Fire noodle-level spicy octopus set, 34,000 won, in Magok: Jju Baksa

When it's hot out I lose my appetite and only crave either something cooling or something spicy haha. Today: a visit to Jju Baksa Magok Branch, an octopus restaurant near Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station!

Where is Jju Baksa Magok Branch, and where do you park?

Jju Baksa Magok Branch is at 23 Magokdong-ro 10-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, Daebang DMC Tower 2 Officetel 1F Unit 130, open 11:00 to 1:00 the next day. It offers group seating, takeout, delivery, reservations, wifi, separate men's/women's restrooms, a baby chair, wheelchair-accessible entrance and seating, and a disabled parking space.

Jju Baksa Magok Branch exterior

Just a 3-minute walk from Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station Exit 8! On hot days like this, being close to the station is the best.

Finding parking is always a chore wherever you go in Seoul, so 2.5 hours of free parking was super convenient. Just park at the Daebang DMC Tower 2 underground lot — parking isn't supported if you park at Tower 1, so make sure it says 'Tower 2'!

Inside Jju Baksa Magok Branch: tables and seating

The inside of Jju Baksa Magok Branch was clean, with about 6-7 tables, mostly 4-person seats.

It's dark now so you can't see it, but during the day you can enjoy this octopus spot near Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station while looking out at a green view through the floor-to-ceiling windows. On a cooler day, sitting at the outdoor tables with a shot of soju in that outdoor drinking spot vibe — ah, just thinking about it is romantic.

Jju Baksa menu and the 10,000 won lunch special

Jju Baksa Magok Branch has plenty of à la carte items, but the set menus are really packed with value. Each set comes with a free side dish (choice of 1), flying fish roe, and corn butter, making it much better value than ordering à la carte, plus you can choose your own alcohol, fried rice, and beverage options!

The lunch special, only available 11:00–15:00, lets you enjoy octopus + egg custard + fried rice all for just 10,000 won — a total steal for lunch in Magok. Boss, could you please open a branch near my office...?

Side dishes and the free corn cheese

Bean sprouts, perilla leaves, pickled radish, angel hair jelly noodles, and peanut sauce. These side dishes, great to pair with Jju Baksa Magok Branch's octopus, were set out first.

When you order a set, corn cheese comes free too! I didn't know it came as a default at first and was about to order extra — huge win haha.

Popping texture, sweet corn cheese — a real lifesaver when the octopus got spicy. Corn cheese really is LOVE.

The 34,000 won fried rice set and complimentary cheese egg custard

Fried rice set (34,000 won)

For the free side dish, I picked cheese egg custard! A bomb of egg custard rising above the rim of the earthenware pot — the visuals are almost violent.

Fluffy, soft texture packed with cheese — salty, savory, and a perfect match with the spicy octopus.

Staff grill the octopus and pork belly at your table

The jjusamgyeop (octopus wrapped in pork belly) has octopus surrounded by pork belly, plus rice cake pieces mixed in.

Staff keep coming by to watch over the octopus until it's fully cooked, so all we have to do is eat happily~! Hahaha

No need to worry about whether it's cooked or not — great for sipping cold makgeolli and chatting away, haha.

Threw in bean sprouts for spice-wimp me. Start with the rice cake pieces and the smaller octopus bits.

How spicy is the spicy level at Jju Baksa?

You can adjust the spice level for the octopus at Jju Baksa Magok Branch, and that day I really wanted something intense enough to sting my lips. Talked my boyfriend into it and successfully ordered the spicy version!

It said the spice level was around fire noodle level, and yeah, it's definitely spicy. At first I thought, this is fine? — but then a strong wave of spice hit at the end and my mouth went numb.

But it really did relieve stress, hahaha. The plump octopus wasn't tough at all, just chewy and delicious. I'm crying it's so good — totally addictive.

The pork belly soaked up the spicy sauce and came out tender. Whoever first thought of eating octopus and pork belly together is honestly a genius.

I thought it was mayonnaise at first, but it turned out to be a nutty peanut sauce? Dipping generously in it neutralized the spice and tasted great. My boyfriend refilled it three times, hahaha.

With the refreshing pickled radish and crunchy bean sprouts, no spice level felt scary anymore..! Haha, and the chewy, crunchy angel hair jelly noodles are a genius pairing you can't skip.

Finishing with flying fish roe cheese fried rice

The finale of the meal at Jju Baksa Magok Branch was the roe cheese fried rice. The leftover flying fish roe was added straight into the fried rice.

Cover it and wait a bit while the cheese melts

I held back on making rice balls just for this. Soft melted cheese and loads of flying fish roe made for an explosion of umami!

Would I go back to Jju Baksa Magok Branch?

The octopus was so chewy, the spice level was adjustable, and the set was such great value for the price. It's also close to Seoul Botanic Park, and the area around it has nicely landscaped parks, so I'm planning to come back soon as a weekend date spot!