Gwangmyeong Station jjukkumi restaurant: medium spice, 2-hour parking

I was searching for good places to eat near Gwangmyeong Station and stumbled onto somewhere that really hit my taste buds. I love jjukkumi (spicy stir-fried baby octopus) and eat it fairly often at different places, but Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch ranks among the best I've had recently.

What I ordered was the griddled jjukkumi with extra toppings (black pork belly) for two, finished off with snow cheese fried rice. Plump jjukkumi, thick slices of black pork belly, and a generous pile of minari (water dropwort) made it look amazing from the start.

Where is Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch?

Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch is a jjukkumi specialty restaurant in Iljik-dong, near Gwangmyeong Station. It's a convenient spot whether you're looking for a meal near the station or stopping by before or after visiting IKEA or AK Plaza. The entrance stands out enough that it's easy to find. If you like spicy food, this is worth keeping in mind as a Gwangmyeong jjukkumi spot.

Parking: up to 2 hours free with tablet registration

I drove there and free parking support was available.

According to the store's guidance, entering your plate number on the tablet by the entrance gets you up to 2 hours of free parking. Parking is always a bit of a worry when hunting for restaurants near IKEA Gwangmyeong or Gwangmyeong Station, but this was plenty of time for a meal. Just note that if you don't register, a refund is apparently hard to get — so don't forget if you're driving.

Ordering from the table at Jeongipum Jjukkumi

You order through the tablet at your table. Photos and prices are all laid out clearly, so even first-time visitors won't have trouble. Beyond the jjukkumi dishes, there's a wide range of extra noodles/rice and side items to add depending on your taste.

What we ordered at Jeongipum Jjukkumi

We chose the griddled jjukkumi with extra toppings (black pork belly) for two, and finished with snow cheese fried rice. Jjukkumi alone is great, but I personally love the combination of pork belly and jjukkumi, so I went with the version that included black pork belly — and it paid off.

I'd already planned to finish with the snow cheese fried rice. Eating jjukkumi without fried rice at the end just feels incomplete. What's more, here the staff not only stir-fry the griddled jjukkumi for you but also make the finishing fried rice themselves, so you can just sit back and eat.

The table setting: coin wet wipes and side dishes

Once you sit down, the basic setup arrives. First thing I noticed was a coin-sized wet wipe that puffs up when you add water. Along with basic banchan (side dishes), mayonnaise comes out too, plus other sides that go well with jjukkumi. Flying fish roe is an extra item, but the rest of the basic banchan is refillable if you need more.

Steamed egg custard comes as standard

One thing I liked among the basic side dishes was the steamed egg custard. It arrives soft and fluffy, filling an earthenware bowl. Taking a bite between mouthfuls of spicy jjukkumi calms your palate nicely — a great combination. I also liked that it's included as standard rather than something you have to order separately.

Griddled jjukkumi loaded with black pork belly

Finally, the griddled jjukkumi arrived. In the middle was seasoned jjukkumi and vegetables piled high, topped with a mountain of minari. Around the edge of the griddle, slices of black pork belly were arranged in a ring, and there was more meat than I expected. Just looking at it, I thought, 'this can't possibly be bad.'

As the griddle heated up, the pork belly around the edges started to turn golden brown first. In the center, the jjukkumi and sauce bubbled away as the minari wilted down, and a delicious smell filled the air. Best of all, you don't have to keep stirring it yourself — the staff cook it for you until it's ready to eat. No need to worry about anything burning while you eat.

How spicy is medium spice at this Gwangmyeong jjukkumi restaurant?

I ordered the griddled jjukkumi at Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch at medium spice, and it was less spicy than I expected. If you're not completely averse to spice and can handle an average level, I'd recommend medium. It was spicy enough to keep me reaching for more, but not overwhelming.

Once the staff finished stirring everything evenly, this appetizing griddled jjukkumi was ready. The jjukkumi and pork belly were thoroughly seasoned, and mixed in with the cabbage and minari, it looked really good.

I also tried a piece of the black pork belly. It had enough thickness that, eaten with the jjukkumi sauce, the meat's presence really came through. Alternating between chewy jjukkumi and savory pork belly made for fun eating. The rice cakes mixed in, soaked in sauce, were also a nice surprise.

There was a generous amount of plump, well-cooked jjukkumi too. At many jjukkumi places I've been to, the portion sometimes feels a bit lacking, but here I felt the jjukkumi was quite plentiful. Dipping the fragrant minari deep into the sauce and eating it with the jjukkumi was especially delicious. Minari lovers will be extra satisfied.

Wrapping the jjukkumi to your own taste

It's delicious as is, but making different wraps adds even more variety. Put pork belly and jjukkumi on gim (seaweed sheet), add mayonnaise and pop-in-your-mouth flying fish roe, and you get a savory bite with great texture. Wrapping bean sprouts and jjukkumi in a perilla leaf was also great — the spicy sauce with the freshness of the vegetables meant I never got tired of it.

Snow cheese fried rice is a must after jjukkumi

Once you're nearly done with the main dish, it's fried rice time! The staff make this for you as well. Rice, gim flakes, and perilla leaves are stirred into the leftover jjukkumi sauce on the griddle, and the smell alone was enough to make me hungry again. Apparently there's always room for fried rice, no matter how full you are.

We ordered the snow cheese fried rice instead of the plain version. Once the rice was properly stir-fried, a generous pile of cheese went on top, looking just like snow. The savory cheese on top of the spicy, umami-rich fried rice made for a satisfying finish. Scraping up the slightly crispy bits stuck to the griddle is part of the fun too. If you love jjukkumi, I really recommend trying the fried rice.

Final thoughts on Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch

We cleaned our plates completely, haha. I already love jjukkumi and have been to plenty of well-known places, but Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch ranks among the best of them. I'm not just saying that because this is a blog post — I mean it!

The portion of jjukkumi was generous, the combination with black pork belly and minari worked well, and the snow cheese fried rice at the end was satisfying too. It's a place I'd want to come back to whenever I'm craving something spicy near Gwangmyeong Station. If you're looking for restaurants near Gwangmyeong Station, jjukkumi in Gwangmyeong, or a place to eat near IKEA Gwangmyeong, this one is worth a visit.

Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch: hours and location

• Location: 1F #161, 19 Yangji-ro, Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (near Gwangmyeong Station, Iljik-dong)
• Hours: 11:30 – 22:00
• Break time: 16:00 – 17:00
• Last order: 15:00 / 21:00 (order cutoff 15:00, dining cutoff 15:50 daily)
• Parking: up to 2 hours free, register plate number on the tablet by the entrance