# Cheongdam pufferfish restaurant, whole live octopus soup: Bogi-o Boguk - By Gaeul (https://superchart.com/en/@restaurant-detour/) - Written Sep 21, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Gangnam, Seoul - Sponsored: This review is based on a meal provided by the restaurant for the visit. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@restaurant-detour/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@restaurant-detour/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/index.md) ## In short Bogi-o Boguk is a pufferfish restaurant on the second floor of Deokyeong Building on Dosan-daero, by Cheongdam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. The meal was a milbok pufferfish soup holding one whole live octopus and a plate of four big pufferfish cutlets (bokkatsu): the broth tasted clear and deep, and the cutlets were crisp outside and springy inside. For a filling restorative meal that never feels heavy, the live octopus pufferfish soup at Bogi-o Boguk is the one to order. ## Good to know - **Location**: 2F, Cheongdam Deokyeong Building, 540 Dosan-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul - **Dishes tried**: Live octopus pufferfish soup, bokkatsu (pufferfish cutlet) - **Pufferfish used in the soup**: Milbok (smooth blowfish) - **What comes in the soup**: 1 whole live octopus, 3 pieces of pufferfish meat plus 1 head piece, bean sprouts, minari water dropwort, rice included - **What comes with the cutlet**: 4 pieces of bokkatsu, lettuce salad with balsamic, cutlet sauce, pickled green chili - **Side dishes**: Kkakdugi (radish kimchi), stir-fried fish cake, stir-fried anchovies, pickled perilla leaves - **Condiment**: Kelp vinegar served on the side - **Other menu items**: Pufferfish karaage, pufferfish sashimi, pufferfish bulgogi, seasoned pufferfish skin *as written by the visitor on Sep 21, 2026* I really, really love pufferfish dishes and eat pufferfish very often. Whenever I see a new menu item, I can't resist trying it — I want to eat pufferfish cooked every way possible. Today I found a place serving a creative and delicious pufferfish soup with whole live octopus and a bogkatsu (pufferfish cutlet), so I went to check it out. It's Bogi-o Boguk (복이오복국), located in Cheongdam-dong. Haha. ![Exterior of Bogi-o Boguk, a pufferfish specialty restaurant in Cheongdam-dong](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-01-9i5gu-900.webp) *Bogi-o Boguk* ![Entrance and interior atmosphere of Bogi-o Boguk](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-02-1y6m6-900.webp) *Bogi-o Boguk* ![Seating and pufferfish cushion at Bogi-o Boguk](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-03-1viza-900.webp) *Bogi-o Boguk* ## What kind of restaurant is Bogi-o Boguk near Cheongdam Station? Bogi-o Boguk is a pufferfish specialty restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Deokyoung building in Cheongdam. Besides pufferfish soup, they also serve bogkatsu, pufferfish karaage, pufferfish sashimi, pufferfish bulgogi, and pufferfish skin salad — a really diverse pufferfish menu. Such a cute pufferfish cushion. Haha. ![Pufferfish dish menu board at Bogi-o Boguk](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-04-1qcw3-1191.webp) *Today's menu* ![Menu board listing pufferfish soup and cutlet](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-05-anx59-1191.webp) *Today's menu* ### What we ordered at Bogi-o Boguk ![Today's ordered dishes set on the table at Bogi-o Boguk](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-06-jx8no-900.webp) *Today's menu* ![Pufferfish dishes set on the table at Bogi-o Boguk](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-07-199pf-900.webp) *Today's menu* ![Full table spread at Bogi-o Boguk](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-08-186ux-900.webp) *Today's menu* ### The side dishes at Bogi-o Boguk ![Four kinds of banchan at Bogi-o Boguk](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-09-k1r1s-900.webp) *Banchan* Every single one of the banchan was delicious! Kkakdugi (radish kimchi), stir-fried fish cake, stir-fried anchovies, and pickled perilla leaves came out. ![Kkakdugi banchan at Bogi-o Boguk](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-10-sl9vh-900.webp) *Kkakdugi* ![Stir-fried fish cake banchan at Bogi-o Boguk](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-11-1p1cz-900.webp) *Stir-fried fish cake* ![Stir-fried anchovies banchan at Bogi-o Boguk](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-12-13x5x-900.webp) *Stir-fried anchovies* ![Pickled perilla leaves banchan at Bogi-o Boguk](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-13-nf37p-900.webp) *Pickled perilla leaves* ## How does the pufferfish cutlet (bokkatsu) taste? Bogi-o Boguk's bogkatsu comes as four large fried pufferfish pieces, served with a balsamic lettuce salad, bogkatsu sauce, and pickled chili. It was freshly fried for us, so the outside was very crispy and the inside chewy and clean-tasting. Pufferfish, with its mild clean flavor, is