchini rice, Hwangbuja

Sokcho Jungang Market is a must on any Sokcho trip! I love wandering through traditional markets when I travel, and this one has so many famous things to eat: hotteok (sweet filled pancakes), steamed buns, dakgangjeong (sweet crispy fried chicken), fried snacks and seafood. This time, while browsing, I stopped by Hwangbuja Jeotgal (황부자젓갈) to pick up salted seafood to share with my parents for the first time in a while.

Hwangbuja Jeotgal location and opening hours

Hwangbuja Jeotgal is at Stall 25, Sokcho Tourist & Fisheries Market, 16 Jungangno 147beon-gil, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea. It is open daily from 08:00 to 20:30. It is across from the famous sulppang shop, so it is easy to find.

Since it is right next to the sulppang shop, buying the bread and then heading over for jeotgal made for a perfect route.

Where to park at Sokcho Jungang Market

At the time of my visit, you could use the Sokcho Tourist & Fisheries Market public parking lot, which charged ₩500 per 30 minutes with a daily maximum of ₩6,000. If you spend ₩15,000 or more at Hwangbuja Jeotgal, they give you a 30-minute free parking ticket.

What salted seafood does Hwangbuja Jeotgal sell?

As soon as I stepped into the shop, the jeotgal packed in containers by type caught my eye first.

The variety is huge: pollock roe, squid, octopus, pollock innards (changran), clam, baby octopus, scallop and hairtail innards jeotgal.

There was also myeongtae-hoemuchim (spicy seasoned pollock), nakji tangtang (chopped raw octopus) and matssiat (seasoning mix), and on one side they had hobak sikhye (sweet pumpkin drink), salted shrimp and various fish sauces on display.

I usually love squid, octopus and pollock roe jeotgal, but it had been quite a while since I last ate any. Seeing them all laid out so appetizingly, I felt a forgotten appetite wake up, haha.

Can you taste before buying at Hwangbuja Jeotgal?

Yes. If you say which jeotgal you want to try, they let you taste them one by one. While I was dithering over what to buy, they told me to say what I felt like eating, and after trying a few, every one suited my taste, which made choosing even harder, haha.

1kg broken white pollock roe vs regular: price difference

After much agonizing, I chose plain white roe (baekmyeongran)! The seasoned kind is delicious too, but I planned to use it in many dishes, like steamed eggs, roe soup and fried rice, so plain white roe seemed better.

The regular white roe at Hwangbuja Jeotgal was ₩35,000 per kg, and they happened to be selling the broken-shape kind (paji) too.

• Regular white roe, 1kg: ₩35,000
• Broken-shape (paji) white roe, 1kg: ₩30,000

Paji means the roe sacs are slightly misshapen or have torn skins. I have bought it before, and for eating at home it really does not matter.

They were generous, pressing it down and piling it so high the lid would not close. They also wrapped it carefully with ice packs, so I got it home from Sokcho without trouble.

Broken white pollock roe at home: portion and condition

When I opened the Hwangbuja Jeotgal package at home, the amount felt even more generous than when I bought it.

It was plump and in good shape; even though it was paji, the roe looked almost intact, more than I expected.

Compared with what I usually buy at the supermarket, the amount is clearly bigger, so great value! Even after setting some aside for my mom, who lives nearby, a lot was left. I kept what we would eat right away and split the rest into portions for the freezer! It felt rewarding to know I would not have to worry about side dishes for a while.

Zucchini and onion pollock roe rice bowl

The first thing I made with the Hwangbuja Jeotgal white roe was a roe and vegetable rice bowl. I finely chopped the zucchini and onion from my fridge, stir-fried them, then gently crumbled in the white roe.

I put the stir-fried roe and vegetables over freshly cooked rice and topped it with a soft-cooked egg, and just like that, a pretty nice meal was done!

Wrapped in seaweed (gim), the savory, salty umami of the jeotgal really came through, and it was delicious enough without any extra seasoning.

Is broken pollock roe saltier?

When I bought it, I was told the paji can be a bit saltier than regular roe. But once I cooked and ate it, the saltiness was not overwhelming; the roe was plump and the seasoning just right, perfect for my taste.

It also works well in rolled omelets, steamed eggs and roe soup. On days when you do not feel like cooking, just add chili powder, sesame oil and chopped scallions and wrap it in seaweed, which is easy and versatile.

Is Hwangbuja Jeotgal a good Sokcho travel gift?

I liked that Hwangbuja Jeotgal lets you taste a variety of jeotgal and choose to your liking. For eating at home especially, the reasonably priced paji roe seems like a good choice. I bought 1kg, shared it with my mom and froze some, and there was still plenty to use in different dishes for a while.

If you are looking for a good spot in Sokcho Jungang Market, or plan to buy jeotgal as a travel gift, it is worth a stop. Nationwide delivery is reportedly available too, so even people who cannot visit in person can use it.