Bangi-dong, Seoul octopus restaurant for group dinners: Muneo Cheonha

An evening when I craved fresh seafood and a cold drink to go with it. I headed to Muneo Cheonha (문어천하), a spot in the Bangi-dong food alley that says it uses 100% live octopus shipped up from Yeosu every day. Here's my honest review after falling for the tender octopus hwaloe (parboiled octopus)!!

Where is Muneo Cheonha, and the basics

Muneo Cheonha is a Yeosu live octopus specialist located at 11-8 Ogeum-ro 11-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, in the Bangi-dong food alley near Jamsil Station. It's open 16:00 - 24:00, and offers 1 hour of free parking in the building's basement lot.

Is Muneo Cheonha good for a work dinner?

Muneo Cheonha sits toward the inner part of the Bangi-dong food alley. You can feel the presence of a real old-school spot that's held its ground for over 10 years. Inside, the wood-toned interior feels cozy and comfortable.

The tables are generously spaced and divided by partitions, which made it look great for gatherings or group dinners too.

The owner was friendly too, which made for a relaxed meal.

What we ordered at Muneo Cheonha

Along with Muneo Cheonha's signature live octopus hwaloe, we ordered a few other dishes too.

• Live octopus hwaloe (medium)
• Grilled mackerel

The complimentary starters set the tone

Even before the main dishes arrived, the complimentary sides already meant business. Octopus steamed egg, corn cheese, and a cool kimchi bean sprout soup. These alone would make a great spread for drinks. You could really sense the owner's sense for it.

Octopus steamed egg

The steamed egg that came as a complimentary side was no ordinary steamed egg. Its pudding-like soft texture reminded me of Japanese chawanmushi.

Inside were chewy little pieces of octopus tucked throughout. The soft egg and chewy octopus together made it fun to eat. A perfect appetizer to warm you up before the main dishes arrived. Good stuff!!

Octopus corn cheese on a hot plate

The hot corn cheese arrived sizzling on a hot plate. The savory smell alone got my appetite going. The visual of the cheese stretching out was something else. You could tell they were using good cheese.

Sweet corn kernels, savory cheese, and bits of octopus chewy in between. This combination can't taste bad. It was the best pairing with drinks.

Live octopus hwaloe: how tender is it?

Finally, the live octopus hwaloe arrived. Neatly sliced octopus was plated tidily.

Maybe because it's live octopus that comes up from Yeosu every day, the freshness stood out. I first tried it plain, without any dipping sauce, to taste the octopus itself.

Not tough at all — tender and soft. The more I chewed, the more a subtle sweetness came through. Next, the method the owner recommended: dipping it in savory sesame oil sauce, then in tangy chogochujang (vinegared chili sauce), and finally wrapping it in rinsed aged kimchi to enjoy a variety of flavors.

Grilled mackerel

The mackerel was grilled golden brown and crispy. The flesh was plump and oily, giving it a rich, savory flavor. The salty taste was a rice thief and a drink thief both.

Verdict on Muneo Cheonha

Muneo Cheonha was a place where you could really appreciate the value of fresh live octopus. The tender, delicious octopus hwaloe with its variety of dipping combinations, plus the flavorful complimentary sides — nothing was lacking. If you want fresh seafood and a drink in the Bangi-dong food alley, I recommend Muneo Cheonha.