Gangseo Korean restaurant for spicy octopus dinner: Songjjujip Magok

Spicy jjukumi on the way home from Magoknaru Station

Whenever I crave something spicy around Magoknaru, Songjjujip Magok is one of the jjukumi (webfoot octopus) places that often comes to mind. The other day, after work, I arranged to meet up with a friend to shake off the work stress that had built up through the day. His office happened to be near Magoknaru Station, so it was perfectly on the way after work, and we happily headed over for a proper Korean dinner.

Songjjujip Magok is near Magoknaru Station, so it was very easy to get to after work. It was right in front of my friend's office, too, making it an effortless meeting spot. It is also fairly close to Magok COEX, the convention center, so it is in just the right location for lunch after an event or exhibition nearby, or dinner for local office workers on their way home.

A spacious, clean dining room

As soon as I stepped inside, the clean, modern interior stood out. When you think of a jjukumi restaurant, it is easy to picture somewhere a little noisy with the feel of an old pojangmacha (street-food tent), but this place was pleasant inside and the tables were nicely spaced apart. The relaxed atmosphere made it great for chatting over dinner with a friend, and it looked equally suitable for couples or lunch and dinner gatherings with coworkers. The overall hygiene was well managed, too, so I felt good from the moment I walked in.

Songjjujip's signature dish is, without question, jjukumi cheolpan bokkeum, webfoot octopus stir-fry on a hot plate. Along with the basic jjukumi stir-fry, the menu has well-composed options with Korean beef brisket, pork belly, and various add-ins, so it is fun to choose according to your taste.

Jjukumi Sarimongttang and all the sides

After some deliberation, my friend and I ordered two portions of Jjukumi Sarimongttang, generously packed with jjukumi, pork belly, assorted vegetables, and rice-cake add-ins. We also sensibly added steamed egg and soybean paste stew on the side.

Not long after ordering, the banchan (small side dishes) arrived in a neat spread: perilla leaves, pickled radish sheets for wraps, roasted seaweed, bean sprouts, garlic chives, refreshing chilled cucumber soup to soothe the heat, and their special mayo sauce.

The main dish followed soon after. Plump jjukumi, pork belly, and all sorts of add-ins were piled high on the hot plate, and just looking at it made my mouth water. Following the staff member's instructions, we turned on the heat and stirred it until it simmered down; the sweet-spicy aroma of the sauce had me salivating all on its own.

Springy jjukumi with deep, spicy flavor

Once the jjukumi was cooked just right, I picked up a piece on its own first to taste its natural flavor. It was not tough at all, with a wonderfully springy bite, and each chew released a nutty flavor along with a gentle smoky note. The sauce was deliciously spicy without tasting artificially hot, and its deep savoriness made it feel as if the work stress from the day had completely melted away.

The perilla-leaf wrap and special mayo sauce combination

The real appeal of Songjjujip comes out when you make wraps in different ways. Put a pickled radish sheet on a fragrant perilla leaf, then add plump jjukumi, pork belly, bean sprouts, and garlic chives, and lightly dip it in the special mayo sauce—the nuttiness, spice, and crunch come together in perfect balance. Wrapped in roasted seaweed, it also fills your mouth with savory flavor. My friend had only come because it was near his office, but kept saying it was better than expected and that he would have to come often after work.

Having the steamed egg and soybean paste stew alongside it throughout the meal tempered the heat beautifully, and the combination was so good. A spoonful of fluffy, soft steamed egg soothed my mouth, while a sip of the hearty soybean paste stew warmed me through and kept the jjukumi going down easily.

Fish roe fried rice without cheese

You simply cannot have a hot-plate dish without fried rice afterward. We were both getting fairly full, but wanted to enjoy it simply without cheese, so we added fish roe fried rice.

They added plenty of rice, seaweed flakes, and fish roe to the remaining sauce and quickly stir-fried it on the hot plate. It was fun scraping up the lightly crisped rice from the bottom, and without cheese, the sauce's distinctive spice and the popping texture of the fish roe came through much more clearly. It stayed delicious without becoming tiring right to the end. In the end, we cleared the hot plate completely.

When you crave spicy Korean food in Magoknaru

When you want proper spicy Korean food near Magoknaru, Songjjujip Magok is the kind of place that will be one of the first to come to mind. The food was tasty, the ingredients were fresh, and the restaurant was clean, so I was thoroughly satisfied.

They also run lunch specials with a generous selection, so it would be a good stop when you need lunch nearby. For office workers near Magoknaru Station, it is also a top spot for a cool drink after work with spicy jjukumi. If you like jjukumi, I definitely recommend giving it a try.