Weekday lunch queue at Gwangmyeong jjukkumi restaurant Jeongipum

I got to have jjukkumi (spicy stir-fried octopus) for lunch again after a while. The weather had warmed up so I thought eating out for lunch would be nice — but why is it so hot this week? Feels like summer came back. Still, hot or not, I can't give up jjukkumi.

Back at Jeongipum Jjukkumi (정이품쭈꾸미) after a while — I think this is my first visit since they expanded the space. I was excited since it had been a while... and also super hungry, haha.

The minari (water celery) that goes into the jjukkumi apparently comes straight from a farm they deal with directly. No wonder it was so fresh!

How long is the weekday lunch wait at Jeongipum near Gwangmyeong Station?

During weekday lunch and dinner hours, Catch Table or Naver Reservation is basically required. There are reeeally a lot of customers.

I arrived around 12:30pm, and there were people waiting behind me as well as people who'd made reservations. I also booked ahead on Naver before visiting. From around 12:45pm things gradually cleared out, and by 1pm there was plenty of room. Worth keeping in mind if you're planning a visit.

Jeongipum Jjukkumi menu and prices

The lunch special at Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch runs weekdays from opening until 3pm. The hot-plate wrap set is ₩13,500, and the jjukkumi hot-plate bibimbap is ₩10,000.

Lunch special (weekdays, opening–3pm) Hot-plate wrap set (jjukkumi + self-serve minari fried rice) 13.5 Jjukkumi hot-plate bibimbap (jjukkumi + vegetable bibimbap) 10.0 Special minari add-on 4.0 Special steamed egg 2.0 Special pork belly add-on 4.5 Special beef belly add-on 4.5

• Main menu: hot-plate jjukkumi + extra sides, 1 serving 19.5 (chestnut-fed black pork belly + minari + cabbage + rice cake)
• Hot-plate jjukkumi + extra sides, 1 serving 19.5 (black angus beef belly + minari + cabbage + rice cake)
• Hot-plate jjukkumi + black pork belly, 1 person 18.5
• Hot-plate jjukkumi + black angus beef belly, 1 serving 18.5
• Hot-plate jjukkumi (plain), 1 person 15.5
• Spice level choice: mild (Jin Ramen) / medium (Shin Ramen) / very spicy (Buldak)
• Sides: cast-iron garlic corn cheese 7.0 / king prawn fritters, 2 pieces 4.5, 4 pieces 8.0, 8 pieces 15.0 / small shrimp fritters, 4 pieces 5.5, 6 pieces 8.0, 8 pieces 10.0
• Kids' menu: kids' cheese pork cutlet 8.0, kids' loin pork cutlet 7.0, self-serve flying fish roe rice ball 4.0

At Jeongipum Jjukkumi, the table setting is served according to headcount, so one menu item per person is required!

If you write a Naver receipt review, you get a free serving of minari and flying fish roe fried rice.

Hair ties and other extras at the table

Jeongipum Jjukkumi's dining room even keeps hair ties on hand. It was hot that day and I hadn't brought one, so the back of my neck was really sweaty. I figured eating would make me even hotter — then I spotted the hair ties and tied my hair up right away.

What side dishes come with the meal

The basic side dishes are bean sprouts, sesame leaves, mayonnaise, pickled radish, seaweed, and flying fish roe. For refills, you only need to order the flying fish roe separately.

There's also a cabbage salad topped with nutty black sesame dressing. The steamed egg apparently comes only when ordering two or more main dishes. Not gonna lie, I added it separately because it's so good, haha.

Hot-plate jjukkumi with black pork belly at medium spice

I ordered the hot-plate jjukkumi with extra sides (black pork belly). The side includes black pork belly, and there's a huge pile of fresh minari on top.

Waiting for the jjukkumi to cook... this is the hardest part.

You can add bean sprouts to the jjukkumi depending on your taste. I love bean sprouts so I put in all of them, no question!

Time to make a wrap. Since it's hot, best to move it to a bowl first. Put the meat and jjukkumi in a sesame leaf, add the popping flying fish roe, and wrap it up — perfection. Dipping it in mayonnaise is tasty too, but I actually prefer it plain.

Look how plump the jjukkumi is. Generous portion and delicious. I went with medium spice, but it wasn't spicy at all... I think I could handle the very spicy version next time.

Finishing the hot plate with fried rice

A meal isn't complete without finishing off with fried rice. It's even better wrapped in toasted seaweed. Impossible to put the spoon down, haha. I was really full but ate it all anyway. Walking out stuffed, I got sleepy right away... a nap would've been perfect, but reality meant going back to work. Still, satisfied after a delicious lunch.