Cheonho Korean restaurant for spicy octopus and pork belly: Jjuksami

My Gangdong-native boyfriend said this was No. 1 among all the places he has eaten at in Cheonho Jjukkumi Alley!! I was doubtful at first, but once we went, he was totally right!

Ahh~ it was seriously delicious! Jjukku jjukku.

Location and parking at the entrance to Cheonho Station's Jjukkumi Alley

Jjuksami Cheonho Main Branch (쭉삼이 천호본점) is right where the jjukkumi (webfoot octopus) alley begins from Cheonho Station, so it is really easy to find!

If you are looking for Cheonho jjukkumi, it appears as soon as you enter the alley. There is no parking, so use public transit or a nearby parking lot! Cheonho Station is close, so the access is great too!

Restaurant atmosphere with individual grills

The restaurant was neat and tidily organized, with an individual grill at every table. The many menu boards and new-menu notices on the walls stood out, and the overall atmosphere felt comfortable. The crowd of diners at dinner seemed to prove just how good this place is!

Our octopus and pork belly order and table setting

Jjuksami specializes in all kinds of jjukkumi dishes! The basic spread came neatly arranged with steamed egg, perilla leaves, ssamjang (seasoned dipping paste), pickled radish wraps, scorched-rice soup, and a special mayo sauce. There were so many choices on the menu, but

We ordered the jjukkumi + pork belly for ₩16,000 (two servings), a Rich Gold cheese platter, and flying-fish-roe fried rice. You can tell the price is such a bargain, right? I thought it was very reasonable for Cheonho jjukkumi!

Octopus and pork belly cooked by the owner

First of all, it was so convenient because the owner cooked everything for us personally!

This is real service! Our first impression when the jjukkumi + pork belly came out was already different. The octopus was plump and bouncy, with such a wonderfully chewy texture, and the pork belly had absolutely no smell, so it tasted very clean!

They were both pleasantly spicy, so ahh~ wrapping them up like this was absolutely good!

If the heat felt a little strong, eating it with the sweet-potato-topped Rich Gold cheese and bean sprouts beside it took the spice right away, and I just kept going back for more! We finished it in no time. The sweet-potato cheese was seriously sweet and delicious!

Flying-fish-roe fried rice and yaki mandu

And then, the uniquely Korean K-dessert! I really recommend the flying-fish-roe fried rice! They give you heaps of roe, and with every bite it pops all over your mouth—so delicious! The owner stir-fried it beautifully for us too, which was so convenient and nice! My mouth is watering again!

Oh, and yaki mandu (fried dumplings) are tasty tossed in too. They soak up all that sauce and become soft and chewy—just delicious.

Final thoughts on Cheonho Jjukkumi Alley

If you are wondering where to go in Cheonho Jjukkumi Alley, I really recommend Jjuksami! They even give you free glass noodles and spaghetti noodles, so you can leave happily and completely full! I really recommend visiting in autumn weather when you are craving jjukkumi! A Cheonho favorite approved by a Gangdong native, after all! Ahh~ the drinks go down so easily!! 🍺