Seohak-dong gukbap spot in Jeonju: the owner's half squid, Ogeorijip

Why I picked Ogeorijip among Jeonju's bean sprout gukbap restaurants

I chose Ogeorijip (오거리집) in Seohak-dong, Jeonju, while looking for a bean sprout gukbap (rice soup) place that felt like home cooking but was cheap. On our Jeonju trip I thought a hearty bowl of bean sprout gukbap would hit the spot, and searching for it turned up plenty of restaurants. Picking for homestyle food at a low price, Ogeorijip was just right. I heard it has even been on TV, so I went with high hopes.

Where is Ogeorijip, and what about parking?

Ogeorijip sits in a quiet alley neighborhood in Seohak-dong, Jeonju, and it seems you can just park flexibly in the surrounding alleys. If there's no space, I'd recommend a public parking lot! We were staying nearby, so it wasn't far from the tourist spots and the location suited us. Luckily we came around 10am on a weekend morning and it was relaxed.

How much is the bean sprout gukbap at Ogeorijip?

Bean sprout gukbap at Ogeorijip starts at ₩6,000 when you pay in cash, and makgeolli (rice wine), soju and beer are all ₩3,000 in cash too. The price caught my eye from far away, and up close it was even more shocking! You can eat without worrying about restaurant prices these days. Do the math: with a single ₩10,000 bill you can have a hearty bowl of bean sprout gukbap and a little soju on the side! Ogeorijip is a Jeonju gukbap spot with seriously great value.

Ogeorijip opening hours: from 6:30am

Ogeorijip is open from 6:30am to 2pm, except on Tuesdays when it's closed. The owner greeted us so kindly when we walked in, and there was already a customer eating ahead of us! Before weekend lunchtime already? I wondered for a second, then remembered it opens at 6:30am! If you want an early-morning meal, Ogeorijip is an easy place to visit.

Our hangover order: 2 Emperor Bean Sprout Gukbap and half a squid

We'd drunk quite a lot the night before and badly needed a hangover cure, so we ordered 2 bowls of Emperor Bean Sprout Haejang-guk (hangover soup) and half a squid at Ogeorijip! The bean sprout gukbap made with a nourishing broth is famous here, but the Hanwoo ox trotter soup (한우우족탕) also seems to be a popular menu item. In the reviews, people praised how the meat comes off the trotter so tenderly! Today we needed a gukbap to slurp down, so we both went with bean sprout gukbap, but next time I'll have to try the ox trotter soup!

Ogeorijip's self-serve bar: seaweed included, unlimited rice

Extra side dishes at Ogeorijip are self-serve from the side-dish bar, and I loved that even the seaweed (gim) is self-serve! Seaweed is honestly hard to find as a side dish in restaurants, and here you can add more yourself! On top of that, the rice is unlimited too! It's so generous I wondered whether the owner could afford it.

What is the Emperor Bean Sprout Gukbap?

Ogeorijip's Emperor Bean Sprout Gukbap is the basic bean sprout gukbap topped with extra squid, and it comes with a poached egg. As soon as both bowls arrived, we dropped in the poached egg and mixed. The bean sprout gukbap contains dried pollack and bean sprouts, and you can also order it with only pollack or only bean sprouts, so eat it however you like.

As I stirred, such a nutty aroma rose up😃 The rice is toryeom-style (rinsed with hot broth), so it's easy to scoop up with big spoonfuls. And what surprised me: the price is so low that I assumed it'd be a normal portion, but it's big enough to fill even a man! Cheap does not mean the food is skimpy at all. Also, since it's bean sprout gukbap with squid, we could enjoy more variety in every bite.

The shrimp-salted side dish is dangerously good

The saeujeot-muchim (seasoned salted shrimp), a basic side dish at Ogeorijip, is totally addictive too! My boyfriend fell for the kkakdugi (radish kimchi) and kimchi, while I fell for this salted shrimp and kept piling it on top. It's salty, and I was amazed at how you can really taste the savory depth of the salted shrimp.

Is half a squid enough for two people?

Half a squid at Ogeorijip was plenty for two people. I love squid so much that I was going to order a whole one, but the owner said half is right for two, so we got half, okay?! But the squid was so big that for a moment I thought it was a whole one, and I'm so glad I listened to the owner! It is NOT a half-sized portion. The squid was cooked just right too, with a tender texture, and it was delicious. Adding squid is a must!!

And that's how the two of us cleaned out everything at Ogeorijip, a Jeonju bean sprout gukbap restaurant! If you're looking for a Jeonju meal spot with great value and a homestyle feel, it's Ogeorijip in Jeonju.