Sokcho market snack bar, two squid sundae textures: Hwangbuja Twigim

If you go to Sokcho, Jungang Market is a must-visit!! Not just because it's a famous tourist spot, but because it's overflowing with delicious food 🤤 Among all that, I went to a fried snack shop in Sokcho Jungang Market known for its squid sundae (stuffed squid sausage). 🦑 🦑 🦑 🦑

Sokcho Jungang Market favorite / nurungji squid sundae and tempura fried fresh on the spot

Hwangbuja Twigim location, hours and parking in Sokcho

Hwangbuja Twigim is located at 16 Jungang-ro 147beon-gil, Sokcho Tourist and Fisheries Market Unit 26-27, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do. Hours are Mon, Tue, Thu-Sun 08:00-20:30, and it's closed on Wednesdays.

• ⏰️ Hours: Mon-Tue/Thu-Sun 08:00-20:30, closed Wednesdays
• 🚗 Parking: use the public lot across from Jungang Market (₩900/hour, +₩500 per extra 30 min, max ₩6,000); 30-minute parking voucher with purchases over ₩15,000
• 🛍 Takeout available, 💳 local currency accepted, 📲 Zero Pay accepted

What the Hwangbuja Twigim storefront looks like

Hwangbuja Twigim stretches along the main street of Sokcho Jungang Market 🍤, run alongside Hwangbuja's traditional salted seafood shop right next door. Lured in by the savory smell of golden frying, you naturally end up stopping mid-stroll 👀

This hot spot in Sokcho Jungang Market even appeared on the TV show I Live Alone, and it's a must on any Sokcho trip itinerary — like a taste of mom's cooking. 🍤🦑 Simple and delicious, it's perfect as a snack while touring Sokcho.

Hwangbuja Twigim menu and set prices

At some point Sokcho's tourist market got so full of foreign staff you could almost forget you're in Korea 😂 But their Korean-language patch is maxed out!! From explaining the menu to describing the flavors, it's all on autoplay lol "So tasty~ crispy outside, chewy inside nurungji sundae~" 🤣

When you walk up to the stall, a foreign staff member immediately hands you the price list lol. They don't come out onto the street to hawk (no pushy sales ❌️), but if you're just checking out the tempura they'll hand it to you — and honestly this handheld menu card was easier to read than the long menu board above the sign lol.

🍤 Great-value combo sets 🍤

• 1. King prawn + red snow crab meat — ₩10,000
• 2. King prawn + nude shrimp — ₩10,000
• pick 3. Red snow crab meat + nude shrimp — ₩10,000
• 4. Fried squid + red snow crab meat — ₩10,000
• 5. King prawn + fried squid — ₩15,000
• 6. King prawn + squid + red snow crab meat — ₩20,000
• 7. Squid sundae + Abai sundae — ₩17,000
• 8. Squid sundae + king prawn tempura — ₩17,000
• 9. Squid sundae + red snow crab tempura — ₩17,000
• 10. Squid sundae + fried squid — ₩17,000
• pick 11. Squid sundae + nurungji squid sundae — ₩20,000
• 12. Nurungji squid sundae + Abai sundae — ₩20,000

The front of the shop is packed with golden-fried goods. From Sokcho's famous squid sundae to snow crab, shrimp, squid, and baby crab — all tasty on their own, but coat them in batter and it's impossible to resist!!

A top pick for Sokcho Jungang Market snacks, everything is cooked to order right on the spot on the griddle, so you get it piping hot. It's fun just to watch 👀 And it's just as delicious packed up and eaten back at the hotel 👍

If you're not eating right away, you can also get the tempura packed frozen like this. I went with takeout, but frying it again at home sounded like way too much hassle lol, so I went with the already-cooked squid sundae!!

Set No.11 squid sundae + nurungji squid sundae, 20,000 won, reheated in a frying pan

What I picked at Hwangbuja Twigim was pick order No.11 — squid sundae + nurungji squid sundae, priced at ₩20,000. Back home, I gave it a light warm-up in a frying pan.

Seeing the squid's "ears" (?) still attached, it looks like a whole squid body went into this. Eating it together with seafood makes for an even more delicious combo 🤎

Golden squid sundae 🦑 The plump squid is packed full inside. It's also generously coated in egg, so you get that distinct savory egg flavor on top, making it even tastier. >_<❤️ A few had split open at the seams lol.

The chewy squid and the mild filling come together nicely, and the squid's subtle umami is backed up by a savory undertone — less greasy than expected, and pretty light overall.

What does nurungji squid sundae taste like?

This is the nurungji squid sundae 🍘🦑 (nurungji = scorched rice crust). The outside of the squid sundae is lightly pressed to crisp up like scorched rice, giving it a nutty, golden-brown crust, while the inside keeps the same chewy squid sundae texture.

Crispy and chewy on the outside, with the moist texture of squid and filling on the inside. The grilling deepens the nutty flavor even more, making this one a real standout >_< Squid sundae and nurungji squid sundae are absolute musts on a Sokcho trip!!

Set No.3 red snow crab meat + nude shrimp, 10,000 won

It'd feel like a letdown to visit a fried snack shop and not get tempura haha, so I also picked order No.3 — red snow crab meat + nude shrimp for ₩10,000. The crab is boneless meat and the shrimp is peeled "nude shrimp," so both are already prepped and easy to eat lol. Perfect for grabbing a bag while wandering Sokcho Jungang Market and popping pieces one by one lol.

They also generously threw in three packets of seasoned soy sauce 👍

Crispy batter with springy shrimp and generous, meaty snow crab inside. Tempura really is unbeatable!!!! They say you could fry a shoe and it'd taste good lol — frying snow crab and shrimp is basically a guaranteed win!!!!💕

Is Hwangbuja Twigim worth it? Final verdict

✅️ A Sokcho Jungang Market favorite for squid sundae, nurungji squid sundae, and all kinds of tempura, cooked fresh to order on the griddle and in hot oil for extra crispy, piping-hot bites — 🦑Hwangbuja Twigim🦑 comes recommended as a must-try Sokcho Jungang Market food stop ✨️