Sokcho salted seafood shop for octopus jeotgal: Hwangbuja Jeotgal

Why I ended up buying jeotgal at the end of my Sokcho trip

An essential stop on a Sokcho trip! It has to be Sokcho Central Market. It is great to visit during the trip, of course, but I do not think you can skip the fun of packing both hands full of snacks to share with family before heading home.

I had not come to Sokcho planning to buy jeotgal (Korean salted seafood), but Sokcho restaurants often serve flatfish sikhae, salted squid, and seed jeotgal as basic side dishes. As I kept eating them, I thought I should bring home one delicious, rice-stealing jeotgal.

Hwangbuja Jeotgal, which comes up when you search for great jeotgal in Sokcho, is a jeotgal shop in Sokcho Central Market that makes its products with carefully selected ingredients, including quality seafood, salt, and red pepper powder.

You can sample everything first, and they fill the containers generously, so it really felt like the joy of shopping at a market. There were many varieties, from baekmyeongran (white pollock roe) and seasoned shredded pollock to flatfish sikhae, squid sikhae, and salted squid, so choose whatever suits your taste. They also ship orders, so if you are looking for a good jeotgal shop at Sokcho Central Market, Hwangbuja Jeotgal is worth a visit.

Hwangbuja Jeotgal location and market parking

Hwangbuja Jeotgal is at Unit 25, Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market, 16 Jungang-ro 147beon-gil, Sokcho-si, Gangwon State, and is open from 08:00 to 20:30.

Sokcho Central Market (Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market) is near Sokcho Port International Passenger Terminal. I parked in the lot across from the market before going in. Parking at Sokcho Tourist Market is ₩300 for up to 30 minutes, with an additional ₩200 per 10 minutes after that. Low-emission vehicles and multi-child families may receive discounts, so keep that in mind.

It is right at the entrance to Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market, so it was easy to find. It is open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., so it would also be a nice place to shop before leaving early for Seoul.

Octopus jeotgal and nakji-tang chosen after sampling

They also had flatfish sikhae, changran-jeot (salted pollock intestines), low-salt baekmyeongran, seasoned roe, and seasoned shredded pollock. There was also a wide selection of jeotgal made with seeds or nuts from the Gangwon east coast, such as seed jeotgal and nakji-tang (a chopped octopus jeotgal). You know how amazing seasoned shredded pollock is on top of naengmyeon (cold noodles) for hoe naengmyeon, right~?

Since samples were available, I could taste them before buying. The fixed prices were clearly displayed, and everything was packed so neatly too, which I loved.

I got 600g of each, and the prices seem affordable too, right~! I also loved how generously they filled the containers.

I brought home a mix of octopus jeotgal, which Suseu likes, and the nakji-tang I had enjoyed at a restaurant. They give you a parking voucher with purchases of ₩15,000 or more, so be sure to get it~!

Ice-pack packaging and how to store jeotgal

Everything was carefully packed with ice packs so there would be no smell, making it easy to bring home. If you would rather receive an order by delivery, it looks like you can order by phone.

The label said to refrigerate only the amount you plan to eat and freeze the rest in smaller portions. Put it in zip-top bags and freeze it, then slowly thaw it in the refrigerator before eating.

Octopus jeotgal with white rice

The jeotgal had no fishy smell, and the seasoning was not overly spicy or salty, so it was absolutely delicious.

The octopus jeotgal still had that lovely chewy octopus texture, while the nakji-tang was made with finely chopped octopus! Topped on warm white rice with a little drizzle of sesame oil, the savory flavor really came alive. So, so delicious.

I do buy jeotgal at supermarkets from time to time, but the jeotgal I sampled and bought directly at Sokcho Market definitely tasted different. The octopus was plump, the seasoning suited my palate perfectly, and it was so good with white rice. Another delicious meal today.