Gwangju monkfish jjim with 3 spice levels: Badaga Nae Sonagwi

I went looking for a proper monkfish jjim (spicy braised monkfish) spot in Gwangju, Gyeonggi and ended up at Badaga Nae Sonagwi Gyeonggi Gwangju 🐟🔥 The name itself is hard to forget — it roughly means "the sea is in the grip of my hand!" Sounds like the final boss of seafood restaurants haha.

This time I tried the Daehwanjang Monkfish Set in the small size. It comes with monkfish jjim, monkfish tang (stew), whelk sashimi, and steamed egg, and I finished it off properly with the Korean official closing move — fried rice.

To cut to the conclusion: spicy monkfish jjim → hearty monkfish tang → soft steamed egg → whelk sashimi → fried rice. That flow worked really well. If you're looking for a good monkfish jjim spot in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, or a hearty seafood stew place in the area, this might be worth checking out :)

Where Badaga Nae Sonagwi Gyeonggi Gwangju is, and its opening hours

Badaga Nae Sonagwi Gyeonggi Gwangju is located at 7 Suha-gil, 1st floor, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, open 11:00–22:30 with last order at 22:00. Reservations and orders are also possible through Naver.

When I visited, the Naver rating was 4.83 with over 1,600 reviews — clearly already a well-known monkfish and seafood stew spot in the area.

There's a big Badaga Nae Sonagwi sign outside, so it wasn't hard to find. It clearly identifies itself as a "monkfish jjim & seafood stew specialty restaurant." Red monkfish jjim photos are plastered all over the storefront, so your spice-loving instincts start waking up before you even step inside. 🔥

Is there a wait? Put your name on the list first

Near the entrance of Badaga Nae Sonagwi Gyeonggi Gwangju there's a dedicated seat-waiting sign. If there's a wait, you write your name on the list first, and if you're not there when called, you get bumped to the next spot in line — worth knowing if you visit during a busy time.

You know the saddest moment outside a good restaurant? They call your name and you're not there… 😂 I'd recommend registering for the wait and not wandering too far.

Choosing a monkfish jjim spice level from 1 to 3

The spice level was clearly listed in three tiers.

• Level 1: mildly spicy
• Level 2: spicier than Shin Ramyun
• Level 3: as hot as Buldak Bokkeummyeon

It's nice that people who can't handle spice and people who say "I have to sweat for it to count as eating" can both choose what fits them. Monkfish jjim especially can lose its ingredient flavor if it's just brutally spicy across the board, so having tiers makes it easy to match everyone's taste at the table.

Daehwanjang Monkfish Set: price and what comes with it

The menu board showed a pretty solid set lineup. What I ordered was the Daehwanjang Monkfish Set! SET A Daehwanjang Monkfish Set comes with monkfish jjim + boneless monkfish tang + squid sashimi + steamed egg.

Prices per the photo were small ₩39,000 / medium ₩49,000 / large ₩59,000. We went with the small size.

Instead of just monkfish jjim alone, the set bundles in the tang, the sashimi, and the steamed egg all at once — a great combo if you want to try a bit of everything.

※ Menu items and prices may change depending on when you visit, so please check the latest menu before going.

The small Daehwanjang Monkfish Set arrives at the table

Once it was all laid out on the table, it was more generous than I expected.

Centered on the main dish, the monkfish jjim,

the spicy monkfish tang,

whelk sashimi, steamed egg, and the side dishes all showed up, and the table filled up fast. And of course, your eyes go straight to the center. The visual of that red-sauced monkfish jjim piled with bean sprouts…! It's the kind of dish that makes you want to eat fast even while photographing it haha.

Monkfish jjim that isn't all bean sprouts

There's always a low-key worry when ordering monkfish jjim. You order monkfish jjim, but then you flip it over with your chopsticks and… bean sprouts. More bean sprouts. And more bean sprouts. "Did I accidentally order bean sprout jjim?" is a real question at some places. 😂

The monkfish jjim here had a good mix of spicy sauce, monkfish, and bean sprouts that made eating genuinely fun. The crisp texture of the bean sprouts especially stood out paired with the soft monkfish meat. The sauce was evenly coated on both the fish and the sprouts too, so every bite hit hard with spice.

