Bangbae-dong Korean restaurant, braised hairtail for 2–3: Naegohyang

Today I'm introducing a Bangbae-dong restaurant that's great for the whole family to enjoy together 🐟 It's a Korean set-meal place, and what I loved was the freshness and neatness that comes from using Jeju-grown greens and Jeju fish — Naegohyang Jeju!

It's famous as a braised hairtail spot, so I went for a family dinner, and I came away completely satisfied with a neat, delicious spread.

Naegohyang Jeju's location and family-friendly amenities

Naegohyang Jeju is located at 93 Donggwang-ro, B1, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Group dining, takeout, and reservations are all available, and there's parking and valet parking too — worth keeping in mind.

The restrooms are separated by gender and there are baby chairs, so it's a great spot for family dinners with kids!

A basement spot that doesn't feel cramped at all

Even though Naegohyang Jeju is in the basement, it had a clean, neat atmosphere with no cramped feeling. Easy payment was available, which was convenient, and there's group seating too, making it perfect for a family gathering.

The tableware was really clean too and gave off nice Jeju vibes.

The deluxe braised hairtail (2-3 people) spread

We ordered Naegohyang Jeju's deluxe braised hairtail (2-3 people). From the moment the table was set, it was a joy to look at — every single side dish was arranged so neatly.

The Jeju namul (seasoned greens) side dishes weren't too strong-flavored, seasoned lightly and mildly, which paired perfectly with the braised hairtail.

The main dish, braised hairtail, came out in a pot piled high — the visual alone was impressive.

How was the hairtail flesh and sauce?

The hairtail flesh was thick and substantial — the moment I picked it up with my chopsticks, it came apart softly.

The seasoned sauce wasn't just spicy — it had a deep, savory flavor that was perfect for mixing with rice (rice is included, by the way).

The dosari (baby hairtail) and radish... honestly every single thing was so delicious.

Adding potato sari and making margarine fried rice

I'd already polished off a bowl of rice, but I added potato sari on top of that, and the potato sari that had soaked up the braised hairtail sauce for a long time was truly... double thumbs up, the sauce had soaked in so moist and rich.

With the last of the leftover sauce, I even made fried rice — and this was truly a stroke of genius! I added margarine and fried it up, and the nutty flavor really came alive, blending with the braised hairtail seasoning to make something incredibly delicious. It was my first time ever eating something with margarine mixed in — I think I need to try this with gimbap-frying from now on.

Plenty of food even for three people

It was listed as a 2-3 person portion, but it was genuinely filling enough for three people, and generous enough to share as a family. The side dish refills were generously given too, which made the meal even more satisfying, haha!