Gangseo Seoul bar with Street Woman Fighter photos: Gungmin Nakgopsae

Gungmin Nakgopsae near Balsan Station: whole octopus, intestine and shrimp in one pot

I've been strangely craving nakgopsae lately and went searching everywhere until I found Gungmin Nakgopsae. The moment I saw a photo of their nakgopsae stuffed with big chunks of octopus, shrimp 🦐 and intestine, I thought — okay, I have to go here — and immediately started searching, dadadada. What got me most was how plump and hearty every ingredient looked, totally my style visually. Eating it in person, I could really taste the distinct texture and flavor of the octopus, intestine and shrimp separately, and the spicy sauce matched perfectly with all of it.

Ojoogaeng of Street Woman Fighter ate here — how spicy is the nakgopsae?

Walking into Gungmin Nakgopsae Gangseo Branch, the most surprising thing was a visit photo of Ojoogaeng, who appeared on Street Woman Fighter, hanging on the wall. I stared at it for a while, amazed, and one thought immediately followed: I heard Japanese people really can't handle spicy food... how did she manage this? Haha. Because the nakgopsae here is actually quite spicy. By my own taste, it felt a bit spicier than Shin Ramyun — not so spicy you couldn't eat it, but a spiciness that kept pulling you back for more.

Seating and atmosphere: does Gungmin Nakgopsae work for drinks or a team dinner?

Inside, there were several wood-toned four-person tables spaced comfortably apart, which seemed good for a family dinner or a bigger group. On one side there was a large screen playing music or videos, giving it a more relaxed and casual atmosphere than a typical nakgopsae place. So beyond just a meal, it seemed like a spot to remember for a Balsan Station work dinner or as a Balsan Station bar for a casual drink in the evening.

I also personally liked that the water came in a clean bottle instead of the usual water cooler jug feel.

The free side dishes and seaweed soup

The basic side dishes were already a good match for nakgopsae. Perilla leaves, pickled radish, kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi) and more came out, good for cutting through the spicy nakgopsae between bites. What stuck with me most was the seaweed soup — one spoonful in, and I thought I could just eat rice soaked in this broth alone, it was that clean and delicious.

Near the entrance, delivery drivers kept coming and going, and each time there were two or three orders waiting — clearly plenty of people order delivery here too, not just dine-in. If I lived nearby, I'd probably eat here once a week.

How long the nakgopsae simmers, and the first bite

The nakgopsae finally arrived ෆෆ — served uncooked, and the moment I saw it I couldn't not take a photo. The pot was packed with big chunks of octopus, shrimp and intestine, along with a generous amount of rice cake and glass noodles.

As the photos show, none of the ingredients were small — each piece was big, so my expectations were already sky-high before it even started boiling. Once it started bubbling, waiting for it to cook was honestly the hardest part, ugh.

After about 5–10 minutes of simmering, I tried the glass noodles first since the sauce soaks in fastest — the spicy sauce had seeped into the chewy noodles perfectly, so good from the very first bite.

Because the ingredients were all so big, each bite had its own distinct texture — the octopus was springy, the shrimp was plump, and the intestine had that nutty, savory taste come through clearly.

It wasn't just one blended flavor — I liked that the texture and taste of each ingredient came through separately.

Building a wrap: perilla leaf, pickled radish and mayonnaise

After trying the octopus, shrimp and intestine separately, I wrapped a perilla leaf with pickled radish on top, added nakgopsae and a touch of mayonnaise — the tanginess of the radish and the perilla aroma balanced out the spicy sauce nicely, kept me eating nonstop. Best combo.

Why the gut-packed beef intestine was the best part of the pot

Personally, the intestine was what I enjoyed most that day. It was heartier than I expected. One bite in, the inside was packed full of gut, bringing out a strong nutty flavor, with barely any gamey or fishy taste — I ate it happily. It even made me think I could just come here whenever I'm craving intestine.

The last course: flying fish roe fried rice fried with intestine

After the nakgopsae, there's a final course you absolutely cannot skip — flying fish roe fried rice. A staff member added rice to the leftover sauce and cooked the fried rice right there, and what made it even better was that they cut up the remaining intestine into small pieces and mixed it in.

So each bite of the nutty, spicy nakgopsae fried rice came with a piece of intestine mixed in, making it even better. It was like that feeling of finishing an incredible shabu-shabu and then eating the porridge at the very end. The flying fish roe popped with each bite, and the sauce was soaked so thoroughly into the rice — nutty and spicy — that my spoon kept going even though I was already full.

I intentionally saved one big piece of intestine and placed it right on top of the fried rice to eat together — I can't forget how amazing that was. Seriously recommend eating it this way.

Final verdict on Gungmin Nakgopsae near Balsan Station

Sawi Sikdang used to be the first place that came to mind when I thought of nakgopsae restaurants, but now I'm adding Gungmin Nakgopsae to that list too. The octopus, intestine and shrimp were all so big that I could properly enjoy each of their textures, and the gut-packed intestine especially exceeded my expectations. It was spicy enough to feel like a stress-relieving dinner, and the final flying fish roe intestine fried rice — ugh, unforgettable.

Among Balsan Station restaurants, if it's not just an ordinary meat restaurant you want but a spicy, hearty menu, or a dish good for sharing with several people, Gungmin Nakgopsae will definitely come to mind. If you're a fan of nakgopsae, the plump octopus and shrimp are great, but personally I'd come back just for that gut-packed intestine — a Balsan Station restaurant I'd revisit for sure 🙌🏻

Claw machines and Newtama cream puffs around Balsan Station

There really are a lot of claw machine arcades near Balsan Station — I think there were four or five clustered together. I've been into Pokémon lately, so I went hunting for Pokémon plushies and scored a cute Pikachu and Psyduck ෆෆ yay.

On top of that, I quickly picked up the Newtama cream puff that's popular on social media right now before it sold out, and tried it.

As expected, nothing beats Japanese desserts. The cream inside the puff was rich, full of flavor, and so delicious. Definitely buying it again 🥟

Visit info for Gungmin Nakgopsae Gangseo Branch

• 🏡 Balsan Station restaurant, Gungmin Nakgopsae
• ⌚️ Mon–Sun | 11:00–23:00
• 🚈 351m from Balsan Station Exit 6
• 🔖 1F Units 5–6, Donga Building, 330 Gangseo-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea