Sagajeong bar with group tables and spicy squid: Sungan Pocha, Seoul

Sungan Pocha near Sagajeong Station on a busy Friday night

Sungan Pocha Sagajeong-jeom is a bar that recently opened on the 2nd floor of a building 178m from Exit 1 of Sagajeong Station. I came out to Sagajeong to enjoy a fun Friday night, and it turned out there was a festival going on in the neighborhood — outdoor tables were set up everywhere, just like the outdoor tent-bar (yajang) alley near Sangbong Station.

I visited Sungan Pocha, the new bar at Sagajeong Station — it's famous for its tasty side dishes (anju), so I came in with high expectations.

How big are the group tables, and what are the window seats like?

I arrived around 9:40 pm and the inside was already packed full. The place was big and clearly sized for groups, and I barely managed to grab the one remaining table. I don't think I've ever seen a bar this large around Sagajeong Station.

A lot of the group tables looked like clubs or student gatherings — everyone was clearly having a great time drinking together.

With the big windows thrown wide open, it almost feels like drinking at an outdoor tent bar. Once the outdoor tables close early in the evening and it gets a bit chilly, it'd be nice to sit by the wide-open window and keep drinking instead.

What to order at Sungan Pocha Sagajeong

There are plenty of menu items, but Sungan Pocha's signature dishes are famously the spicy squid, dak-bal (chicken feet), spicy braised ribs, and chadol sashimi (thinly sliced raw brisket). I ordered the spicy squid and sukiyaki — I figured the sukiyaki would help soothe my stomach in case the squid turned out too spicy.

I don't think there's a great chadol sashimi place around Myeonmok-dong, so next time I'll have to try the chadol sashimi here at Sungan Pocha.

Free starter and sukiyaki for 18,900 won

The basic anju that comes out first is ppeongtwigi (puffed rice crackers), and it wasn't soggy at all — crisp enough that I kept reaching for more while waiting for the food.

Sukiyaki, ₩18,900. It came out piled up like a mountain, packed with tofu, beef, mushrooms, bok choy, mung bean sprouts, and green onion — so full of ingredients that it took a while to bring to a boil. I was surprised at how much food you get for under ₩20,000, and the beef portion was bigger than expected too, so we could all eat the sukiyaki without any awkward staring contests over who gets the last piece.

The sukiyaki comes with chili sauce and a raw egg yolk, and we took turns dipping into both. The yolk had a savory, mellow flavor that made things feel light, while the chili sauce is the classic pairing everyone loves for shabu-shabu. Dipping the vegetables to our own taste, we polished off the sukiyaki in no time.

How spicy is the Sungan Addictive Spicy Squid at 25,900 won?

Sungan-Addictive Spicy Squid, ₩25,900. There was literally a warning telling people who can't handle spicy food to choose carefully, so of course I had to order it and show off a bit of spice tolerance. It looked just like the squid from that famously spicy dak-bal place near Sangbong. The sheer size of the squid shocked everyone at the table, and the moment it arrived a spicy smell hit us — the thick, glossy red sauce got the saliva going.

It was so heavy I dropped it with the tongs more times than I can count. We quickly cut it in half. The sauce had soaked right into the squid, and when I tried it with the onions cooked alongside, I was honestly amazed a chain bar could pull off flavor like this — it tasted just as good as a specialty place, good enough that I couldn't not order rice. So I ordered rice right away and mixed it in.

It was truly a rice-thief of a dish — my mouth is watering just thinking about it now. It's less spicy than the 'less spicy' version of yeoptteok (spicy rice cakes), so please don't worry too much and give it a try — I'd say it's about fire-noodle (buldak) level of heat. It was a delicious kind of spicy that made the soju go down smoothly, and whenever it felt a bit too much, I'd switch over to the sukiyaki and alternate between the two — best decision ever.

Is Sungan Pocha a good spot for group nights and company dinners?

I was so satisfied that I'm already debating whether to order the same thing again next time or go for the chadol sashimi. With group seating fully set up, it's a great bar for visits with friends, gatherings, or company dinners with a big crowd — the anju is affordable and the quality is solid, so I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.