Seafood kalguksu restaurant in Hyangnam with a 4-stage broth: Jedam

Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch at a glance

I visited Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch on the evening of June 23, 2026. It is at 10 Pyeong 6-gil, 2nd floor, Hyangnam-eup, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. It is open daily 10:30–21:00 with last order at 20:30. There is no break time and no day off, but it closes early when ingredients run out.

• What we ordered: seafood kalguksu for 2, plus an octopus add-on
• Total paid: ₩40,000
• In one line: a Hyangnam seafood kalguksu spot packed with whole octopus, whole squid, abalone, shrimp and clams, where the broth gets deeper the longer it boils

Did Bakseunggwang Choegang Haemul Soncalguksu become Jedam Kalguksu?

Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch used to run as Bakseunggwang Choegang Haemul Soncalguksu (박승광최강해물손칼국수), and only the name has changed. I had visited a few times under the old name, so it had been a while since my last visit.

After finishing my day, I was wondering about dinner and suddenly craved seafood kalguksu. There are quite a lot of kalguksu places in Hyangnam, but the first one that came to mind was Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch. It's actually not my first time here. I'd been a few times back when it was Bakseunggwang Choegang Haemul Soncalguksu, so it stuck in my memory. I remembered generous seafood and a refreshing broth, and when I came back after a long time, the name had changed to Jedam Kalguksu. The name is different, but lots of customers still seem to come for Hyangnam's seafood kalguksu, and I came with high hopes too.

Location and parking at Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch

The restaurant is on the 2nd floor of a building. The sign is visible from far away, so it wasn't hard to find. It was dinner time, and quite a few cars were parked and several groups were already eating. It seems to have a steady stream of customers looking for a Hyangnam seafood kalguksu spot.

There is a large parking lot in front of the restaurant.

You can check the menu at the entrance before heading up to the 2nd floor.

Here are the opening hours.

Halfway up the stairs there's a photo showing it was featured on SBS's Live Today (생방송 투데이), so you can tell it's a TV-featured restaurant.

Walking up to the entrance, I saw a banner announcing the name change.

Only the name has changed, from Bakseunggwang Choegang Haemul Soncalguksu to Jedam Kalguksu.

It was a welcome notice for someone like me who remembered the old name. Since it had been a while, I wondered how the seafood kalguksu would compare with what I remembered.

Atmosphere inside Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch

The restaurant is bigger than I expected, and the tables are well spaced. I saw families too. Looking around, some tables had already ordered seafood kalguksu, and the seafood aroma rising from the huge pots really whetted my appetite. I could see why people looking for a Korean restaurant in Hyangnam choose it for family meals. Even though I came 30 minutes before closing, guests were still eating.

Menu and prices at Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch

Seafood kalguksu and seafood sujebi are ₩15,000 per person, and clam kalguksu is ₩10,000. You can add octopus, squid, shrimp, whole giant octopus or mixed seafood, so you can load it up to your taste. We ordered seafood kalguksu for two with octopus added.

Meal kits and nationwide delivery

Something else that caught my eye: Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch also sells meal kits. A big banner hung near the kitchen saying that if you enjoyed your meal, you can buy a kit to give to family or friends. They can also be ordered through Naver Shopping with nationwide delivery, so even people who can't visit can enjoy Jedam's seafood kalguksu at home. After eating, I thought, "I'd like to try boiling this at home," since the seafood was generous and the broth rich. For people like that, the meal kit seems like a good option.

Naver review event and return-visit coupon

On one side there was a notice about a Naver review event. Write a review, show it to the staff, and you get a drink.

Near the register there were also return-visit coupons: ₩2,000 off when you spend ₩20,000 or more. Small perks like this are welcome for anyone deciding whether to come back.

Summer seasonal menu: black soybean noodles and kimchi-mal-i guksu

I also saw a notice for the summer seasonal menu: seoritae kongguksu (cold black soybean noodle soup) and kimchi-mal-i guksu (cold kimchi noodles). Next time I'd like to try the kimchi-mal-i guksu.

Side dishes and the geotjeori

The basic side dishes were geotjeori (fresh kimchi), pickled radish, Cheongyang chili and gochujang dipping sauce. This time I ordered the signature seafood kalguksu for two with octopus added, and since I remembered the seafood being generous before, I waited with high expectations. The side dishes came out first, and the first thing my chopsticks went for was the geotjeori.

