Weekend seafood set with spicy stew hotteok in Nam-gu, Gwangju

Today's honest review is from Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha Gwangju Wolsan Branch, a Wolsan-dong restaurant known among locals for fresh seafood and a generous spread of banchan (side dishes).

How was the weekend evening vibe?

I visited on a weekend evening and the place was already almost full! There were families who'd clearly heard about this place from around Hwajeong-dong or Wolsan-dong, plus groups here for a proper drink — it really had that hot-spot energy.

It's a chain, but it just opened recently, so this is already how busy it gets — I imagine waits will become the norm soon. Looking at the menu, this place is also famous for Gwangju hamo (pike conger) shabu-shabu, a summer specialty, so next time I'm definitely coming back for shabu-shabu or jeoneo (gizzard shad) sashimi!

Here's the menu.

The 2-person set (raw shrimp + live fish sashimi), ₩65,000

🦐 This time I ordered the 2-person set (raw shrimp sashimi + live fish sashimi)! It came out as a huge spread, and just looking at it made my mouth water. I'd been craving raw shrimp so badly, haha.

Banchan and the self-serve corner

🥞 Self-grilled buchujeon (chive pancake), grilled saury, spicy mixed vegetable salad, and more — fun and delicious all at once. One of the best things about Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha is how generous the banchan and self-serve corner are! Once you order, all this gets laid out on the table.

Grilled saury: surprisingly meaty and nicely browned, with clean, nutty flavor coming through. A perfect soju pairing •••

Spicy mixed vegetable salad: sweet and tangy sauce loaded with crunchy vegetables, perfect for cleansing your palate between bites of sashimi.

Tips for grilling the self-serve buchujeon

Self-grilled buchujeon: the batter comes raw so you grill it yourself on the tabletop grill, which is honestly kind of fun! Packed with chives and vegetables, it turns out crispy outside and moist inside — a real treat.

• Don't scoop too much batter at once
• Press down firmly with the spatula while grilling

Golden brown and ready. Thanks to this whole combo, the drinks kept flowing even before the main sashimi arrived — there was never a dull moment! If you're looking for a proper Gwangju sashimi platter, this is exactly it.

A warm seaweed soup came out next.

How fresh is the raw shrimp sashimi?

What a delicious spread, right? Raw shrimp sashimi & fried shrimp heads: the raw shrimp is seriously, ridiculously fresh! You could tell it was plump the moment it arrived, and as soon as it hit my mouth the flesh burst with a sweet, chewy flavor.

So pretty, ugh. I'm definitely going back for more.

Doenjang + minced garlic + sesame oil + chopped chili — pure heaven sauce!!!!!!

The perfect live fish sashimi combo

The live fish sashimi also comes sliced thick and firm. The real trick is using the aged kimchi that comes as a basic side, plus the seaweed you can grab from the self-serve bar (not the seasoned kind, by the way)!

• Seaweed + aged kimchi + raw shrimp sashimi: wrap it up in this combo and the nuttiness and tanginess come together for a genuinely heavenly bite.
• Lettuce + live fish sashimi + garlic + house-made makjang: the dipping sauce really matters with sashimi, and this one is packed with minced garlic and chopped chili in a doenjang base — seriously delicious. Put two pieces of sashimi on lettuce, top with this makjang, wrap it up, and the umami explodes!

Fried shrimp heads

And the best part — they bring out crispy fried shrimp heads, packed inside with nutty flesh and innards, which makes for an amazing beer snack! The more you chew, the crispier and nuttier it gets, so your hand just keeps reaching for more. (If they pull off the antennae for you, it tastes even better, ugh 🥹🥹) Eat it while it's still steaming hot.

₩5,000 of happiness: spicy stew with self-made dumplings

🍲 As we were finishing the sashimi, I ordered a spicy fish stew (₩5,000) to wrap things up. The quality is unbelievable for the price! I personally love a spicy, rich stew broth, and this one was hearty and deep enough to completely reset your stomach. There was surprisingly a lot of meat left on the fish bones too, so it was fun picking through them.

They also give you dumpling dough so you can tear off pieces and drop them straight into the pot to cook. Scooping up a spoonful of that chewy dumpling from the bubbling broth was another small, perfect moment of happiness. Order this stew no matter how full you are!

Final verdict

From the exceptionally fresh raw shrimp sashimi, to the nutty fried shrimp heads, the fun self-grilled buchujeon, and the hearty spicy stew with dumplings — nothing about Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha, a seafood restaurant in Wolsan-dong, left me wanting. Next time I'll be back for autumn jeoneo sashimi or to demolish some Gwangju hamo shabu-shabu!