₩9,000 platter jjajang at Gupo Jjambbong, Busan Chinese restaurant

I stopped by Gupo Jjambbong, a well-known spot near Gupo Market in Busan, for an early dinner before catching a movie. The menu was so packed that I ended up eating quite a lot — here's the review.

Inside Gupo Jjambbong Gupo Main Branch: modern interior and solo seats

Gupo Jjambbong is a 20-year-old Chinese restaurant at 48 Sirang-ro, 1st floor, Buk-gu, Busan, with semi-private seating that made eating alone comfortable. For a place billed as an old-school spot, the interior felt surprisingly modern.

Inside Gupo Jjambbong, a well-known restaurant near Gupo Market in Busan. I went in expecting an old-fashioned 20-year-old place, but the interior was clean and modern like a brand-new spot! Looking at the owner's Instagram, it seems they remodeled.

There was also a semi-private area, so quite a few older customers were eating solo. I thought it'd be a comfortable place to come alone.

What's on the self bar: chaga mushroom tea and apple cider vinegar water

Gupo Jjambbong's self bar had chaga mushroom tea, apple cider vinegar water, wet wipes, and even hair ties for women. As soon as I sat down, they brought out the chaga mushroom tea first.

The self bar

When I arrived, they gave me chaga mushroom tea. Felt like it had been a while since I'd had it, haha.

Near the entrance, there was also apple cider vinegar water — what a nice touch from the owner! Besides that, wet wipes and hair ties for women were available too.

The ingredients used for the broth were also displayed where you could see them. Being able to check what went into the broth made me even more excited for it.

Gupo Jjambbong menu and prices

Gupo Jjambbong's menu is wide-ranging, from jjajang at 6,500 won to seafood nurungji soup at 30,000 won, with set/course meals at 25,000 won per person for the A course and 30,000 won for the B course. Since it was my first visit, I checked the recommended items on the menu board.

The menu board at Gupo Jjambbong, near Gupo Market in Busan. Set and course meals: A course 25,000 won per person, B course 30,000 won per person.

Premium abalone jjambbong 18,000 won, octopus abalone jjambbong 15,000 won. Summer-only kongguksu (cold soy milk noodles) was also on the menu.

Jjajang 6,500 won, haemul jaengban jjajang 9,000 won, jjambbong rice 9,000 won.

Seafood nurungji soup 30,000 won. Tangsuyuk: mini 13,000 won, small 18,000 won, medium 26,000 won, large 34,000 won, half-and-half 21,000 won.

Recommended items were also listed, which helped since I was a first-timer unsure what to order.

Country of origin labeling

Apparently the owner has appeared on all three major broadcasters as a Chinese cuisine master. If I'd known a place like this existed in Buk-gu, Busan, I would have come sooner.

Half-and-half tangsuyuk, 21,000 won: regular and Sichuan on one plate

Gupo Jjambbong's half-and-half tangsuyuk at 21,000 won comes half regular, half Sichuan-style, served with salad and vegetables on the side. The Sichuan half arrived already sauced, while the regular half came with sauce on the side so you could choose to dip or pour.

The half-and-half tangsuyuk, the first dish to arrive

It came out half regular, half Sichuan-style. They served salad and vegetables alongside, almost like a Western dish, and the Sichuan half was pre-sauced while the regular half came with sauce separate so you could dip or pour freely.

Crispy on the outside and packed inside, this tangsuyuk had a rich balance of flavors — it made sense why it was a recommended dish.

Octopus and abalone jjambbong, 15,000 won, with chaga mushroom noodles

The octopus abalone jjambbong at 15,000 won had a whole large octopus in it, topped with sweet potato stems as garnish. I'd wanted the premium galbi abalone jjambbong, but since it's limited to 10 bowls a day, it was already sold out by the time I arrived.

Octopus abalone jjambbong 15,000 won, haemul jaengban jjajang 9,000 won.

I really wanted the premium galbi abalone jjambbong, but it's limited to 10 bowls a day, and since I arrived late it was sold out — a shame. So I ordered the regular octopus abalone jjambbong instead, and wow, the contents! It came piled generously to the brim of the bowl.

They put in a whole large octopus, too. I'd never seen a place do that before — I was pleasantly shocked at how generous it was 🫢. The garnish on top was sweet potato stems.

And finally, the star: the chaga mushroom noodles!! The noodles clearly had a nuttier flavor compared to regular noodles. The jjambbong broth also had a deep flavor that showed real care went into it.

Is the 9,000 won seafood platter jjajang worth it?

Gupo Jjambbong's haemul jaengban jjajang is 9,000 won, but the portion was so generous that the price was hard to believe. The jjajang sauce was appropriately rich, and it soaked all the way through the noodles.

The haemul jaengban jjajang was also packed with ingredients. I couldn't believe this quality came at 9,000 won — it suited my taste perfectly. The jjajang sauce had just the right richness and soaked well all the way through.

Personally, I'd recommend every dish I ate, and since the ingredients felt healthy and wholesome, I thought it'd be a nice place to bring my parents too.

Gupo Jjambbong location, parking and hours near Gupo Market

Gupo Jjambbong Gupo Main Branch is at 48 Sirang-ro, Buk-gu, Busan, along the road heading toward Gupo 3-dong. Parking is available right beside the building, and there's also a public parking lot nearby.

• Hours: 11:00 AM–10:00 PM
• Last order: 9:30 PM
• Closed every Monday