Seafood scorched-rice soup and codfish fry at Jeonbokchon, Namdong

Lately I've been craving a proper hanjeongsik-style spread, so I went to Jeonbokchon (전복촌), a well-known restaurant in Guwol-dong, Namdong, Incheon.

Jeonbokchon, as the name suggests, specializes in abalone dishes — a place where you can try a whole range of abalone dishes made with fresh Wando-sourced abalone all at once!!

We ordered the abalone set menu for two, which lets you pick and choose from a bunch of dishes! It's not just abalone dishes — the table comes loaded with salad, japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), fish dishes, scorched-rice soup, and more, so it seemed like a great spot to bring parents along too.

Where to park at Jeonbokchon in Guwol-dong

If you're driving, it's worth checking the parking situation ahead of time!

Parking There's a lot below the 'Bingo Noraebang' sign to the right of Jeonbokchon, and if it's full, call the restaurant to ask.

A restaurant with parking in Guwol-dong is honestly kind of precious haha.

A spacious restaurant with private rooms

Once inside, the place was bigger than I expected. Toward the back there were private-room-style seats too. It's a perfect spot for a family meal, a dinner with parents, or a birthday gathering when you want a bit more quiet!

Jeonbokchon set menus and prices

Jeonbokchon has several set menus. The Jangsu set is ₩49,000, the abalone set is ₩39,000, and the bon set is ₩22,000.

There's also a separate lunch special menu, so if you visit at lunchtime you can go a bit lighter. Since we came for the abalone, we ordered the abalone set for two.

What comes with the abalone set for two

Before anything else, abalone porridge arrived first! The abalone's sea flavor wasn't too strong, coming through savory and mild — a gentle way to start.

And then the table just got completely packed haha. I'd looked up abalone restaurants in Guwol-dong, Incheon and seen photos of the set beforehand, but there were way more dishes than I expected once it actually arrived.

The salads came with plenty of crisp vegetables and a good dressing and toppings, nice to eat in between bites of abalone or fish.

Wando abalone, served several ways

There was also a Wando abalone dish with a sweet-and-tangy sauce. The abalone itself was thick, so the more you chewed the more the savory flavor came through, and eating it with vegetables made it even fresher.

Plump whole Wando abalone came out too, and rather than being chewy in a tough way, it had a springy, chewy texture. Being able to enjoy abalone in so many different forms rather than just one way seems to be the real strength of Jeonbokchon's abalone set!

The gejang-style innard sauce was seriously loaded with umami..🤍

Unexpected best dish: seafood scorched-rice soup

Surprisingly, this ended up being my favorite dish of the day too! Served piping hot in a stone pot, the seafood scorched-rice soup is loaded with shrimp, mushrooms, and vegetables, with scorched rice at the bottom that soaks up the broth.

The scorched rice starts out crisp and gradually turns thick as it absorbs the broth — that's the best part! One big spoonful and the seafood umami plus the heat kept me reaching for more.

The abalone sushi and gimbap (seaweed rice roll) filled us up nicely too!!

Stone-pot bulgogi and japchae

Stone-pot bulgogi came out as well. The salty-sweet seasoning went great with rice, and there was plenty of meat, so it's a nice addition for anyone who'd feel shortchanged eating just seafood!

Japchae, which would be missed if it weren't part of a hanjeongsik, showed up too. The glass noodles weren't overcooked and stayed springy, and with wood ear mushrooms and vegetables mixed in, it was a familiar but delicious flavor~!

Whole battered codfish

What really caught my eye was the big whole battered codfish (kodari)! The outside was fried crisp, topped generously with seasoning, sesame seeds, and green onion.

Picking the flesh apart with chopsticks, the inside was soft, and with the seasoning it made a great side for rice too.

For soup, there was also Wando seaweed soup, with a subtle abalone and seafood aroma — good for staying warm until the very end.

I also tried the abalone jang (soy-marinated abalone) and dipped the fried codfish in it lightly too! It really felt like I ate abalone in every possible form from start to finish.

When to go

What I liked most was that abalone isn't the only star — you get a whole table of dishes built around fresh Wando abalone.

With private rooms available too, it's perfect for anyone looking for a family meal spot in Guwol-dong to bring parents, or a place for a birthday or family gathering!

If you're someone who loves abalone, I'd recommend Jeonbokchon, a restaurant in Guwol-dong, Incheon where you can eat your fill — abalone porridge, abalone dishes, seafood scorched-rice soup, and fish dishes all in one sitting.

If you want a proper full spread with fresh Wando abalone, or you're looking for a varied and generous abalone set menu, Jeonbokchon is worth a visit!