At a kalguksu place, kimchi matters, so I tried it before the food arrived. The cabbage was still crunchy and the seasoning wasn't overdone, so it felt like it would go well with seafood kalguksu.

What seafood goes into the seafood kalguksu?

The seafood kalguksu at Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch comes in a big pot packed with whole octopus (the add-on), whole squid, abalone, shrimp, and shellfish like mussels and clams. Then the star of the night arrived. The moment the huge pot landed on the table, all eyes went to it.

It looked generous in photos, but in person it felt completely different. The whole octopus and whole squid caught my eye first, with abalone, shrimp and shellfish filling the pot. If you're looking for a Hyangnam seafood kalguksu spot, this look alone will raise your expectations.

It wasn't even boiling yet, and my expectations were already at their peak. I remembered generous seafood from my Bakseunggwang Choegang Haemul Soncalguksu days, and this time that memory didn't let me down. Now the heat goes on and it starts to boil. And from here, the broth starts to change little by little.

Finally, the seafood kalguksu starts to boil

After turning on the heat and waiting a bit, small bubbles started rising in the pot. At first it looked like a clear broth. Even with so much seafood, the smell wasn't as strong as I expected. It actually felt like a clean clam soup first. But this broth turns into something completely different as time passes.

A little later, the mussels and clams began to open one by one. When shellfish open, it means the broth is really starting to come out. I could feel the seafood aroma in the steam rising from the pot getting stronger. Back in the Bakseunggwang days, the broth was what I remembered most, and this time it felt like it wouldn't disappoint either.

Is the octopus add-on worth it? The whole octopus went first

The whole octopus I added at Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch was one of the most satisfying seafoods of the meal. Sitting in the middle of the pot, it's much bigger in person than you'd think. It's a shame the photo can't convey its size. With the octopus in whole, it felt more like a seafood hot pot (jeongol) than kalguksu.

Once it was cooked enough, I picked up the scissors myself. The staff didn't cut it for us; we cut it into bite-size pieces ourselves. When I lifted a leg, it was quite thick. The moment I started cutting, that distinctive octopus aroma rose up.

Here's the octopus cut into bite-size pieces. It's good as is, but I dipped it lightly in the gochujang sauce. It had a springy texture and a subtle sweetness as I chewed. It wasn't too tough and not too mushy. I could see why people looking for Hyangnam seafood kalguksu add the octopus.

The presence of the whole squid

Now it's the squid's turn. The whole squid had as much presence as the octopus. It was the reason my eyes went to the pot as soon as it arrived. The squid was cut with scissors too. While cutting, I felt again how much seafood there was.

The squid had a really good texture. Not too tough, with just the right springiness. The squid's nutty richness came through well.

Abalone, lightly dipped in gochujang sauce

The abalone was in good shape too. Personally I like to eat abalone without boiling it too long, at the right moment, so I fished it out once it was cooked enough.

I dipped the abalone lightly in gochujang sauce. The more I chewed, the nuttier it tasted, and it wasn't tough, so it was easy to eat. I thought seafood lovers would be happy with this lineup.

Can't forget the shrimp

The shrimp was quite satisfying too. Peeled, it still had a springy bite. It tasted sweeter as I chewed, and it seemed to do good things for the broth as well.

How does the broth change as it boils?

The broth of the seafood kalguksu at Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch starts like clear clam soup and gets richest and deepest right before the noodles go in. At first it felt like clam soup; after about 5 minutes the clams' refreshing taste came up, and as the octopus and squid cooked, savory umami (gamchilmat) was added. With the flavor from the abalone and shrimp on top, it felt much deeper.

• Broth stage 1 — at the start: clear, clean clam-soup feel
• Broth stage 2 — when the clams start opening: the refreshing taste gets stronger
• Broth stage 3 — when the octopus and squid are cooked: the umami really comes alive
• Broth stage 4 — right before the noodles: the richest, deepest flavor

Personally, the broth right before adding the noodles was the best. I kept scooping spoonfuls before the kalguksu noodles went in. The well-infused seafood stock kept my spoon going. For anyone looking for Hyangnam seafood kalguksu, this broth alone could be satisfying. And now the real final highlight remains: the kalguksu noodles.

