Gwangju monkfish set with whelk and egg stew: Badaga Nae Sonagwi

Partly paid for myself!

Hi everyone, it's Zootopia~

I'd been craving spicy monkfish jjim for a while and had been meaning to check this place out. While out in Gyeonggi Gwangju, I found Badaga Nae Sonagwi, a Songjeong-dong restaurant known for its monkfish jjim.

True to its reputation as a monkfish jjim spot, the place was packed — I would've missed out if I'd arrived even a little later.

What's great here is the set menu composition — monkfish jjim, monkfish stew, boiled whelk, and egg stew all come out together, so you can enjoy a really full spread without ordering multiple dishes separately.

Here's my review of Badaga Nae Sonagwi, a monkfish jjim spot in Gyeonggi Gwangju.

Where is Badaga Nae Sonagwi in Gwangju, and where do you park?

Badaga Nae Sonagwi Gyeonggi Gwangju is located at 7 Suha-gil, 1st floor, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (지번: Songjeong-dong 71-8). It's open Mon–Sun 11:00–22:30, last order at 22:00, with parking available and a baby chair on hand.

The parking space is right beside the restaurant, and there's a barrier down, so just tell the owner when you arrive and they'll open it for you.

Inside the restaurant: interior and atmosphere

Walking in, the vibe was comfortable for a relaxed meal. There aren't too many tables, so I'd recommend booking ahead.

Monkfish jjim is a dish that's great to share, so a lot of families and groups of friends seem to come here for gatherings. It seemed like a good fit for anyone looking for a family dinner spot or an evening meal in Songjeong-dong.

Badaga Nae Sonagwi menu and how to pick your spice level

This place has a distinctive lineup — monkfish jjim, seafood jjim, monkfish seafood stew, and even a build-your-own set — so there's a wide range of combinations to enjoy.

The prices were also really reasonable. With ₩10,000 knocked off, it's a great spot for a good value meal.

On top of that, there was a review event offering plenty of dessert ice cream, with a good variety to choose from — the fun of picking your own flavor!

You can also pick your spice level, and for those who can't handle much heat, level 1 hits the sweet spot of nicely spicy!

Side dishes that come with the Daehwanjang monkfish set

The basic side dishes were set out, served in disposable containers, which made things feel clean and hygienic — really nice.

Gim (dried seaweed), wasabi, and soy sauce! The soy sauce goes well dipped into either the monkfish stew or the jjim, depending on your taste — both worked great.

Refreshing dongchimi (radish water kimchi), baek-kimchi (white kimchi), and salad.

For the rest of the side dishes, you just help yourself at the self-serve bar.

What comes in the small Daehwanjang monkfish set (39,000 won)

The small Daehwanjang Monkfish Set, ₩39,000, comes with monkfish jjim + boneless monkfish stew + boiled whelk + egg stew.

A really generous spread arrived at the table. Not only was the price already discounted and cheap, but I was also shocked by the portion size — the two of us don't eat light, and it was more than plenty.

Boneless monkfish stew

The monkfish stew had a savory kick without being spicy. The monkfish meat in it was even softer than in the jjim.

Dipped in the sauce, the flavor got even richer — since it has a different charm from the jjim, the two paired well together.

Braised monkfish (agujjim)

The charm of monkfish jjim lies in the combination of plump monkfish meat, spicy seasoning, and crunchy bean sprouts.

The seasoning was seriously delicious — popping the bean sprouts and monkfish meat into your mouth together in one bite was pure rice-thief material, honestly.

Rice is free!!! It's a self-serve system where you scoop your own.

Boiled whelk with sauce

The squid used to be swapped for whelk, and personally I like whelk more, haha.

It was soft and tasty, so even the kid ate it well.

The chewy texture unique to whelk and its sweetness that grows the more you chew kept my hand reaching back for more.

Steamed egg in a big earthenware pot

This is one of the dishes I'd rank among the most satisfying on the menu — can you see the size? It's about three times the size of a rice bowl?? It wasn't a small pot but a big one, and I loved that.

The fluffy egg stew softened the spiciness, making it a combo I kept going back for!

Compared to ordering just monkfish jjim alone, being able to enjoy monkfish jjim + monkfish stew + boiled whelk + egg stew all in one spread was the biggest advantage of the Daehwanjang Monkfish Set.

Zootopia's honest verdict on Badaga Nae Sonagwi

If you're looking for a place to enjoy a hearty seafood meal in Gyeonggi Gwangju, Badaga Nae Sonagwi is worth a visit. Above all, being able to try monkfish jjim, monkfish stew, boiled whelk, and egg stew all in one Daehwanjang Monkfish Set made the menu composition really satisfying.

Rather than just eating spicy monkfish jjim the whole time, being able to mix in the stew, whelk, and egg stew along the way meant the meal never got tiring, right to the end.

If you're looking for a restaurant in Songjeong-dong, Gyeonggi Gwangju, or a monkfish jjim spot in Gyeonggi Gwangju where you can eat heartily with family, this place is a great fit. Especially if you're visiting with several people and monkfish jjim alone feels like it won't be enough, I'd recommend Badaga Nae Sonagwi's Daehwanjang Monkfish Set!

It was a Songjeong-dong monkfish jjim spot where a hearty spread was laid out and there was real fun in picking and choosing what to eat.