# Gwangalli seafood bar in Busan: doenjang sulbap at Maenggu Pocha - By Irin (https://superchart.com/en/@gyeonggi-porch-cup/) - Written Sep 20, 2026 - Local places › Bars › Suyeong, Busan - Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@gyeonggi-porch-cup/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@gyeonggi-porch-cup/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/index.md) ## In short Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch is a seafood bar-restaurant on Namcheonbada-ro 33beon-gil in Suyeong, Busan, near the Gwangan Bridge walkway. The seafood platter at Maenggu Pocha came with sea squirt, sea cucumber and abalone, the doenjang sulbap (soybean paste rice stew) held two bowls of rice, and the Maenggu coin handed out at seating was traded for a strawberry Saekomjjang candy. Between the seafood and the Crayon Shin-chan merchandise filling the room, this Japanese-style pocha turns dinner into an evening of games. ## Good to know - **Location**: 1F, 72 Namcheonbada-ro 33beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan (near Geumnyeonsan Station) - **Ordered**: Seafood platter, doenjang sulbap - **Maenggu coin**: Given when you sit down, exchangeable for a snack - **Coin events**: Win coins by betting with the next table or playing muk-jji-ppa with staff; collect 5 for a free dish worth 15,000 won - **Doenjang sulbap**: Enough rice for two bowls, topped with tofu, zucchini, onion and pork - **Price reference**: ₩15,000 ≈ $11 (2026-09-20) *as written by the visitor on Sep 20, 2026* A seafood pocha in Gwangalli, Busan, that blends Japanese and Korean vibes. Perfect for a seafood plate after a stroll along the pretty Gwangan Bridge. A pocha with fun little surprises hidden everywhere, not just food — this is Maenggu Pocha~ ![Exterior of Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch in Gwangalli](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-01-1pznx-m-966.webp) Yoshi! ![Entrance view of Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-02-26ld3-966.webp) ![Seating area inside Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-03-n7kly-m-966.webp) ![Menu board at Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-04-crkid-966.webp) ## Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch: is the signature live sashimi or the seafood platter? I had to order one of the signature menu items... and it was a real dilemma. Live fish sashimi or the seafood platter? ![Sign for live fish sashimi and seafood signature menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-05-qcpur-966.webp) ![List of side dish menu items at Maenggu Pocha](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-06-16vtm-966.webp) ## Inside the pocha: Crayon Shin-chan merchandise everywhere As soon as you step inside, true to its name, you're greeted by a bunch of giant Maenggu (Crayon Shin-chan) figures. Hahahahaha, it really has that Japanese vibe. The owner seems really serious about collecting merch. Please put some Kirby in here too, next time — our Kirby and Waddle Dee are pretty cute too, you know... ![Giant Maenggu figure inside the pocha](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-07-1xoui-m-966.webp) ![Display of Crayon Shin-chan merchandise](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-08-1vi63-966.webp) Such tempting Shin-chan merch. How did they find friends with such good color and fluffiness? Dreaming of a trip to Japan at the end of this year... gotta go raid the shops haha. ![Japanese-style interior decor items](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-09-1pfx8-966.webp) ![Basic table setting](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-10-1phe8-966.webp) ![Sign explaining the Maenggu coin system](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-11-1t64x-966.webp) ## How do the Maenggu coins work? Once you sit down, you get the basic table setup and these Maenggu coins. You can trade them later for tasty snacks, and if you bet with a neighboring table and collect 5 coins, you can order a free side dish worth ₩15,000! You can also earn them by playing rock-paper-scissors with staff. Hahahaha — I should've tried that. Then I'd have had 3 coins, hoho. ![Snack corner exchangeable with Maenggu coins](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-12-kz309-966.webp) ![Saekomjjang strawberry flavor snack traded with coins](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-13-1pehh-m-966.webp) We traded ours for Saekomjjang strawberry flavor, my old high school snack-shop bestie. Hahahaha ![Seafood platter table spread](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-14-ddj3g-m-966.webp) ![Plate of sea squirt and sea cucumber](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-15-1lz8b-966.webp) ![Full seafood platter spread at Maenggu Pocha](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-16-1h6fi-1200.webp) ## What's on the seafood platter: sea squirt, sea cucumber and abalone Our first pick was... the seafood platter! We chose the one with sea squirt because my partner really wanted it. No regrets. The sea cucumber and abalone had that satisfying crunch. They even gave us abalone innards from a paired male and female. Well, as someone who studied marine science, I couldn't just let that go — I excitedly explained the differences between male and female abalone innards over drinks. The one letdown was that I wish the shrimp had been raw shrimp instead. But with such generous seafood and clean prep, I ate it with genuine admiration. ![Prepared abalone with innards](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-17-1llo1-m-966.webp) ![Drinking session with seafood spread](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-18-128b9-m-966.webp) ## Busan Galmaegi soju and the hangover-drink event Mid-meal — not sure if this is a Busan thing, hahaha, like a college-town promo — some Good Day soju promo staff came in and gave us hangover cure drinks as gifts. Yay. We were sort of forced to order Busan Galmaegi, but hahaha, I got a strike right away on the first draw, so exciting. There are also duds, but they said you get a second chance if you lose. Oh, and I didn't know why Busan Galmaegi is a Good Day soju product, but apparently it's because they share the same manufacturer. The exact product name is Good Day Busan Galmaegi, and the maker (Muhak) developed it as a separate, region-specific product aimed at the Busan market. You might think that means it's the same as regular Good Day soju, but apparently it's not exactly the same drink either. Busan Galmaegi is classified as a general distilled liquor and uses domestic hutgae (Japanese raisin tree) extract to make it go down smoother. It also comes in 16 and 19 proof options. Hehe. Whew. This should count as making good on that hangover cure, right?! I got them two days in a row... hoho. ![Bottle of Good Day Busan Galmaegi soju](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-19-fcsh6-966.webp) ![Pot of doenjang sulbap](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-20-1dapj-966.webp) ## Doenjang sulbap: a full meal, not a side dish I agonized over what extra side dish to order and landed on doenjang sulbap (soybean paste rice stew). It was simply the best side dish. Actually, this was really a meal. It came generously with two bowls of rice, plus reliable tofu, zucchini, onion, and meat toppings. Honestly, I ate a bowl and a half by myself. I don't usually eat much rice, but it was so good that day... A perfectly happy night in Gwangalli with menu choices on point. I'd also just won an outstanding presentation award at a conference that day, so I was extra thrilled haha. ![Fun decor item in a corner of the pocha](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-21-hzzqi-966.webp) ![Pocha decor item reading 'Protect the players'](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu-22-saajx-m-966.webp) Protect the players. Hahahahahahahaha ## Where it is - Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch (맹구포차 광안본점) - 72 Namcheonbada-ro 33beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan, South Korea - 부산광역시 수영구 남천바다로33번길 72 1층 - 35.1512125, 129.1161191 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EB%A7%B9%EA%B5%AC%ED%8F%AC%EC%B0%A8%20%EA%B4%91%EC%95%88%EB%B3%B8%EC%A0%90/@35.1512125,129.1161191,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@gyeonggi-porch-cup/gwangalli-seafood-platter-doenjang-rice-maenggu/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt