Sokcho fish market jeotgal shop, 3 kinds for the trip home: Hwangbuja

I went on a September trip to Sokcho, 2 nights 3 days. It was short but fun and full — traveling is always such a joy, but coming back to everyday life leaves a little emptiness too. That's when eating the side dishes I brought back from the trip helps bring the memories right back.

I stopped by Hwangbuja Jeotgal, a jeotgal (salted seafood) shop known as a Sokcho Central Market favorite, and picked up a bunch of banchan (side dishes).

Where is Hwangbuja Jeotgal in Sokcho Tourist Fish Market, and what are its hours?

Hwangbuja Jeotgal is a Sokcho Central Market favorite selling delicious jeotgal. The address is 25 Sokcho Tourist Fish Market, 16 Jungang-ro 147beon-gil, Sokcho, Gangwon, and it's open 08:00 - 20:30.

It's located inside Sokcho Central Market. It's convenient to park at the Sokcho Tourist Fish Market parking lot.

Shopping for banchan on the last day of a Sokcho trip

On the last day of a trip, I always like to buy tasty side dishes and food I can bring home. I picked up jeotgal at this Sokcho Central Market favorite, and this time I got a variety of banchan from Hwangbuja Jeotgal. There was a wide range and everything was kept fresh. You can taste before you buy, so there's basically no chance of picking wrong.

What kinds of jeotgal does Hwangbuja Jeotgal sell?

There are so many delicious jeotgal that I always agonize over which to choose. Both my husband and I are the type who can finish a bowl of rice with just jeotgal and kimchi, so we're serious about our jeotgal. So I picked carefully again this time.

There was a wide variety: octopus jeotgal, squid jeotgal, changnan-jeot, gamaji-sikhye, pollock hoe-muchim, scallop jeotgal, matssiat jeotgal, nakji-tangtang jeotgal, galchi-sok-jeot, myeongnan-jeot (pollock roe), eorigul-jeot, meongge jeotgal, jogae-jeot, and kkolttugi-jeot.

If you're torn, try the tasting station. You can taste a bite of each with a disposable fork.

The three picks: squid jeotgal, nakji-tang jeotgal and pollock hoe-muchim

First, I picked my husband's favorite, squid jeotgal, as the base. With just squid jeotgal he doesn't even look for another side dish. There's no fridge banchan more reliable than this — it's basically the foundation of the table, if you ask me?!

Next, I ordered octopus jeotgal, which can be used in bibimbap or fried rice, or simply mixed with rice — so convenient.

I wanted to buy a little of everything and freeze it to pull out one at a time, but I held back. Sokcho isn't far, so I figured I'd just go back whenever I'm craving jeotgal. They also do nationwide delivery, so it's convenient. I ended up buying squid jeotgal, octopus jeotgal, and pollock hoe-muchim. They packed it sturdily with ice packs too.

Does the ice-pack packing last a 5-hour drive home?

After buying jeotgal at Hwangbuja Jeotgal, this Sokcho Central Market favorite, we went sightseeing in Yangyang and then drove home — over 5 hours total. Thanks to the careful packing, the ice packs didn't melt and everything stayed fresh.

Stocking up the fridge with reliable banchan from Hwangbuja Jeotgal, this Sokcho Central Market favorite > _ <!!

Portioning the jeotgal for the fridge and freezer at home

They put a name label on every container, so it was easy to tell which jeotgal was which. Jeotgal can be frozen without freezing rock-solid, so it stays fresh. Portioning it out before freezing works best — that way even if you buy a lot, you can eat it fresh to the very last bit.

They packed it generously, filled right up. My heart feels as full as the fridge is about to be.

I portion out what I'll eat right away into containers and freeze appropriate amounts for the rest. One trip to Sokcho and the fridge is stocked. A stocked fridge feels like being rich, doesn't it? Fellow homemakers, you feel me, right?!

Not sure how long it'll actually last since my whole family loves jeotgal, but having it all portioned and ready feels satisfying.

I split it between fridge and freezer stashes. Next time I might buy a bit more. I think I'll enjoy this for a while, remembering the Sokcho trip.

How Hwangbuja Jeotgal tasted at the home dinner table

With freshly cooked rice, jeotgal alone means you don't need any other side dish. It's known as a Sokcho Central Market favorite for good reason — the seasoning was tasty and fresh, and I really enjoyed it.

For breakfast, just boiling nurungji (scorched rice) or a simple soup with jeotgal as the side dish means the whole bowl of rice is gone in a flash, even in the morning, haha.

If you're visiting Sokcho, you're definitely stopping by Central Market anyway — make sure to pick up some fresh, tasty jeotgal too. It's such a relief not having to worry about side dishes for a while.

That's Hwangbuja Jeotgal, a Sokcho Central Market favorite. Bringing home a big haul of tasty jeotgal makes me feel so proud and happy. I think I'll be eating well for a while. When you visit Sokcho Central Market, it's in the alley where they sell fried chicken, so it's easy to find — I recommend stopping by Hwangbuja Jeotgal. The packing was thorough and the portions generous, which I appreciated. It was delicious ^ ^