Pick up a piece of monkfish, pile on some bean sprouts, dip it all in the sauce… it's the kind of flavor that makes you think of rice. But you can't eat rice too early here — there's an important appointment waiting for us at the end: the fried rice. 😎

Blanched whelk as a palate cleanser between bites

The whelk sashimi that came with the set was also great. In the middle of the spicy monkfish jjim, having a bite of squid sashimi resets everything. Dip it lightly in vinegar-chili sauce and the chewy texture plus tangy-sweet flavor gives your chopsticks a fresh restart!

Having a different-texture dish in between kept things from feeling monotonous, compared to just eating monkfish jjim nonstop.

Steamed egg, the rescue dish when the jjim gets too hot

Steamed egg alongside spicy food is basically cheating. One spoonful of that soft, fluffy egg and your tongue, which has been working hard, gets a brief vacation haha.

A bite of monkfish jjim → a bite of steamed egg. Then back to monkfish jjim. This loop is pretty dangerous. You're full, but it keeps going in.

Spicy monkfish soup makes the set feel complete

Alongside the monkfish jjim, a spicy monkfish tang loaded with bean sprouts and vegetables also came out. The jjim is for enjoying the sauce and texture, and having a hot spoonful of soup in between really complemented it.

For anyone having a drink alongside, this soup dish's presence probably grows even bigger. A bite of monkfish jjim, a spoonful of soup… you came for dinner and it naturally becomes a drinking session. 😂

After monkfish jjim, fried rice isn't optional

And finally, today's grand finale. Fried rice! Badaga Nae Sonagwi even had a fun little sign posted.

Fried rice for jjim, fried porridge for tang

This is basically an official directive to order the fried rice haha. The monkfish jjim sauce is delicious, and it's too much of a waste to leave it behind. So we ordered the fried rice too!

Fried rice loaded with seaweed flakes

The fried rice arrived and the visual alone was on point. The spicy sauce was soaked into every grain of rice, topped with a generous mound of seaweed flakes. Savory seaweed aroma + spicy monkfish jjim sauce + fried rice. Honestly… it's the kind of combo that makes you pick your spoon back up even when you're full.

"I'm seriously full." One bite. "Just one more spoonful." Another bite. Next thing you know, you're staring at the bottom of the plate. 😂

Personally, if you're going for monkfish jjim, I recommend saving room specifically for the fried rice! Don't go overboard on plain rice while eating the mains. Let your future self have that fried rice space.

Fried rice with jjim, rice porridge with soup

According to the restaurant's own signage, they recommend fried rice with the jjim dishes and fried porridge with the tang dishes. To properly enjoy the menu here, it seems better to go all the way to the final carb rather than stopping at the main. Especially if you love the monkfish jjim sauce, the fried rice will likely be very satisfying.

Naver review and Kakao Channel events worth checking

At the time of my visit, there was a sign for an event: write a Naver receipt review plus add the Kakao Channel and get a free ice cream. It's annoying to find things like this after you've already finished eating and are heading out the door. 😂

If you visit, check whether there's a current event before you pay. Event details may change or end depending on the timing.

Tips for visiting Badaga Nae Sonagwi Gyeonggi Gwangju

Having visited myself, here are some points worth knowing ahead of time.

• If you want to try several dishes beyond just monkfish jjim, the Daehwanjang Monkfish Set is recommended
• Spice level is adjustable from 1 to 3
• If there's a wait, write your name on the list at the entrance first
• Don't fill up too much on plain rice early on while eating the monkfish jjim
• Save room for the fried rice at the end
• Check Naver reservations/ordering and any review events running at the time of your visit

Especially if you're visiting with a group, ordering the set instead of a single dish and sharing everything around was a good way to go.

Final verdict on Badaga Nae Sonagwi Gyeonggi Gwangju

Badaga Nae Sonagwi Gyeonggi Gwangju is worth a visit when you're craving spicy monkfish jjim in the Gwangju, Gyeonggi area. The Daehwanjang Monkfish Set (small) I had this time came with not just the main monkfish jjim but also whelk sashimi, steamed egg, and a soup dish, making the whole spread feel generous. Above all, I loved how it all led into the fried rice at the end.

Crisp bean sprouts and spicy sauce in the monkfish jjim, calmed down in between with steamed egg, a bite of whelk sashimi, back to the monkfish jjim again… and finally, fried rice piled high with seaweed flakes. 🔥

A place you come to for monkfish jjim and leave having properly eaten fried rice too

If you've been debating where to go for a good monkfish jjim or seafood stew spot in Gwangju, Gyeonggi for a family dinner or evening meal, this might be worth checking out :)

Lastly, about parking: there's a lot right next to the restaurant, so just have staff open the barrier and park there.