TV-featured Danyang market dakgangjeong: black garlic original box

While wandering around Gugyeong Market on a trip to Danyang, I picked up some dakgangjeong (Korean fried chicken) to take home.

The market has so much food that I ended up browsing for a while, but this shop caught my eye for topping its dakgangjeong with nurungji (crispy scorched rice). And since the name includes black garlic, a Danyang specialty, I was curious how it would taste. Once I got home and opened the box, I could see nurungji scattered between the thick sauce, so I picked out a piece of nurungji first.

Where is Danyang Heukmaneul Nurungji Dakgangjeong?

The dakgangjeong shop that stands out in the Gugyeong Market alley

Danyang Heukmaneul Nurungji Dakgangjeong sits inside an alley of Danyang Gugyeong Market. Walking through the market alley, the bottles of black garlic makgeolli and dakgangjeong signage displayed out front catch your eye first. I went there for the dakgangjeong, but my eyes naturally drifted to the makgeolli too. Figuring I'd take both home and enjoy them slowly, I picked up both.

Takeout boxes and menu signs are set up in front of the shop, so even while browsing the market you can quickly tell what's sold here. It felt well suited to anyone looking to grab a quick takeout box while exploring Gugyeong Market.

Original or double strength: we chose original

Danyang Heukmaneul Nurungji Dakgangjeong has two menu options: original and double flavor. According to the shop's signage, the double flavor version has a stronger black garlic taste. It's described as blending black garlic into the sauce itself. I was curious how intense that would be, but since it was my first time trying this place, we ordered the black garlic original nurungji dakgangjeong.

The original is dakgangjeong topped with black garlic. Both menus were listed at ₩20,000, but it's worth double-checking prices when you visit.

How the crispy nurungji goes on top

I could also see the nurungji being prepared in the cooking area. Thin sheets of nurungji like the ones in the photo get layered onto the dakgangjeong, which makes for the fun of picking out nurungji pieces separately from the chicken.

The sauce-coated parts and the still-crispy parts of the dakgangjeong felt slightly different from each other.

Nurungji tucked all through the sauce

Opening the takeout box revealed dark, richly sauced dakgangjeong with flat pieces of nurungji mixed throughout. Pickled radish sat off to one side. I'd expected only a few scattered nurungji pieces, but there were enough to easily pick out from the box.

Up close, the glossy sheen of the dakgangjeong's surface and the rough texture of the nurungji are clearly different. Biting into the nurungji first gave a savory taste, and then following it with sauce-coated dakgangjeong brought sweetness and saltiness together. The black garlic flavor didn't overpower the whole thing so much as trail behind the thick impression of the sauce — how strong it feels probably varies by person.

The nurungji is good eaten together with the dakgangjeong in one bite, but picking it out separately makes the crunch more distinct. I found myself alternating — one piece of dakgangjeong, one piece of nurungji. That rhythm of sweet sauce followed by nutty nurungji was the most memorable part of this shop.

Lifting up a piece of dakgangjeong shows the sauce coated evenly on the outside. The crispiness of the nurungji can differ between eating it right away and eating it after takeout, so if you care about texture, it's best not to leave it sitting too long.

Picking up a piece with both dakgangjeong and nurungji together gives you the chewy sauce and crispy nurungji at once. The vegetable topping in the photo also worked well mixed in, bringing in a different texture between bites of sauce.

Black garlic makgeolli to take home too

Black garlic makgeolli was ₩10,000 for two bottles. It came in a box with a handle, which made it easy to carry along with the dakgangjeong.

With 'black garlic makgeolli' printed on the bottle, it really felt like something bought in Danyang.

We picked it specifically to pair with the dakgangjeong, and setting it alongside the sweet, richly sauced chicken made for a complete travel-snack spread.

The TV appearances posted at the shop

The shop's info lists appearances on 6 Si Naegohyang episode 6558 (June 29, 2018), Amazing Saturday episode 9 (June 2, 2018), and Live Tonight episodes 1058 (April 30, 2019) and 1778 (May 10, 2022). If you're visiting because of a TV appearance, it's worth double-checking the menu name before ordering.

What stayed with us after eating

If you're planning to take out dakgangjeong from Danyang Gugyeong Market, it's worth considering the nurungji combo. We went with the original, and had fun alternating between the sweet, thick-sauced dakgangjeong and the crispy, savory nurungji. If you want a stronger black garlic flavor, ask the shop about the difference with the double-flavor version and choose accordingly.

Danyang Heukmaneul Nurungji Dakgangjeong Q&A

What did we order this time?

We got a box of black garlic original nurungji dakgangjeong along with two bottles of black garlic makgeolli.

How does double strength differ from original?

According to the shop, original has black garlic added as a topping, while double flavor blends it into the sauce. This time we only tried the original.

Does the nurungji come packed separately?

It comes mixed in with the dakgangjeong inside the takeout box. Some pieces are sauce-coated and some stay crispy, so it's nice to alternate between them.

Where do you park in Danyang?

Use the Danyang-gun Hasang free parking lot, then walk into Gugyeong Market to reach the shop. Check on-site signage for available parking areas.

How much did the order cost?

One box of dakgangjeong was ₩20,000, and two bottles of black garlic makgeolli were ₩10,000, for a total of ₩30,000. Please double-check prices when you visit.