Sokcho Korean restaurant for cold seed shrimp gangjeong: Hwangbuja Twigim

Hwangbuja Twigim

Sokcho Jungang Market on a Yangyang trip

I took a trip to Yangyang last weekend. And when you go to Gangwon, how can you not visit Sokcho Jungang Market? It is only 20–30 minutes from Yangyang, so it was an easy stop.

Did you know that inside the famously popular Sokcho Jungang Market, there is a truly line-up-worthy place? Today, I’m introducing a spot that sells so many fried treats, from nurungji squid sundae (stuffed squid with scorched rice) to fried shrimp, shrimp gangjeong, and fried chili peppers. If you are traveling to Sokcho, you absolutely have to stop by and try Hwangbuja Twigim, a Sokcho Jungang Market favorite!

Where is Hwangbuja Twigim?

Hwangbuja Twigim, a Sokcho Jungang Market favorite, is deeper inside the market. Walk around once and you will spot a place with a huge crowd. That is Hwangbuja! They sell not only fritters but also jeotgal (salted seafood). I have tried both the fritters and the jeotgal, and they were all so, so good. This trip, I packed up only the fritters, haha.

Nurungji squid sundae and fried seafood

When you stand in front of Hwangbuja Twigim, you can look over the full menu. Along with every kind of fried seafood—king prawn fritters, peeled shrimp fritters, red snow crab meat fritters, and squid fritters—they also sell shrimp gangjeong. But the most famous item of all is definitely the nurungji squid sundae. It is so popular that everyone waiting ahead of me was buying it.

They were selling fried baby crab, too! The texture is really good, haha. It would be perfect to eat like a snack, right? How could fried crab possibly not be delicious? Next time, I think it would be great to take some home as a snack or something to have with drinks.

Nurungji squid sundae made nonstop

Hwangbuja Twigim is especially famous for its nurungji squid sundae. The staff were making it continuously right out front. Doesn’t it look so good? It is famous even among places known for squid sundae, so I visit every time I come.

The nurungji squid sundae at Hwangbuja Twigim costs ₩15,000. The price is reasonable, and the portion feels right for the price, so it is great for four people to share along with other foods! We bought the nurungji squid sundae and seed shrimp gangjeong, then waited. I looked around in the meantime, and there were so many delicious things! Completely satisfied.

Everything was arranged well so you could see and choose from a range of items, including frozen squid, nurungji squid sundae, squid sundae, and Abai sundae!

There are so many delicious things, right? I really wanted to buy every single one, but I held myself back... I have to save some for every time I come to Sokcho, haha.

Fried squid with tteokbokki

I have also tried the fried squid at Hwangbuja Twigim. Need I even say it? It is so delicious. Buy some tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) from the shop next door and eat them together—it is absolutely perfect!

They have every kind of fritter, right? There were jeonbyeong, too. It is such a great place to pick up a little of this and that and have it for dinner at your accommodation.

As I looked around, the staff really were making nurungji squid sundae and squid sundae endlessly! That must mean they are that popular, right? I do not think there are many people who visit Sokcho Jungang Market without knowing Hwangbuja Twigim and its jeotgal.

Best of all, they make it right in front of you rather than simply handing over something already made, so it is great to buy and eat immediately on the seats inside the market, haha. That is the real charm of traveling, isn’t it?~

Seed shrimp gangjeong was delicious even cold

I bought seed shrimp gangjeong (crispy sweet-glazed shrimp with seeds) and nurungji fried squid at Hwangbuja Twigim and took them home to eat. They were so delicious even after some time had passed! They would surely be even better hot, but they were so good cold that I am craving them again, haha. Next time I go to Sokcho, I will visit again and happily devour other fritters too! If you go to Sokcho, be sure to visit Hwangbuja Twigim at Sokcho Jungang Market ♥