Gangnam Korean restaurant for fire-grilled octopus: Obongjip

While looking for a good restaurant in Samseong-dong, I visited Obongjip Samseong Branch (오봉집 삼성점), where I could enjoy flavorful food and a comforting homemade touch. 💖

Obongjip Samseong Branch location and hours

• Address: 1F, 62 Teheran-ro 81-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Weekdays 11:00–22:00 (break time 14:30–17:00)
• Hours: Weekends 11:30–22:00 (break time 15:00–16:00)

Located on Samseong-dong’s restaurant street, Obongjip Samseong Branch is about a four-minute walk from Exit 5 of Samseong Jungang Station, so it is easy to find. Samseong Station, Bongeunsa Station, and COEX are also nearby, so it would be a nice stop if you are looking for somewhere to eat in the area.

The interior was spacious, well maintained, and overall clean and comfortable. There is also a separate, more private table area off one side of the large hall, so with a reservation, it would be great for a Samseong Station company dinner or group gathering. There was a group meeting when I visited too, which made it feel like a popular gathering spot. The tables were generously spaced as well, so even a larger group should be able to dine fairly comfortably.

A full set with the Nakji Obongjip Special

From Obongjip’s signature fire-grilled octopus to bossam (boiled pork wraps), stir-fried squid, yeonpotang (octopus soup), and makguksu (buckwheat noodles), there was a wide range of Korean dishes to choose from. They are familiar, approachable dishes overall, so I think anyone could enjoy them without much hesitation.

Wanting to try a bit of everything, I ordered the Nakji Obongjip Special, which lets you enjoy several dishes at once. It comes with fire-grilled octopus stir-fry, bossam, and makguksu, giving you everything from spicy to mild flavors.

A generous spread starting with the side dishes

First, I took a look at Obongjip’s basic side dishes. The name Obong means a tray, and it is said to come from memories of families gathering around aluminum trays piled generously with food to share in childhood homes. The spread included deeply savory, soothing miyeokguk (seaweed soup), baek kimchi (white kimchi), sausage, seasoned vegetables, and more. They were great to nibble on one by one while waiting for the main dishes.

Then today’s main dishes began arriving one by one! ❣️ From the plentiful octopus to the appetizing bossam, bossam kimchi, and makguksu, the table was completely filled. Each dish paired well with the others, and the colorful presentation made my mouth water just looking at it. Seeing such a lavish spread almost made me feel as if I had come to a feast.

Mild gabri bossam and spicy-tangy makguksu

The mild gabri bossam was a good dish to start with. The thick, appetizing slices of bossam came piled high, alongside neatly rolled bossam kimchi and radish kimchi, and the sight alone made my mouth water.

The tender, soft bossam had a great ratio of lean meat to fat, giving it such a lovely texture in each bite. It was clean-tasting with no off smell, yet gently nutty, so I kept reaching for more without feeling weighed down. The accompanying bossam kimchi had a crisp texture beneath its spicy, savory seasoning and really awakened my appetite.

Makguksu, which would be sorely missed with bossam, came along too. The spicy-tangy seasoned noodles and crisp vegetables worked beautifully together, with a lovely texture and a subtly sweet flavor that spread as I chewed. Its sour, spicy seasoning and gentle sweetness really perked up my appetite, making it an even better match with the bossam.

Fire-scented octopus stir-fry and mixed rice

This is the fire-grilled octopus stir-fry that filled the air with a deep flame-grilled aroma the moment it arrived and truly stimulated my appetite. It is also Obongjip’s signature dish. I personally like it so much that I always order it when I visit Obongjip. It looked delicious from its smoke-kissed appearance alone, with spicy seasoning soaking beautifully into the octopus—just the kind of dish that makes you think of a bowl of rice.

A whole plump, substantial octopus was included, making it look even more generous and appetizing. The octopus itself was wonderfully meaty, so even looking at it felt like I was about to have a proper octopus stir-fry. Cut it into bite-size pieces and wrap it in baek kimchi with the spicy sauce, or order steamed rice and mix it all together—it works wonderfully either way.

When you order steamed rice, it comes in a generously sized bowl, perfect for mixing everything together. Add sesame oil, bean sprouts, roasted seaweed flakes, and a heaping portion of octopus stir-fry, then give it a good mix. The nutty sesame-oil aroma and savory seaweed flakes with the spicy octopus seasoning made it an absolute rice thief. If you are looking for a good restaurant near Samseong Station or COEX, I recommend Obongjip’s generous Korean spread, from stress-relieving spicy fire-grilled octopus stir-fry to mild suyuk (boiled pork) and tangy makguksu.