Gijang Korean restaurant on a weekend drive: fried eggplant, Kkomak

I was feeling a bit stir-crazy this weekend, so I drove out toward Gijang to get some sea breeze. While figuring out where to eat lunch, I stopped by Kkomak Hansang, a Korean restaurant near Oshiria known for its cockle dishes. I'd only ever thought of it as a cockle place, but looking at the menu I noticed they also had bori gulbi (dried yellow corvina). Since I happened to be craving something salty and savory, I ordered the dried corvina set this time. The table filled up with side dishes and mains alike, so let me share how this satisfying Gijang meal went.

Where is Kkomak Hansang Gijang Main Branch, and what are its hours and parking?

Kkomak Hansang Gijang Main Branch is located on the 1st floor of Morning City, 136 Gijanghaean-ro, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan. It's open from 10:30 to 21:00, with a break time from 15:30 to 17:00, and free parking is available in the building's lot.

• 📍Location: 1F, Morning City, 136 Gijanghaean-ro, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan
• ⏰Hours: 10:30 - 21:00
• Break time 15:30 - 17:00
• 🅿️Parking: Free parking available in the building lot

It's in the Oshiria tourist complex, so it's a convenient spot to grab a meal after shopping at Lotte Outlet or IKEA, or after visiting nearby attractions like Yonggungsa Temple or Songjeong Beach.

It's an easy find for anyone looking for a good restaurant near Oshiria, and the building's parking lot made parking convenient too.

Inside Kkomak Hansang: table spacing and high chairs for kids

Walking into Kkomak Hansang Gijang Main Branch, the space was spacious and clean. They had baby chairs on hand, and the tables were spaced generously enough that the neighboring table wasn't much of a bother.

It felt like a comfortable place to eat with family, and the overall clean, calm vibe made me think it'd be a nice spot to bring my parents along.

Kkomak Hansang menu prices, from 15,000 won to the 27,000 won dried corvina set

Kkomak Hansang offers a variety of set meals built around cockle dishes. The dried corvina set was ₩27,000, and the weekday special cockle bibimbap set was ₩15,000.

• Weekday special cockle bibimbap set ₩15,000
• Seasoned cockle set ₩17,000
• Cockle bibimbap and seasoned cockle set ₩21,000
• Cockle bibimbap and beef jeon set ₩24,000
• Dried corvina set ₩27,000

I went with the dried corvina set that day.

What comes with the dried corvina set at Kkomak Hansang?

After I ordered the dried corvina set, the dishes started coming out one by one, and the table filled up fast.

Along with various side dishes came pollock pancake and fried eggplant, plus vinegared cockles, soy-seasoned cockles, seaweed soup and rice.

With the dried corvina added on top of that, the whole table was so packed that I felt like I'd found the right Korean restaurant in Gijang.

The vinegared cockles were tangy and a little spicy, which was great for whetting the appetite before the meal, and the soy-seasoned cockles were just salty enough to work perfectly draped over rice.

The pollock pancake came out freshly fried and warm, with a clean, mild flavor, and the fried eggplant was crispy outside and soft inside — with both dishes served in between, the table felt varied and lively.

Was the dried corvina (bori gulbi) fishy at all?

The dried corvina at Kkomak Hansang Gijang Main Branch barely had any fishy taste at all. Honestly, dried corvina quality varies a lot from restaurant to restaurant, so I was a little worried it might be fishy.

But after one bite, I realized my worry had been unnecessary. There was almost no fishy taste — instead, that rich, savory oiliness spread through my mouth first.

The flesh wasn't dry at all — it was chewy, and the savory flavor got stronger the more I chewed. And of course, when you're eating dried corvina, you can't skip rice soaked in cold green tea water.

Soaking rice lightly in cold green tea water and topping it with dried corvina flesh made for a clean, refreshing bite. The green tea water softened the salty, oily flavor of the dried corvina beautifully, so this combination worked especially well together. Mixing in some tangy vinegared cockles or soy-seasoned cockles along the way added extra fun, and my spoon barely stopped moving.

Is Kkomak Hansang a good meal after a day out in Oshiria?

I loved the chewy, savory texture of the dried corvina, but what made the meal satisfying was the whole spread — the cockle side dishes, seaweed soup, pollock pancake, fried eggplant and all the other sides packed onto one table. The restaurant was clean and the food was neat and well put together, which made me think it'd be nice to bring my parents next time.

If you're looking for a good Korean restaurant in Gijang, Busan, or a place to eat near Oshiria, this could be worth checking out. Since I tried the dried corvina set this time, next visit I'm planning to order the cockle bibimbap and beef jeon set I haven't tried yet. If you're shopping or sightseeing around Gijang's Oshiria area and need a hearty Korean meal afterward, it's worth stopping by.