# Busan hagfish grill, second try with Korean mint: Gyeongbuksan

- By Third Barstool (https://superchart.com/en/@seongnam-third-stool/)
- Written Oct 20, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Dong-gu, Busan
- Sponsored: This post is a review of a meal provided by the restaurant.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seongnam-third-stool/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seongnam-third-stool/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/index.md)

## In short

Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo (경북산꼼장어) is a Blue Ribbon hagfish (kkomjangeo) restaurant on Choryang-ro in Dong-gu, Busan, run by the same family for three generations since 1963. Put off hagfish by its crunchy, chewy texture five years earlier, the writer tried again on a Busan trip with a medium half salt-grilled, half sauce-grilled plate, fried rice and Busan Galmaegi soju. The generous portions and the clean taste with bangaip (Korean mint) at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo completely cured the writer's aversion to hagfish.

## Good to know

- **Address**: 25 Choryang-ro, Dong-gu, Busan
- **Hours**: Mon–Thu 13:00–24:00, Fri–Sun 11:00–24:00
- **Menu**: Salt-grilled or sauce-grilled hagfish, half-and-half (medium size and up), fried rice
- **What we ordered**: Half salt, half sauce (medium), fried rice, Busan Galmaegi soju
- **Waiting**: Expect a wait at dinner time and on weekends
- **Complimentary sides**: Silkworm pupae, quail eggs and sea snails; pickles and vegetables; bean sprout soup and dipping sauce per person; self-serve vegetable corner (Korean mint)
- **Event**: Write a Naver receipt review and get a lottery ticket that always wins

*as written by the visitor on Oct 20, 2026*

## What is Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo like?

Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo (경북산꼼장어) is a Blue Ribbon hagfish restaurant at 25 Choryang-ro, on Choryang's food street in Busan. It is a long-standing Busan hagfish (kkomjangeo) spot, run by three generations since 1963. Hours are 13:00–24:00 Monday to Thursday and 11:00–24:00 Friday to Sunday.

![Exterior of Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo in Choryang, Busan](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-01-vam1q-870.webp)

I first tried hagfish in Busan too, about five years ago... I'd eaten plenty of regular eel, but I barely knew what hagfish was, and the chewy, crunchy texture felt a little strange to me. I came away slightly put off, and I hadn't eaten hagfish since...

On this Busan trip I thought, "Maybe I should give hagfish one more shot?" and searched for well-reviewed places. I heard about one that's popular with celebrities and has a Blue Ribbon, so I gathered my courage and went to Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo. The result: so delicious! It was only my second hagfish ever, and it completely blew away my aversion.

![Full view of the Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo storefront](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-02-4iw55-841.webp)

## What are the atmosphere and the wait like at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo?

The restaurant is two shops merged into one, with similar-looking storefronts on either side. I guess they expanded over the three generations! It feels like they were separate shops originally and got combined. At the entrance, the second-generation owner is grilling hagfish, and there's no way you can just walk past.

![Hagfish being grilled at the entrance of Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-03-193zq-900.webp)

The entrance is packed with fresh-looking hagfish. They prep it as soon as an order comes in. If you ask when you order, you can see live hagfish!

![Hagfish prepared at the entrance of Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-04-ues5v-869.webp)

As I said, it's two shops combined, so the dining areas are slightly separated. Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo is famous among locals, so there's a wait at dinner time and on weekends. I went a little early and could eat at a relaxed pace. Hagfish is great drinking food, so quite a few people were having a drink. Me included, of course haha

![Interior of Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo, two shops merged into one](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-05-1jdlv-m-830.webp)

![Celebrity signatures on the wall of Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-06-17buk-m-874.webp)

The walls are covered in signatures from all kinds of celebrities: entertainers, athletes, even politicians. The YouTuber Hiban visited too, and isn't that proof of a real good restaurant? They've also been on TV a number of times, so it was more famous than I expected...!

![Salt-grilled and sauce-grilled menu at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-07-b3piv-m-754.webp)

## Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo menu and ordering tips

As a proper hagfish place, Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo sells only hagfish! You can order it salt-grilled or sauce-grilled, and half-and-half is possible too, starting from the medium size. With the sauce-grilled one, fried rice is a must. The fried rice here is so good TT

- If you plan to order fried rice, focus on the meat and leave a little of the onion, and it tastes even better
- If you want it spicy, say so when ordering (you can choose when ordering on the table-order screen!)
- It's prepped the moment you order, so it may take a while
- It arrives pre-grilled, so you can eat right away

What we ordered: half salt and half sauce (medium), fried rice, and Busan Galmaegi soju.

### Receipt review lottery event

Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo runs a receipt review event. If you write a Naver My Place receipt review, you get a lottery ticket with no blanks. You get at least one drink, so be sure to join in~!

- 1st prize: hagfish size upgrade
- 2nd prize: 1 bottle of soju or beer
- 3rd prize: 1 serving of fried rice
- 4th prize: 1 drink

![Basic side dishes of silkworm pupae, quail eggs and sea snail](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-08-1wyk8-966.webp)

## Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo side dishes and self-serve corner

The basic side dishes are silkworm pupae, quail eggs and sea snail! Pickles and vegetables that go well with hagfish come too. The pickles weren't salty at all and I loved them.

![Pickles and vegetables served with the hagfish](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-09-1n6px-791.webp)

![Basic table setting at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-10-3mxwc-863.webp)

On one side there's a self-serve vegetable corner. You can grab perilla leaf (bangaip) there, and I'd heard that adding it makes the taste cleaner, so we put in plenty. Tastes differ, of course, so try a little first and add more as you go~!

![Self-serve vegetable corner where you can take perilla leaf](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-11-1v59i-966.webp)

Bean sprout soup and sauce are also provided per person.

![Bean sprout soup and sauce served per person](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-12-1l52x-894.webp)

Oh, and the vegetables at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo were really fresh. You can tell they use only good ingredients, so I could eat with confidence.

I asked the owner when ordering and got to see live hagfish. It keeps moving even after being cut, which means it's truly freshly caught...

## How were the taste and portion of the half salt, half sauce medium plate?

The half salt, half sauce medium plate at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo is really generous. I'd heard hagfish is expensive so portions are usually small, but here it came out plentiful.

![Generous medium plate of half salt, half sauce hagfish](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-13-11hww-900.webp)

![Half-and-half hagfish stir-fried with vegetables, medium size](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-14-1914k-1200.webp)

Half salt, half sauce (medium), ta-da! It comes stir-fried together with vegetables, which makes it look even tastier, right!! The look is amazing...

![Salt-grilled and sauce-grilled hagfish on the grill pan](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-15-kx05h-854.webp)

The salt-grilled one lets you taste the hagfish's crunch and nuttiness better, and I ordered the sauce version spicier, so it was just right: nicely spicy with great savory depth.

![Spicy sauce-grilled hagfish](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-16-1a1gl-809.webp)

### Busan Galmaegi soju and a surprise hangover remedy

There was a soju called Busan Galmaegi (Busan seagull), so I ordered it right away. Honestly, it tastes just like regular soju... haha

![Busan Galmaegi soju ordered with the hagfish](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-17-1pw05-900.webp)

While I was drinking Busan Galmaegi, staff from the soju's maker (Muhak) came in and handed out hangover remedy drinks. It seems they give them to people drinking their products. Lucky..?

![Hangover remedy drink received from Muhak staff](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-18-qtyk9-966.webp)

Hagfish really was great drinking food! The soju just slides down.

![A piece of hagfish enjoyed as drinking food](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-19-iv7md-900.webp)

It's tasty on its own, but wrapped in a ssam (leaf wrap) it's even better.

![Hagfish wrapped in a leaf ssam](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-20-6l21t-900.webp)

The longer the sauce version stays on the heat, the more water comes out of the vegetables. If you save that, the fried rice turns out even tastier haha

![Sauce hagfish pan with water released from the vegetables](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-21-rk3e7-885.webp)

![Fried rice being cooked in the hagfish sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-22-kt0ox-900.webp)

## Is the fried rice at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo a must-order?

The fried rice at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo is a must-order! If you're Korean, you have to finish with carbs.

![Finishing fried rice at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-23-14xbj-900.webp)

When you order the fried rice, roasted seaweed (gim) comes with it.

![Roasted seaweed served with the fried rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try/chorang-busan-hagfish-second-try-24-wxffb-825.webp)

Put rice on the seaweed and eat it with hagfish plus pickles and it's honestly... so good TT If you want generous, delicious, true Busan hagfish, I recommend Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo in Choryang, Busan~

## Where it is

- Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo (경북산꼼장어)
- 25 Choryang-ro, Dong-gu, Busan, South Korea
- 부산광역시 동구 초량로 25 경북산꼼장어
- 35.1198626, 129.0394145
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EA%B2%BD%EB%B6%81%EC%82%B0%EA%BC%BC%EC%9E%A5%EC%96%B4/@35.1198626,129.0394145,17z

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