Weekend family lunch in a room-style seat near COEX: Obongjip Samseong

We had a family gathering after a long time, so we headed near COEX for a late lunch~

Obongjip Samseong Branch, a Korean restaurant near COEX for family gatherings

Since it was a bit past regular lunchtime, everyone was really hungry, so we went looking for a hearty Korean meal that everyone would like without any pickiness, and ended up at Obongjip Samseong Branch, which word of mouth has been calling a COEX must-visit restaurant.

38 years of a mother's hand-made taste / Fire-grilled octopus, Obong bossam / 五福

When we got to the restaurant, the sign that stood out even from a distance, along with the cozy yet retro exterior, was impressive.

And '38 years of a mother's hand-made taste'~ That warm, nostalgic sentiment you don't see much these days really made me feel the depth of experience behind this place~😁

A spacious, comfortable interior with room-style seating

Once inside, the restaurant was much more spacious and clean than I expected. The tables were also wide, which made it look comfortable to eat at~

On one side there was also room-like separated seating, which seemed perfect for booking ahead when coming in a group or for a family gathering.

In the middle of the restaurant, the self-serve bar and rice cooker were neatly arranged, making it easy to walk over and help yourself.

Obongjip's signature Obong Special, the menu lineup

Obongjip's representative menus are ⤵️⤵️

• Obongjip Special (fire-grilled octopus stir-fry + bossam + makguksu)
• Squid Obongjip Special (fire-grilled squid stir-fry + bossam + makguksu)
• Maesaengi Yeonpotang (seafood hot pot + bossam + porridge + kalguksu)

Besides these, there were also à la carte items like suyuk jeongol, jogaetang, bossam set meal, seafood kalguksu, and a separate lunch special.

As soon as we ordered, this round silver tray with strong retro vibes came out first, set with the banchan (side dishes) and a hot bowl of seaweed soup. Right as we picked up our spoons for the seaweed soup, the bossam was placed down too!

Pork jowl bossam and bossam kimchi

The moment the bossam arrived, everyone let out a 'wow' just from the look of it.

The glossy meat came out generously topped with red-seasoned bossam kimchi and mumallaengi (dried radish strips), and because it was pork jowl, there was no dryness at all — the lean-to-fat ratio was just right!!!

The bossam kimchi in particular was the real deal — crunchy with such delicious seasoning that I genuinely thought about working here just to learn how to make kimchi from the owner~😆

Fire-grilled octopus stir-fry

Next up, the fire-grilled octopus stir-fry!

Wow~ the octopus was really big and plump, right? Cut into bite-sized pieces with scissors, it wasn't chewy at all — the springy texture was the best. The spicy-sweet special sauce paired perfectly with the smoky charcoal flavor, and it had that addictive quality where you just keep reaching for more.

With the makguksu also arriving, we never even got to the rice

Just as I was about to mix rice with the octopus, the makguksu (buckwheat noodles) came out~😆

So we diligently mixed up the makguksu instead..haha

Actually, I'd heard that the real highlight at Obongjip is scooping warm rice from the self-serve rice cooker and mixing it with the fire-grilled octopus stir-fry, bean sprouts, dried seaweed flakes, and a generous drizzle of sesame oil for a bibimbap. But the bossam, makguksu, and octopus stir-fry portions were so generous that we were full before we even got to the rice.😆

The value, portion size, and flavor were all on point~~😆

To sum up

Obongjip was such a satisfying place for a hearty meal with family, with its generous spread. If you're searching for a Korean restaurant near COEX that has both great taste and generous portions, or for a standout COEX-area restaurant, be sure to stop by Obongjip Samseong Branch and try the Obong Special set~~👍

Obongjip Samseong Branch info

• Address: 1F, 62 Teheran-ro 81-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (347m from Samseong Jungang Station Exit 5)
• Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–22:00 (break time 14:30–17:00)
• Sat–Sun 11:30–22:00 (break time 15:00–16:00)