Salt-grilled hagfish with dipping sauce, Busan Station: Gyeongbuksan

If you come to Busan, you should have at least one properly Busan meal, right?! So this time I visited Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo (경북산꼼장어), a place that has held its ground in Choryang for a very long time. A three-generation grill house open since 1963 — I got even more curious about the taste.

Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo: location, hours and parking

Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo is at 25 Choryang-ro, Dong-gu, Busan, about a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Choryang Station on Busan Subway Line 1. You can also walk there from Busan Station.

• Hours: Mon–Thu 13:00–00:30 / Fri–Sun 11:00–00:30
• Last order: 23:30 according to online info
• Parking: There is info about the Sintaeyang parking lot. Please check the parking support conditions before you visit.
• Wi-Fi: Listed as available.
• Transit: About 5 minutes on foot from Choryang Station Exit 1; also walkable from Busan Station

※ Hours and parking support may change, so please check before visiting.

A Choryang hagfish restaurant open since 1963

Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo has stayed put even as the Choryang hagfish alley changed around it. It's said to be loved not just for its long tradition but by people who enjoy a drink. It has appeared in the essay book 《Anyway, Bars》 (아무튼, 술집), which covers drinking spots in different regions, and is also known for visits by celebrities.

I was curious about the charm of a place local Busan people go to, so this time I decided to start with the pure taste of hagfish itself.

How big is the small salt-grilled hagfish at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo?

What I ordered at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo was the small salt-grilled hagfish. Even though it was the small size, the portion was already special.

I wanted to really taste the hagfish's flavor without it being hidden by seasoning.

When the food came out, I was struck first by how generous it was — hard to believe it was the small. The hagfish, pre-grilled over a coal fire, had a lovely subtle smoky aroma. It went well with the vegetables grilled alongside, so it was nice to eat them together piece by piece.

Salt-grilled hagfish: nutty, chewy and not fishy

Above all, the salt-grilled hagfish at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo had almost no fishy taste and a rich, nutty flavor, which I was happy with.

The signature chewy texture of hagfish was fun too. It isn't just tough; it has a springy bite, so the more I ate, the more I liked it.

It felt like meeting properly good hagfish for the first time in a while. And the sauce that came with it was the real kicker!

What does the hagfish taste like with the dipping sauce?

The salt-grilled hagfish was tasty enough on its own, but dipping it in the sauce that came alongside opened up a whole different flavor.

The savory depth of the sauce added to the clean, nutty hagfish and they really matched well.

The mood changes from eating it salt-grilled, and it made me wonder how good the seasoned version would be. Personally, this sauce was the hidden highlight. Next time, I don't want to pick just one — I'd like to order half salt, half seasoned.

Enjoying both flavors at once would make the meal even more satisfying, I think.

Dinner near Busan Station without going far

I also liked that Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo is easy to reach from both Busan Station and Choryang Station.

When you can't decide on dinner during a Busan trip, you can enjoy hagfish without traveling far from the station. If you're looking for a Choryang restaurant and bar, or a dinner spot near Busan Station, take a look at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo, with its long tradition.

It's also a great place to have a drink with your hagfish in that classic old-restaurant atmosphere.

Would I go back to Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo for the salt-grilled hagfish?

A generous portion, subtle coal-fire aroma, nutty flavor without any fishiness, and a chewy texture too. This visit to Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo was satisfying. The sauce to dip the salt-grilled hagfish in was especially appealing, so next time I definitely want to try half and half. If you come to Busan and want a good place near Busan Station, don't go far — enjoy a plate of hagfish in Choryang.