The kalguksu noodles at the end

At Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch, we enjoyed the seafood first and then added the kalguksu noodles at the end to boil. The seafood stock was already well infused, so the color of the broth in the pot was clearly different from the start.

• The refreshing taste from the clams
• The sweetness from the shrimp
• The umami from the octopus and squid
• The nuttiness of the abalone

All of this had come together as one. If you care about the broth when looking for Hyangnam seafood kalguksu, this might be the moment you'd like best. Watching the noodles cook, I naturally started looking forward to them. Some kalguksu places serve the noodles in from the start, but I liked this way much better: enjoying the seafood first and adding noodles at the end, because the broth is already complete by then.

Once the noodles were cooked, I lifted up a bite. They were springier than I expected. Not too thin and not too thick, just the right thickness. Best of all, they had soaked up the seafood stock, so they were delicious even on their own.

Noodles and broth together

I ate a bite of noodles and then a spoonful of broth. It felt completely different from the broth I drank when the pot first came out. At first it was a clear, clean clam soup; now it was a deep, rich seafood stock. Even so, it wasn't harsh or salty. It stayed clean to the end, just with more depth.

A better-than-expected geotjeori combo

I tried putting geotjeori on top of the noodles. The crunch adds a totally different feel. If the broth is rich and soft, the geotjeori adds texture and savory depth. Personally, it was one of the most satisfying combos of the day. I think it's a clean combination that people looking for a Korean restaurant in Hyangnam would like.

Is seafood kalguksu for two enough for two people?

Seafood kalguksu for two with octopus added at Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch was plenty for two people. When the pot first came out, it looked like a huge amount: whole octopus, whole squid, abalone, shrimp, mussels, clams, and kalguksu noodles. But as we enjoyed the seafood one by one and then the noodles, the pot was almost empty before we knew it.

On one side of the table, mussel shells, clam shells and other shells were piled high. Seeing the empty shells stacked up, I felt we'd really eaten well. I wanted to keep it as a photo.

A satisfying meal even compared with my memories

I remembered visiting a few times in the Bakseunggwang Choegang Haemul Soncalguksu days. So this visit felt less like searching for a good restaurant and more like going back to a place I used to love. The name changed to Jedam Kalguksu, but the charm of seafood kalguksu loaded with seafood was still satisfying. Adding the octopus was really the right choice. Just seeing the pot filled with it and the whole squid was very satisfying.

Who should visit Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch

• Anyone looking for Hyangnam seafood kalguksu
• Seafood lovers
• Anyone looking for a place for a family meal
• Anyone looking for a place to eat with their parents
• Anyone looking for a Korean restaurant in Hyangnam
• Anyone who wants a hearty lunch or dinner
• Anyone who prefers kalguksu with a wider variety of seafood than clam kalguksu

Visiting tips for Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch

• Add the octopus: if you like octopus, the add-on is very satisfying.
• Taste the broth before the noodles go in: that's when you get the deepest seafood stock.
• Eat the abalone when it's just cooked: that's when the texture is best.
• You cut the squid and octopus yourself: scissors are provided, so it's easy.
• Try it with geotjeori: it goes well with kalguksu.
• Check the review event: a free drink event is running.
• Pick up a return-visit coupon: you can find them near the register.

Frequently asked questions

Is there parking at Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch?

You can park around the building. There is a large parking lot in front of the restaurant.

What about break time and days off?

There is no break time, and it is open all year. Hours are 10:30–21:00 with last order at 20:30.

What is the signature menu?

Seafood kalguksu.

Is it good for a family meal?

The restaurant is spacious and comfortable, so it's good for family visits too.

Is the octopus add-on worth it?

Personally, I was very satisfied with it.

Overall verdict

On the evening of June 23, 2026, coming back to Jedam Kalguksu Hyangnam Branch after a long time was as satisfying a meal as I'd hoped. It brought back memories of visiting in the Bakseunggwang Choegang Haemul Soncalguksu days, and I liked the generous lineup of whole octopus, whole squid, abalone, shrimp and clams. What impressed me most was the broth. I loved how it started as a clean clam soup and turned into a rich seafood stock as it boiled. If you're looking for Hyangnam seafood kalguksu, it's worth a visit. And if you're looking for a Korean restaurant in Hyangnam, I think it's a decent place to go with family too.