Grilled dried pollack near Seoraksan in Sokcho: Daecheongmaru

Daecheongmaru was the place I found when I wanted grilled hwangtae (dried pollack) on a Sokcho trip. Honestly, famous tourist-area restaurants worry me a little at first — sometimes they're just crowded and the food is average.

Why grilled dried pollack was the lunch pick in Sokcho

A tale of me and my mom: this trip was entirely under the command of yours truly, the classic Korean eldest-daughter T type. I already had a few spots scouted, but I had no idea what my mom's plans were, so I asked.

"Mom, is there anywhere you want to go?" "Let's stop by Yongdae-ri on the way. We have to eat hwangtae." What's Yongdae-ri? Is that a place name? What is it? Hahahahahaha.

We arrived in Sokcho right around late lunchtime. Can't eat raw fish in the middle of the day, so what to eat? Mulhoe (cold raw fish soup)? "There's sundubu too, or want to go eat the Yongdae-ri hwangtae they dry outdoors? They say they use pollack sourced straight from the Yongdae-ri drying yards!" "Let's go." And that was the origin of the whole "let's stop by Yongdae-ri on the last day" conversation — off we went to eat that Yongdae-ri pollack.

The lunch pick in Sokcho: grilled hwangtae. The spot we headed to as our Sokcho lunch place was Daecheongmaru, in Hangsapyeong Tofu Village in Nohak-dong, Sokcho — 430 Gwangwang-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-teukbyeoljachido. It's conveniently located on the route to and from Seoraksan.

Inside Daecheongmaru: the dining room, parking and the walking path out back

I visited without a reservation and arrived right around break time, which runs 15:30–17:00. The atmosphere the moment I arrived was great. Instead of the trendy, prettified restaurants you see these days, it had the tidy feel of a traditional Korean set-meal restaurant. If you're trying to pick a restaurant to go to with your parents in Sokcho, this kind of vibe is soooo good.

I hadn't given any thought to the exterior beforehand, so it was a pleasant surprise beyond expectations. I'm a sucker for this kind of atmosphere.

The parking lot is fairly spacious, so parking was easy, and the walking path behind Daecheongmaru is fantastic.

We arrived about 10 minutes before break time, and thanks to a dog we discovered the walking path.

Daecheongmaru, where I went to eat grilled hwangtae in Sokcho. Their signature dish, Chodang sundubu (soft tofu), is said to be made the traditional way using 100% domestic soybeans and seawater from the East Sea for coagulation.

It's also well known for its Chodang sundubu, but since I'd come specifically for grilled hwangtae, what I ordered was the Yongdae-ri hwangtae drying-yard Sokcho grilled pollack, 2 servings.

Yongdae-ri grilled hwangtae, 2 fish for 32,000 won, with a full banchan spread

The Yongdae-ri grilled hwangtae set at Daecheongmaru, Sokcho. Once we ordered the grilled pollack, the table filled up with banchan (side dishes) alongside it. Rather than anything spicy or bold, it was a comfortable yet filling spread, and overall it felt like sitting down at a tidy Korean set-meal restaurant.

The Sokcho grilled hwangtae is ₩32,000 for two servings. It uses pollack sourced from the Yongdae-ri drying yards, and it's crispy outside, tender and savory inside — genuinely delicious. "Are we going to Yongdae-ri on the last day?" ......... hahahahahahaha.

The hwangtae soup was savory too — "how does it taste like this?" — and we dug in happily. Mom's verdict: "The tofu is delicious." "Try the cucumber — it's good." Seeing her satisfied made me happy too.

The seasoning wasn't too salty or too sweet — perfect! The grilled hwangtae was really delicious.

It was as satisfying as I'd hoped, and it went great with rice. Just a note — rice is sold separately :)

Eating in a group? Order the grilled pollack alongside the tofu

Besides grilled hwangtae, Daecheongmaru also has hwangtae haejangguk (pollack hangover soup), sanchae bibimbap (wild greens rice), Chodang sundubu, and more — good if people in your group want different things. If several of you are visiting, I'd recommend adding the grilled hwangtae to the order too.

There were two of us, and I did want to try the sanchae bibimbap too, but if we'd ordered that as well we'd have burst. Next time with more people, I definitely want to try it.

Is Daecheongmaru a good family meal stop near Seoraksan?

The staff were friendly, and rather than being a place where just one dish is good, what I liked was that parking is easy, the menu has plenty of choice, and it's a comfortable place to bring along parents. 🥢

On a Sokcho trip you often go looking for seafood like raw fish or crab, but sometimes you crave a warm Korean meal for at least one meal. Come to think of it, I think I've eaten Korean food for breakfast on every single trip!

If you're traveling in Sokcho, this is a good place to eat whether it's breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Just keep an eye on the break time :)

Over our 2 nights 3 days trip, Daecheongmaru kept popping up on every route we took. I think it's because it's naturally on the way if you have any plans around Seoraksan.

The next day, on our way back from Sinheungsa Temple near Seoraksan, we passed by Daecheongmaru again. Mom's reaction: "Huh? Daecheongmaru. It's Daecheongmaru again!" Hahahahahahaha, we were both surprised passing by again. The day before, when we arrived near break time, the parking lot was empty, right? Turns out the lot isn't spacious for nothing. Every time we passed by, the lot was nearly full. "A Sokcho Seoraksan restaurant" — confirmed! Since it opens early and offers filling options beyond sundubu, like grilled hwangtae and hwangtae haejangguk, I think that's why the range of meal choices is so wide.

Ah, I want to eat it again. If someone asked me what to eat on my next Sokcho trip? "I want to eat the Yongdae-ri hwangtae grilled pollack at Daecheongmaru in Sokcho!"

We went there specifically for the grilled hwangtae to begin with, and it was as delicious as I'd hoped, and the full spread with various banchan was satisfying too.

If you're looking for a tidy Korean restaurant in Sokcho where you can enjoy grilled hwangtae along with various Korean dishes, this is definitely worth stopping by. Easy parking, friendly staff — Daecheongmaru. If you're traveling around Seoraksan or Sokcho and craving something comforting like Korean food for breakfast or lunch, and want to plan a filling meal like grilled pollack, I'd recommend it.

If you're going on a weekend or during peak season, check the operating info on Naver Maps before you visit! I checked the break time too before going. Haha.

Daecheongmaru in Sokcho: address, hours and prices

• Address: 430 Gwangwang-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-teukbyeoljachido, South Korea
• Hours: currently 07:20–21:30 per online info
• Break time: 15:30–17:00
• Last order: 21:00
• Signature menu: Chodang sundubu ₩14,000 / Hwangtae haejangguk ₩15,000 / Sanchae bibimbap ₩16,000 / Sokcho grilled hwangtae (2 servings) ₩32,000
• Parking: free parking available, fairly spacious lot
• Reservation: I visited without a reservation