Haeundae Station hagfish grill with sea cucumber sides: Hyejane San

Live octopus + live hagfish? Hyejane San Gomjangeo

On a trip to Busan or a day out in Haeundae, there's one dish you'll want at least once: gomjangeo (hagfish, often called "eel" on menus). This time I visited Hyejane San Gomjangeo (혜자네 산곰장어) inside Haeundae Market. As the name says, you can enjoy fresh live hagfish and live octopus together. Even the basic table setting came with plenty of seafood, so I was happy from the start and wanted to share it with you.

Hyejane San Gomjangeo hours, location and parking

The Main Branch is open daily from 3 PM to 1 AM, and on Saturdays it stays open later, until 2 AM. It's inside Haeundae Market, so you can walk there from Haeundae Station.

The restaurant is deep inside Haeundae Market and easy to reach. You can get there on foot from Haeundae Station, so tourists can visit easily. For parking, use the Haeundae Market public parking lot and come on in. There's no parking support, but it's the closest lot on foot.

Atmosphere inside the Haeundae Market restaurant

The interior was roomier and cleaner than I expected. With the bright lighting and decor, it felt less like a typical old-school joint and more like a comfortable place to have a drink. It looked like a good fit for family meals, get-togethers with friends and tourist dinners.

Do sea cucumber, sea squirt and shrimp come as side dishes?

Yes. Once you order, the basic setting comes with seafood like sea cucumber, sea squirt and shrimp, plus bean sprout soup. The side dishes were already out of the ordinary.

After I ordered, the table was set, and the quality was better than I expected. What surprised me most was that fresh seafood came as standard. The sea cucumber, sea squirt and shrimp were all very fresh and clean, with no fishy smell.

The sea squirt had a strong scent of the sea, and the sea cucumber had a lively, chewy texture in the mouth. The shrimp was nicely plump, and the bean sprout soup, spicy and refreshing, seemed like a great match for hagfish. I think side dishes at this level would satisfy anyone looking for a good hagfish restaurant in Haeundae, Busan.

The Pick 2 set: what did we choose?

What I ordered at Hyejane San Gomjangeo was the Pick 2 set (골라먹자 2가지 세트). You choose 2 of 7 menu items, and I went with seasoned grilled live hagfish and live octopus. It's a good option for first-timers, and the biggest plus is tasting two signature dishes at once.

The freshness of live octopus

The live octopus (sannakji) came out first. On the plate it was still wriggling, that's how fresh it was. It's served with a little sesame oil and sesame seeds, and in the mouth it's chewy and tender at the same time.

The more I chewed, the nuttier it got, which made it a great drinking snack. That texture is impossible unless it's really fresh, so I was satisfied. If you want live octopus at Haeundae Market, I recommend ordering it at least once.

Is the seasoned grilled hagfish very spicy?

The seasoned grilled live hagfish, the main dish here, wasn't as spicy as it looks, with a strongly savory sauce. Just seeing it bubble away on the big iron plate made my mouth water.

It was loaded with hagfish, onions and green onions, and the red sauce looked so appetizing. The sauce wasn't too spicy for how it looks, and leaned savory.

The chewy hagfish texture and the sweet-spicy sauce went well together, and it got nuttier the more I chewed. Eating it with onion added sweetness and made it even better.

Put hagfish and garlic on a perilla leaf and eat it in one bite, and you immediately understand why so many people look for hagfish near Haeundae Station.

Live hagfish and octopus as soju snacks

The hagfish and live octopus at Hyejane San Gomjangeo went really well with soju. One bite, one sip, and time just flew by. The hagfish texture isn't off-putting and the sauce isn't harsh, so I think anyone could enjoy it. Add the complimentary seafood on top, and it makes a pretty great drinking spread.

Overall verdict: Hyejane San Gomjangeo ★★★★★

If you're looking for a good hagfish restaurant in Haeundae Market, Hyejane San Gomjangeo is well worth it. I got to taste fresh live octopus and spicy hagfish together, and the seafood side dishes were very fresh, so I was highly satisfied. If you want to try a special local Busan dish on your Haeundae trip, I recommend a visit.

• Fresh live octopus served
• Sweet-spicy seasoned grilled hagfish
• Excellent seafood side dishes
• Easy to reach in Haeundae Market
• Great for both drinks and a meal

It was a memorable stop among the hagfish spots travelers visit in Haeundae.