Jungmun Korean restaurant with a pink muhly garden: Godeungeo Ssam-bap

When I travel to Jeju, I'm always excited to wake up early and get moving, but you've gotta eat a solid meal before heading out! Instead of the usual boring breakfast spot, I totally recommend Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap!!

What the entrance and dining room at Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap look like

Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap is a mackerel ssam-bap (grilled mackerel wrapped in lettuce with rice) specialty Korean restaurant on Iljuseo-ro in Seogwipo. Walking in, flowering trees line both sides of the entrance — so pretty.

The interior is spacious with lots of tables, so it looks great for groups, and there were plenty of families around.

There are kids' tables too, and the restroom is at the very back of the restaurant.

There were a lot of celebrity autographs on the walls from people who've visited Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap.

How to order at Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap, and the current event

At Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap you order through the tablet at your table.

There are various promotions worth checking out. Even comedian Park Myung-soo apparently stopped by 👀

In September the pink muhly grass blooms in the front garden, so it's a great month to visit!

Self-serve banchan bar and the free abalone porridge coupon

Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap comes with a variety of basic banchan (side dishes) and wraps.

For extra sides, there's a convenient self-serve bar,

There are more sides beyond the basic banchan, and if you download the free abalone porridge coupon on Naver Place, you get to eat abalone porridge too! (served until 12pm)

I loaded up on this and that, and before the main dish even arrived my table was already full of tasty sides. Honestly, I could've made a whole meal out of just this 🤣

Wow, the abalone porridge is so rich and nutty, with plenty of abalone in it. It made the perfect light appetizer before the main breakfast.

Aged kimchi mackerel ssam-bap + abalone hot stone rice for two, 36,000 won

🐟 Aged kimchi mackerel ssam-bap + abalone hot stone rice (for 2), ₩36,000. While I was eating the abalone porridge, the aged kimchi mackerel ssam-bap arrived!! It's the signature dish at Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap, and it comes together with abalone hot stone rice.

There's a generous mound of aged kimchi on top with mackerel underneath. They give you plenty of aged kimchi, which was great to wrap up with the stone-pot rice and lettuce 🤤

The mackerel was plump and generously sized. Wrap it in the rice, wrap it in the lettuce leaves — there was so much to pair it with!

The abalone hot stone rice comes topped with abalone meat, tot (seaweed fusiforme), and sweet pumpkin. They scoop the rice out of the stone pot into a bowl, then pour hot water into the pot so you can enjoy the crispy scorched rice (nurungji) later.

Abalone and sea urchin seaweed soup, 15,000 won: the best hangover cure

🍲 Abalone sea urchin seaweed soup, ₩15,000. We wanted some soup on the side, so we ordered the abalone sea urchin seaweed soup. It was my first time having sea urchin seaweed soup with abalone added on Jeju — with both abalone and sea urchin in it, the ocean flavor was deep and refreshing. (Absolutely perfect for a hangover 👍🏻)

Paying the bill and the Jeju gift corner beside the dining room

At Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap, once you're done eating, just take the cute rice paddle with your table number written on it (found behind the tablet) to the register!!

On your way out, to the right there's coffee to cleanse your palate, plus a display of various Jeju souvenir snacks and wines!

There's also a nicely decorated garden around the restaurant, great for a stroll to help digest after the meal. In September it turns pink with muhly grass, so eat, take some photos, and enjoy!😗

Parking tips at Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap

There's a parking space right in front of the restaurant, so you can park easily and enjoy your meal!

Why Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap works for breakfast in Jeju

On Jeju, restaurants that open early in the morning are pretty limited, but Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap opens early, making it great for breakfast. Plus, since the menu is broadly appealing, it's a good spot for families, parents, or groups.

And just by downloading the coupon, you get free abalone porridge as a default extra — and it's such good quality that you don't even need to go to a separate abalone porridge restaurant, honestly moved me to tears...😭 With delicious mackerel, aged kimchi, and ssam-bap all together, it's a totally great-value restaurant, perfect for Seogwipo breakfast. And since the pink muhly grass is about to bloom, if you're chasing pink muhly spots in Jeju, come here to snap some life shots too!!