Seongdong Korean restaurant for crispy tripe agu-jjim: Seongsu AGU

Tucked into an alley in Seongsu-dong, I visited Seongsu AGU, which has been gaining buzz on social media and TV for its trendy reinterpretation of agu-jjim (spicy braised monkfish), a traditional Korean dish. Let me introduce this distinctive agu-jjim experience in a modern interior that feels more like a café or wine bar 🩵

Seongsu AGU location and hours

• Location: 1F, 48-1 Sangwon-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea (near Exit 4 of Ttukseom Station)
• Hours: Daily 11:30–22:00
• Weekday break: 15:00–16:30 (no weekend break)
• Parking: No dedicated parking (the nearby Seongsu 1-ga 2-dong Public Parking Lot is recommended)

A Seongsu-dong space remodeled from a detached house

A popular Seongsu lunch spot, Seongsu AGU is housed in a remodeled detached home, and that distinctively hip Seongsu-dong feeling starts right at the entrance after you cross the outdoor courtyard. The annex-like space preserves the home's room layout in separate sections, so it would be perfect for a gathering or date 🩵

Far from the old-school, rustic image of a typical agu-jjim restaurant, its warm wood tones and calm ivory colors make it feel like a cozy café or casual-dining spot.

Ordering Korean beef fried tripe agu-jjim

The QR ordering system makes ordering neat and easy without any fuss 👍 We ordered Seongsu AGU's signature dish: the Korean beef fried tripe agu-jjim for two!

The side dishes and sauces were set out, and even the tableware was so pretty 🤩👍

Crispy fried tripe and spicy agu-jjim

Freshly butchered Korean beef gopchang (small intestine) is fried crisp on the outside and chewy inside, then piled generously over the agu-jjim 🤤 No wonder this Seongsu agu-jjim spot became so hot after appearing on tvN's What Should We Do With the Leftovers? with Lee Young-ja and Park Se-ri!!

The spicy, peppery bean-sprout seasoning neatly cuts through the gopchang's rich fattiness. The plump, tender monkfish and crispy tripe have such a wonderful textural contrast—every bit as appealing as a signature dish should be!!!

The fried-tripe coating is not overly thick; it shatters with a crisp crunch, while the inside is tender and chewy rather than tough. The more you chew, the more the savory, rich flavor of the filling spreads through your mouth 🤤

The agu-jjim's characteristically peppery, clean seasoning keeps the fried coating from ever feeling greasy. It has a clean chili-powder-based heat, so dip the fried tripe generously in the red sauce and wrap it with bean sprouts—the rich nuttiness and spice work together beautifully!!

How to eat the fried tripe

First, try a piece of fried tripe on its own to enjoy its natural crunch and savory filling. Then I recommend taking a bite like a three-part combination: seasoned crunchy bean sprouts, tripe, and a plump piece of monkfish. If it gets too spicy, have some corn salad, haha.

Fried rice to finish with the remaining sauce

Even when you're full, this is an essential final course for a braised dish: rice and crushed seaweed are stir-fried in the remaining sauce for a savory finish.

Fluffy fried rice is spread broadly across the hot pan, and the generous heap of crushed seaweed on top is enough to make your mouth water just looking at it 🤤

Every grain is separately coated rather than soggy, and scraping up the thin, crispy scorched rice from the bottom of the pan is the real treat!! Add some of the plump monkfish or crispy tripe pieces you saved from the braise on top of the fried rice for an even fuller texture, haha.

Breaking away from the conventional agu-jjim formula, this is a place worth recommending to anyone looking for a different meal out with fusion toppings and an atmospheric mood.