KTX layover lunch at Gwangmyeong jjukkumi restaurant Jeongipum

Why Jeongipum Jjukkumi was the lunch stop right by Gwangmyeong Station

My husband and I go to Gwangmyeong Station a lot. We head down to his parents' place about six times a year (once every two months), and we always take the KTX for it. This time we'd just come back up from visiting the in-laws and it happened to be lunchtime, so I searched around and found a Gwangmyeong Station spot worth trying.

Today I'm introducing that place. Where is it, you ask — it's the jjukkumi (stir-fried octopus) restaurant that everyone living near Gwangmyeong Station knows: Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch.

<Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch> ⏰ Hours: Daily 11:30–22:00 ✔️ Break time: 16:00–17:00 ✔️ Last order: 15:00, 21:00 🚘 Parking available (2 hours free with Gwangmyeong AK Plaza validation)

Inside the restaurant and how to book on Catch Table

The outside of Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch! The sign with the cute little octopus drawing really stands out.

The restaurant seems to be all about minari (water dropwort) jjukkumi — the minari looks like it comes straight from the farm! Apparently the place gets so many customers that they're doing expansion construction starting November 2!

They also run Catch Table reservations! Worth booking ahead during busy lunch or dinner hours when it gets crowded.

A spacious dining room, clean and bright, with a cute overall look.

Since it hadn't been open long, the place still had a just-getting-started feel. But customers kept streaming in while we ate, and by the time we were finishing up the tables were over 70% full.

Since we'd booked ahead, we were seated right away. Our table setting came with my name written on it!

And above that, there's a how-to-order guide posted. Read it carefully before placing your order!

The order: griddled jjukkumi with black Angus beef belly for two, snow cheese fried rice

Rather than posting a bunch of individual tablet-menu photos, I figured a single readable shot was better, so that's what I picked. After checking the menu, we ordered through the tablet! What we got: 'stir-fried jjukkumi + black Angus beef belly for two' and 'snow cheese fried rice.'

Everything came out looking clean and neat!

Sesame leaves, bean sprouts, and gim (seaweed) for wrapping the jjukkumi,

House-made shredded lemon radish, flying fish roe, and mayo sauce.

And even cold seaweed soup and a salad on top!

How the jjukkumi and black Angus beef belly tasted

The main dish arrived: stir-fried jjukkumi with black Angus beef belly for two.

They stir it diligently and cut it up with scissors too. Loved that they loaded in big, plump pieces of jjukkumi!

Beautifully stir-fried, delicious jjukkumi and beef belly!

First, I dunked the chewy jjukkumi into the mayo sauce! One bite in and I understood this place's reputation... the octopus is big, plump, and tender to chew. And the sauce it's soaked up washes over your mouth along with it. So good.

Let's also try it the way the 'how to enjoy' sign suggests. Whoever the owner learned this combination from, it's incredible... fragrant, tangy, sweet, salty, savory, spicy — all packed into one mega wrap.

And on top of all that? They gave us a big, fluffy steamed egg on the house..? Eating the jjukkumi and then the steamed egg left us warm and full,,

Snow cheese fried rice: when to have it stirred in

We couldn't resist and ate too fast. Once you're about 80% through, they'll make the fried rice (you can actually ask earlier too). We had to get that fried rice going right away~! Cheese fried rice, let's go!

A friendly staff member mixed it up with quick, skilled hands. The staff here were all so kind, which was really nice. Then at the end they sprinkled on a generous amount of cheese and we waited eagerly for it to melt.

Whew,, yeah, this is the one. Carbs and cheese combined with that spicy-sweet jjukkumi-and-beef-belly sauce — what else is there to say... a flavor that sends you straight to heaven... So good. I think fried rice is a low-key crucial test of any great restaurant. You eat well the whole meal and then if the fried rice at the end is bad, that's all you remember. But here, the fried rice is genuinely delicious too!

Magic that makes you finish everything even after overeating the day before. Isn't this the real magic of Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong Branch...? This place is good... genuinely good...

And so we walked out patting our full bellies. We didn't register for parking on the way out (if you drive, be sure to!), and grabbed a candy from the counter on the way out! A truly delicious time...

Final verdict on Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch

This really is a jjukkumi spot worth visiting near Gwangmyeong Station. Plump, big, tender octopus piled high! The beef belly pulled its weight too and made it even better. And the fried rice at the end was excellent.

A jjukkumi restaurant near Gwangmyeong Station that we thoroughly enjoyed. I'll have to swing by again whenever we're at Gwangmyeong Station for IKEA. This is going to be my go-to when looking for good food near Gwangmyeong IKEA. A very satisfying review, wrapped up.