actually a beautiful ingredient that suits any cooking method — except that not just anyone can prepare it because of its deadly toxin. Haha. I've had plenty of fried pufferfish, pufferfish donkatsu, and pufferfish karaage before, but 'bogkatsu' sounded different somehow, so I got excited and ordered it. Haha. Let's look closely at the generous plate of four big pieces. ![Balsamic lettuce salad served with bogkatsu](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-14-4hek8-900.webp) *Balsamic lettuce salad* ![Mild sauce served with bogkatsu](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-15-qbbbc-900.webp) *Bogkatsu sauce* ![Pickled chili served with bogkatsu](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-16-1kde2-900.webp) *Pickled chili* ![Four large pieces of bogkatsu at Bogi-o Boguk](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-17-1sik2-900.webp) *Bogkatsu* Freshly fried for us, so the batter is super crunchy... >.< Dipped in the mild sauce... the outside is very, very crispy and firm, while the inside is chewy and clean-tasting. It's that combination I love, haha. Pufferfish really works well as a cutlet too. That bogkatsu sauce isn't salty at all, so you can dip generously without any guilt — so good. And all the banchan were delicious too, especially the kkakdugi, which paired so well. You know how well kkakdugi goes with donkatsu, right? Haha. So imagine how well it goes with clean, mild bogkatsu. Haha. It was really delicious. T.T So satisfying. ## Milbok soup with a whole live octopus inside Bogi-o Boguk's live octopus pufferfish soup is a complete restorative meal with one whole live octopus in it. The pufferfish used is milbok, and the staff prep the live octopus into easy-to-eat pieces for you. So nice, right? Haha. ![Milbok pufferfish soup with a whole live octopus](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-18-1u8o2-1200.webp) First, I try the broth. Wow... it's clear and deep... this is why you eat pufferfish soup. T.T Somehow it feels healing, this pufferfish soup... my number-one healing food! It's ironic and kind of cool that something with such deadly poison becomes this clear, healing broth once the toxin is removed entirely. I love pufferfish soup. Haha. Even though octopus is in it, octopus isn't really a seafood with a strong flavor or personality. Haha. It adds a beautiful color and a nice texture! ![Pufferfish soup topped with prepared live octopus](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-19-pmxwj-900.webp) ![Close-up of the clear broth in the live octopus pufferfish soup](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-20-1mb15-900.webp) Moving some to my small plate to taste... ![Octopus and pufferfish flesh moved to a small plate](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-21-1t801-900.webp) ### Changing up the broth with kelp vinegar The vinegar on the far left is kelp vinegar. Adding a little gives you a different flavor — a nice treat. Haha. Honestly though, I still prefer the plain pufferfish soup more. Haha. I only use the vinegar for a little twist at the end. Haha. Still, it was impressive that they put thought into even the vinegar. ![A plump, chewy piece of live octopus](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-22-5zdkv-900.webp) Plump live octopus. Live octopus really is on another level, haha. I loved its clean taste and chewy, springy texture! It went really well with the milbok too. And I thought it was so unique and great that it's such a good-for-you restorative dish that's not heavy at all. ![Glossy sticky rice served with the pufferfish soup](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-23-1eyl5-900.webp) Rice comes with the pufferfish soup too. I'm usually not that particular about rice, but this was cooked so glossy and sticky... I even wrapped a bite in the tasty perilla leaf. >.< And then a sip of the pufferfish soup broth... ahh... ![Milbok pufferfish flesh with bean sprouts and minari](https://img.superchart.com/images/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu-24-p2wfz-900.webp) The chewy, clean-tasting, mild milbok flesh was delicious too... there were three pieces of pufferfish flesh plus one bony head piece, and plenty of bean sprouts and minari (water dropwort), so it was a satisfying bowl. ## Is Bogi-o Boguk worth a visit? Bogi-o Boguk is a great pufferfish restaurant that offers not just delicious pufferfish soup, but a diverse range of pufferfish dishes including karaage, bogkatsu, sashimi, bulgogi, and skin salad. It was lovely to eat clean, deep pufferfish soup and feel healed. ## Where it is - Bogi-o Boguk (복이오복국) - 2F, 540 Dosan-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 강남구 도산대로 540 청담 덕영빌딩 2층 - 37.524594, 127.0527876 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EB%B3%B5%EC%9D%B4%EC%98%A4%EB%B3%B5%EA%B5%AD/@37.524594,127.0527876,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@restaurant-detour/cheongdam-live-octopus-bokguk-katsu/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt