Sokcho mulhoe restaurant, takeout with a lighthouse view: Hwanggeum

Why get takeout mulhoe at Sokcho Hwanggeum Mulhoe Hoetjip?

Sokcho Hwanggeum Mulhoe Hoetjip (속초황금물회횟집) is close to Sokcho Jungang Market, so it's great for a meal after browsing the market, and you can also take your food to eat somewhere with a view. Mulhoe, a cold raw fish soup, is one of the things you must eat on a Sokcho trip, so we visited Hwanggeum this time, and I can see why so many people come.

If you come to Sokcho, fresh raw fish and cool mulhoe are things you have to try, so we arrived with high expectations.

There's a dining room like this, but we got our mulhoe to go.

How much fish and vegetables come in Hwanggeum mulhoe?

The mulhoe came loaded with bite-sized slices of raw fish, plus plenty of cucumber, pear and assorted vegetables. The biggest strength of this Jungang Market favorite is the fresh ingredients, and it made my mouth water just looking at it.

Where to park near Sokcho Hwanggeum Mulhoe Hoetjip

If you drive, search 'Sokcho Jungang Market Parking Lot' on Naver Map and park there; it's a short walk to the restaurant. It was the holiday season, so there were really a lot of people!

Eating takeout mulhoe at Sokcho Lighthouse Observatory parking lot

To eat our Hwanggeum mulhoe, we went hunting for a great view, gogo! We chose Sokcho Lighthouse Observatory parking lot T2.

The sea in front, Yeonggeumjeong (a seaside pavilion) on the right, and Sokcho Lighthouse behind us~~ the best view.

Cooler-bag takeout: is the broth still icy after the drive?

The restaurant packed the mulhoe in a cooler bag with ice packs, so it stayed cold the whole way and we got to eat mulhoe with ice crystals still floating in it.

The packing was neat, too.

How do the Hwanggeum mulhoe broth and raw fish taste?

The broth was sweet-tart with real depth, but not too strong, so I never got tired of it, and it let the freshness of the fish shine.

Every piece of fish had a chewy texture, and eating it with the vegetables made it even more refreshing.

Our car is electric, so we kept the air conditioning on and ate in the car... the sea view is great, but...

Mixing in noodles, with dakgangjeong on the side

We stirred noodles into the mulhoe, and they went so well with the sweet-tart seasoning that the bowl disappeared in no time.

Mulhoe and dakgangjeong (sweet crispy fried chicken)~~ a great match.

Why Sokcho Hwanggeum Mulhoe Hoetjip is worth a meal on a Sokcho trip

Sokcho is a seaside city with a lot of great seafood restaurants, and even so, Sokcho Hwanggeum Mulhoe Hoetjip satisfied me on every count: fresh fish, cold broth and a generous portion. If you're planning a Sokcho trip and looking for a good mulhoe restaurant, I can confidently recommend it.

If you want a tasty meal along with a visit to Sokcho Jungang Market, definitely stop by. It will make your trip even more fun.

Sokcho, Pohang and Jeju: how does mulhoe differ by region?

Sokcho (Gangwon) mulhoe

East coast mulhoe, including Sokcho's, is the most widely known style. It's topped with plenty of fresh raw fish such as flatfish, rockfish, squid and flounder, served cold with ice in a sweet-tart gochujang (red chili paste) broth. Cucumber, pear, lettuce and onion go in generously, and it's typically eaten with noodles or rice mixed in.

Pohang mulhoe

Pohang is counted among the birthplaces of mulhoe. The seasoning is a little milder than in Sokcho and brings out the natural flavor of the fish, often using East Sea catches such as right-eye flounder or squid. Some restaurants serve it mixed without broth, or let you pour on icy broth separately.

Jeju mulhoe

On Jeju, mulhoe made with local seafood such as jaridom (damselfish), hanchi (small squid) and abalone is famous. Jarimulhoe uses doenjang (fermented soybean paste) or gochujang, giving a nutty, deeply savory flavor that's different from the mainland style.