Eel rice bowl size and today's sushi set near Balsan Station: Ilpum

While looking for a good eel rice bowl spot in Magok, I ended up at Ilpum Magok. I was searching for somewhere to eat near Balsan Station and got curious when I heard I could get both eel rice bowl and sushi in one place. Once I saw the unagidong (eel rice bowl) on the menu, there wasn't much need to deliberate.

It wasn't just eel placed on top of rice — the size was enough to nearly fill the whole bowl. It looked pretty big in photos, but seeing it in person made me think, "Wait, the eel is really this big?" If you're looking for a proper full bowl of eel rice in Magok, this is a visual worth checking out.

That day I ordered this unagidong along with the today's sushi set, so I got to try both menus myself.

Easy to find from Balsan Station: Ilpum Magok

Ilpum Magok is located at 228 Gonghang-daero, Unit 112, 1F Leaders Tower Magok, Gangseo-gu, Seoul.

It's about 394m from Exit 8 of Balsan Station, so a comfortable walk from the station. It's also a decent spot to meet up and eat in Magok. Once inside, the space felt clean overall — not cluttered or overwhelming, making it comfortable for a meal.

It seemed fine for a simple solo meal, and just as comfortable for a relaxed meal with family or friends. Takeout, reservations, and delivery are all available, and it's wheelchair accessible too, so keep that in mind if you're planning a visit.

Hard to choose from the menu at Ilpum Magok

Once seated and looking through the menu, there were more dishes I wanted to try than I expected. Beyond the signature unagidong and today's sushi set, there was kaisendon, chicken karaage-don set, sashimi moriawase, futomaki, and more. I originally came in planning to just properly try the unagidong, but once I saw the menu, it was hard to pass on the sushi too. I thought this place would work well if someone craving eel rice bowl and someone craving sushi came together — each could order what they wanted.

After some deliberation, I ended up ordering one of the signature unagidong and one today's sushi set.

As the food started coming out, what caught my eye first was, of course, the unagidong.

Hwang Jung-min's pick, the unagidong — the eel size surprised me

The dish I was most looking forward to that day was definitely the unagidong. Ilpum's unagidong is known as the dish actor Hwang Jung-min picked on KBS's 'Baedalwatsuda,' so I was curious what it would look like even before ordering. It's priced at ₩40,000.

But the moment it arrived, what caught my attention before the taste was the sheer size of the eel.

The eel wasn't just placed on top of the rice — it was laid on generously enough to fill the entire bowl, and seeing it in person, it was much bigger than I'd imagined.

Photos and seeing it in person are definitely two different experiences.

"Now that's a proper eel." That's basically what came out of my mouth.

Taking a spoonful of eel with rice, the salty savoriness of the sauce blended with the eel's flavor, and it paired quite well with the rice.

Eating the eel with rice made it easier to enjoy without feeling heavy, and after a few spoonfuls, I felt pretty full. Above all, the eel itself had a strong presence.

If you're looking for eel rice bowl in Magok and want one that delivers on visuals too, this is a dish worth keeping an eye on.

Among everything I tried that day, the unagidong with its impressively large eel was what stuck with me the most.

What's in the today's sushi set?

After eating the unagidong, I got curious about the sushi too, so I ordered the today's sushi set as well. It's priced at ₩28,000 and comes with 5 pieces of nigiri sushi, 2 shrimp pieces, maguro maki, and futomaki.

I expected a set with just a few pieces of sushi, but when it arrived, maki and futomaki came along too, making the composition surprisingly generous. With several varieties, it was more fun trying a bit of everything rather than just one type of sushi, and it looked substantial enough to count as a full meal.

Ordering this alongside the unagidong like I did meant I could take bites of sushi in between the eel rice bowl, and I was glad I ordered both together.

If you're visiting with others, it might work well to have one person order the unagidong and another order the today's sushi set, then share between the two.

If you're on the hunt for sushi in Magok, the today's sushi set — which lets you try nigiri, maki, and futomaki all at once — is worth considering.

The cold udon kept pulling me back in

While I was in the middle of the eel rice bowl, cold udon and chicken karaage arrived too. Even though I was fairly full by then, one bite of the cool, refreshing cold udon revived my appetite. Add in a piece of crispy chicken karaage, and there ended up being more to eat than I expected, making the meal feel quite generous. Especially with a rich dish like the eel rice bowl, having cold udon on the side cleansed my palate each time, and I found myself going back to the eel again and again.

Be sure to check the break time before visiting

One thing that was a bit of a letdown after the meal was that it's worth checking the visit time in advance. Break time at Ilpum Magok starts at 3pm. If you're planning a quick visit before dinner hours, it's best to avoid that window. If you're in the Magok or Balsan Station area looking for a slightly later lunch, I'd recommend checking the hours ahead of time.

It was convenient that takeout, reservations, and delivery are all available, so there are options beyond dining in depending on your situation. There are also coupons available for the store or for reservations — if there's a benefit that applies to you, like a free 2-piece sushi coupon supporting pregnant customers, it's worth checking before your visit.

The yuzu sundubu dessert to finish

After the meal wrapped up, a yuzu sundubu (soft tofu) dessert came out at the end.

The soft tofu paired with yuzu aroma felt like it cleansed the palate. After a heavy dish like the eel rice bowl, this kind of dessert actually suited the meal well.

If you're looking for eel rice bowl in Magok: Ilpum Magok

This visit to Ilpum Magok stuck with me because I went for eel rice bowl and ended up getting to try sushi as well.

Of everything I tried, the unagidong was definitely the most memorable, and eating the eel together with rice made for a satisfying, filling meal.

The today's sushi set, with several types of sushi plus maki and futomaki, seems like a great fit for sushi lovers. Above all, being able to choose between different types of dishes — eel rice bowl and sushi — in one place was the convenient part of Ilpum Magok. If you're searching for good restaurants in Magok or near Balsan Station and want to look at both eel rice bowl and sushi, Ilpum Magok is worth adding to your list. That said, be sure to check the break time starting at 3pm before you go.

Ilpum Magok visitor information

The address is 228 Gonghang-daero, Unit 112, 1F Leaders Tower Magok, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It's about 394m from Exit 8 of Balsan Station.

• Signature menu: Unagidong ₩40,000, Today's Sushi Set ₩28,000
• Others: Kaisendon, chicken karaage-don set, sashimi moriawase, futomaki, and more
• Takeout, reservations and delivery available
• Wheelchair accessible, separate men's/women's restrooms
• Recommended to confirm hours and break time with the store before visiting

※ Menu prices and store hours may change depending on when you visit.