Nambu Terminal chicken pub: Jongno-style whelk salad, curry, Kkanbu

Where is Kkanbu Chicken Nambu Terminal Branch, and where can you park?

Kkanbu Chicken Nambu Terminal Branch (깐부치킨 남부터미널점) is at 42 Seochojungang-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, a 1-minute walk from Exit 4 of Nambu Terminal Station. Parking is free in the ground-level lot on the 1st floor, while the building's underground lot is paid, so be sure to park above ground when you visit!

Weekend evenings on the terrace at Kkanbu Chicken Nambu Terminal

On a nice day like these, you can't help craving chicken and beer outdoors. Not long ago, on a weekend evening, I wanted to enjoy fried chicken and beer (chimaek) in the cool breeze, so I headed to Kkanbu Chicken, a well-known Nambu Terminal restaurant. The Nambu Terminal branch is already a hot spot for people looking for food near the Seoul Arts Center or Gyodae Station (교대역). Maybe because it was a weekend evening, there were already tons of people inside and out.

Everyone was sitting on the outdoor terrace, having a great time with chicken and a cold glass of beer. The bustling, lively atmosphere got me excited and in a good mood even before I'd eaten anything.

A wall of Chung Yong-jin autographs and seating for about 100

Kkanbu Chicken Nambu Terminal Branch is known as a real go-to spot that Shinsegae chairman Chung Yong-jin visits regularly. He must have come many times, because the wall is covered with his signatures. On top of that, Nvidia's Jensen Huang is also a fan of Kkanbu Chicken, so a place that Chairman Chung frequents too had me full of anticipation before I even ate.

Inside, the place was huge, big enough for a large crowd. There's wide seating for roughly 100 people, so I couldn't think of a better spot near Nambu Terminal for a company dinner or group gathering.

How spicy is Kkanbu's Ppasak Curry Chicken?

Ppasak Curry Chicken (빠삭커리네치킨) is crispy-outside, juicy-inside chicken coated in a sweet and spicy curry sauce, and the heat comes through stronger than you'd expect. We settled into an outdoor seat and ordered two of Kkanbu's popular dishes, the Ppasak Curry Chicken and the whelk salad. The chicken came out first, and its look alone caught my eye. True to its name, the sweet and spicy curry sauce was coated smoothly over the crispy-outside, juicy-inside chicken.

The moment I took a bite, the crunch filled my mouth, and the spiciness was stronger than I'd thought, yet it wasn't greasy at all and was seriously addictive. Eating chicken on an outdoor terrace seat with a breeze blowing was just too good to put into words. As I kept eating, the heat started to feel a bit strong, but dipping the chicken in the sauce added a sweet-salty note and tamed the spice.

What is Kkanbu Chicken's Jongno-style whelk salad like?

Kkanbu's whelk salad (golbaengi-muchim, spicy sea snail salad) is Jongno-style (종로) rather than the usual thin somyeon noodles: it's loaded with scallion strips and comes with chewy jjolmyeon noodles. A whelk salad, the perfect match for chicken, was a must.

Plastic gloves come separately, so you just rub everything together by hand. It mixes well and is easy and convenient. Instead of somyeon, it has jjolmyeon (chewy wheat noodles) with a wonderfully springy bite, and the texture was a work of art. Best of all, the whelks were huge and full of juice, so they were properly satisfying to chew.

The portion was also more generous than I expected. Piling a big whelk on the spicy jjolmyeon noodles, then wrapping it up with scallion strips and fresh cucumber, made my whole mouth happy. Take a bite of the spicy, crunchy Ppasak Curry Chicken, then cleanse your palate with the tangy-sweet, chewy whelk salad. It's an endless combo, the best.

Who should visit Kkanbu Chicken Nambu Terminal Branch?

If you're looking for a pub with a good open-air vibe near Nambu Terminal, or somewhere to have tasty chicken and a beer before or after a Seoul Arts Center show, definitely visit Kkanbu Chicken Nambu Terminal Branch. With its wide space, convenient above-ground parking and great flavor, it's a place I'm completely satisfied with every time I go.