Date-night egg roll and spicy octopus in Yongsan: Jjigaen Jjukkumi

I went with my fiancée for a nice dinner date to a restaurant called Jjigaen Jjukkumi near Yongmun Market in Yongsan.

As soon as we got to the entrance, a standee sign caught my eye — turns out this place was actually featured on tvN's Amazing Saturday program. Seeing that big broadcast sign right at the entrance got us even more excited before we'd even eaten.

For anyone looking for a spicy octopus (jjukkumi) restaurant in Yongsan, let me give you my honest review of Jjigaen Jjukkumi. Let's go~

Where is Jjigaen Jjukkumi Yongmun Market Branch?

Jjigaen Jjukkumi Yongmun Market Branch is located at 60 Wonhyoro 41-gil, 1F, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea, near Yongmun Market. Its claims to fame: featured on tvN's Amazing Saturday, and a very friendly owner.

It's also easily accessible from Hyochang Park Station, Yongsan Station, or Yongsan Electronics Land, making it a convenient spot for a date or a lunch outing.

What's on the menu at Jjigaen Jjukkumi

This is the menu board inside the restaurant. It was huge, so you could read it clearly even from a distance. Besides the signature octopus pork belly, they also had griddle cheese octopus, octopus with beef brisket, braised pork ribs, Korean pork kimchi jjigae, and whole chicken kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) — a really wide range of meals and drinking snacks. We wanted to try the most iconic dish, so here's what we ordered.

What we ordered at Jjigaen Jjukkumi and what it cost

• Jjukkumi samgyeopsal (octopus pork belly) for two: ₩32,000
• Glass noodle add-on: ₩3,000
• Egg roll: ₩10,000
• Fried rice: ₩3,000

After we ordered, the staff set out the basic side dishes neatly.

Starting with the flying fish roe mayo sauce, which pairs perfectly with spicy octopus,

crunchy seasoned bean sprouts, tangy pickled radish,

savory stir-fried fish cakes,

and fresh perilla leaves rounded out a solid, well-chosen lineup of banchan (side dishes).

The flying fish roe mayo sauce in particular was great for softening the spiciness.

Spicy octopus with pork belly for two, 32,000 won: how hot is it?

Finally, today's main dish — octopus pork belly for two — arrived. (Price: ₩32,000 for two)

Reddish strips of pork belly were arranged prettily around the rim of the griddle, with seasoned octopus, bean sprouts, and scallions piled high in the middle — a gorgeous-looking dish.

They turned on the burner and started sizzling everything on the griddle right at our table.

The smell of the seasoning as it cooked was mouthwatering.

The portion wasn't so huge that we felt stuffed, but the spiciness and overall seasoning were just right — not too much — so we could eat comfortably. The sauce wasn't purely spicy; it had a sweet, savory depth that pretty much anyone would like.

Glass noodle add-on, 3,000 won: pre-boiled and ready to eat

Partway through the octopus pork belly, we added a glass noodle side. (Price: ₩3,000) Instead of raw noodles, they came already boiled to a nice chewy texture from the kitchen.

They dropped the pre-boiled noodles into the seasoned sauce on the griddle and simmered them together. Because the noodles were already boiled, they didn't soak up all the broth instantly, and the glossy sauce clung nicely to them — slurping them up was really satisfying. I'd recommend adding the glass noodles when you get the octopus pork belly.

Gyeran-mari (rolled egg omelette), 10,000 won: one honest letdown

Egg roll, the classic side dish for spicy food, also came out. (Price: ₩10,000) Piled high on the plate, the egg roll was impressively large and thick at first glance.

Cut open, it was packed with carrots and scallions, and dipping it in ketchup gave it a great nutty flavor. That said, being honest, the egg had come out slightly overcooked, so it lacked a bit of that melt-in-your-mouth moist, soft texture. Still, the generous portion and mild flavor made it a good side to the spicy octopus.

Fried rice, 3,000 won, to finish the griddle

No octopus meal is complete without the K-dessert finale of fried rice. (Price: ₩3,000)

The owner stir-fried rice, seaweed flakes, and perilla leaves right into the leftover sauce on the griddle. For our taste, the fried rice's seasoning felt slightly mild on its own, but mixing in a bit of the reserved octopus sauce brought it right to the perfect level — savory, with a nice hint of griddle char.

Is Jjigaen Jjukkumi worth a dinner date in Yongsan?

Jjigaen Jjukkumi, the Yongsan octopus specialty restaurant we visited this time, lived up to its tvN Amazing Saturday fame — the seasoning and spice level were just right, making for an enjoyable meal.

There were small letdowns with the portion size and the egg roll's texture, but overall the menu lineup was great. Above all, the owner was so friendly that we felt comfortable and happy throughout the meal — a genuinely warm restaurant. If you're near Yongmun Market in Yongsan looking for good spicy octopus pork belly or just a pleasant place to eat, I'd recommend giving it a visit.