Busan Chinese restaurant: seafood jjamppong at Hongmigwan

Hongmigwan, where I stop by every time I visit Gupo Market

Whenever I go to Gupo Market or have to visit a hospital in Deokcheon-dong, this is the place I always stop by for a meal: Hongmigwan, a great restaurant near Deokcheon-dong's Gupo Market. They have a good-value lunch set, but I want a proper full bowl rather than a mini portion, so I order à la carte every time I visit. Hongmigwan's house-made noodles are exceptionally springy, and its seafood jjamppong is packed with seafood just as its name promises. The yuni jjajang is delicious too, so make sure to have it alongside it!

Hongmigwan (홍미관) 1F, 93 Nakdong-daero 1780beon-gil, Buk-gu, Busan, South Korea Monday–Saturday 11:00–21:00 (break time 15:30–17:00) Regularly closed every Sunday

What about waiting and solo-dining seats?

Hongmigwan near Deokcheon-dong's Gupo Market is fairly small inside, so there can be a wait; we always try to arrive right at opening. It is on the compact side, but there are solo seats along the window, so dining alone is possible too.

House-made noodles and seaweed broth

Hongmigwan near Deokcheon-dong's Gupo Market makes its own noodles, giving them an incredibly springy texture. They are like the noodles at a great udon spot, but thinner than udon, and the sauce soaks right in, which makes them even tastier! The seaweed broth, said to be brewed with Wando seaweed, dried shrimp, dried shiitake mushrooms, and ginger, makes the jjamppong distinctive for its refreshing, light flavor rather than an overpowering broth.

Hongmigwan menu and prices

• Lunch sets: for 2, tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour pork) + 4 chili shrimp + 2 jjamppong or jjajang of your choice ₩26,000 / tangsuyuk + jjaengban jjajang for 2 ₩23,000
• Set menus: A mini tangsuyuk + 6 chili shrimp ₩20,000 / B mini tangsuyuk + seafood scorched-rice soup ₩34,000 / C yusanseul + nanzawan + jjamppong soup ₩50,000 / D yangjangpi + nanzawan + jjamppong soup ₩50,000 / E palbochae + stir-fried peppers with flower buns + jjamppong soup ₩55,000
• À la carte: yangjangpi ₩30,000 / palbochae ₩35,000 / stir-fried peppers with flower buns ₩26,000 / yusanseul ₩30,000 / seafood scorched-rice soup ₩28,000 / nanzawan ₩28,000 / lajayuk ₩28,000 / dongpo pork ₩36,000 / seafood jjamppong soup ₩12,000
• À la carte: fried dumplings, 5 pieces ₩4,000 or 10 pieces ₩8,000 / tangsuyuk, mini ₩9,000, medium ₩19,000, large ₩28,000 / chili shrimp, 8 pieces ₩16,000 or 12 pieces ₩24,000
• Meals: seafood jjamppong ₩9,000 / jjamppong gukbap ₩10,000 / yuni jjajang ₩6,000 / dried pollock white jjamppong ₩12,000 / jjaengban jjajang for 2 ₩18,000 / stir-fried jjamppong for 2 ₩20,000
• Meals: fried rice ₩8,000 / japchae rice ₩9,000 / paljin rice bowl (mixed seafood rice) ₩14,000 / Chinese-style milmyeon ₩10,000 / oyster white jjamppong ₩12,000 / fried egg ₩1,000

Two bowls of seafood jjamppong and yuni jjajang

Since it is known for jjamppong, the two of us each ordered a bowl of seafood jjamppong, and then... even though we knew we'd be full, we had to have jjajangmyeon too, so we ordered one yuni jjajang to share.

Set out like this..... it is a jjam-jja-myeon combo!! Haha. At first glance, the bowls at Hongmigwan near Deokcheon-dong's Gupo Market can look small, but the house-made noodles are substantial, so it turns out to be a lot as you eat!

Seafood jjamppong broth that is not overpowering

Hongmigwan's seafood jjamppong near Deokcheon-dong's Gupo Market does not have an overpowering broth. It is not overly oily, yet it is pleasantly spicy and refreshing! It tastes like a hangover cure even though I had not had a drink!

Because Hongmigwan near Deokcheon-dong's Gupo Market makes its noodles in-house, they are seriously springy. I loved their chewy texture, and they are even better because the seasoning soaks right into the noodles.

True to the name seafood jjamppong, it comes generously loaded with Manila clams, mussels, shrimp, and squid, plus large pieces of vegetables.

The yuni jjajang we shared

We considered getting the lunch set, but... we wanted our own bowls of jjamppong and one jjajangmyeon to share, so we greedily ordered the yuni jjajang.

Hongmigwan's noodles near Deokcheon-dong's Gupo Market are so delicious because they absorb the sauce well. Just like with the jjamppong, the chewy noodles in the jjajangmyeon soak up all that seasoning—how could they possibly not be delicious!

Can you see the pile of clam shells? The food is delicious and generous, and Hongmigwan near Deokcheon-dong's Gupo Market offers great value too, so I honestly cannot help going back. It is near the Gupo Market public parking lot, so definitely give it a try!