Abalone and scallop seafood boil in Yeouido, Seoul: Gaetbeol-ui Jogae

I've been craving fresh, hearty seafood like crazy lately, so I did some serious research on where to go, and ended up at a place called Gaetbeol-ui Jogae (갯벌의조개), right near National Assembly Station.

Craving California boiling crab in Seoul: why Gaetbeol-ui Jogae

Honestly, back when I traveled to California, I tried the famous 'Boiling Crab' for the first time and it was a total culture shock, haha. Perfectly steamed seafood piled up in a giant tub-like bowl, all tossed with a special sauce, and you put on plastic gloves and crack it open with your hands while mixing in rice or noodles — that whole American-style seafood boil thing!

I never forgot that flavor and kept searching for something similar in Korea, and when I heard there was a place that nailed that exact vibe, I ran straight there.

Inside Gaetbeol-ui Jogae: seating and rooms for a Yeouido group dinner

Gaetbeol-ui Jogae Yeouido Main Branch is on the 2nd floor of the Geukdong VIP Building. Walking in, I was surprised at how spacious and clean the interior was. They have well-set-up private rooms and plenty of table space, so it seemed perfect for office dinners or gatherings for people working around Yeouido.

What we ordered and the 20–30 minute cook time

This place seems to be pretty well known for its seafood kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup), but since we had a clear mission, we didn't hesitate to order what seemed like a newer menu item — the boiling-crab-style seafood boil.

Since the seafood is steamed fresh and cooked in the sauce to order, it took about 20 to 30 minutes after we placed the order! If you want to skip the wait once you get there and dive straight in, I'd highly recommend calling ahead to order before you go.

The barley rice and yeolmu self-serve corner while you wait

And this place has a self-serve corner with barley rice and yeolmu (young radish greens) for mixing your own bibimbap-style bowl!

Since we were told it would take a while, I preheated my stomach with some barley rice in advance. While chatting with my friend and eating the rice as we waited, the main dish finally arrived... and the moment I saw it, I genuinely gasped. It came piled high on a huge tray — the portion was massive!

What comes in the seafood boil: scallops, abalone, sausage, rice cake, fried rice, noodles and bread

There were two of us, and the tray was so packed it looked ready to burst, so it passed the visual test right away. Most of all, the seafood condition was genuinely artful. Mussels, shrimp, and various clams were a given, but they'd also loaded it up with scallops and abalone, my absolute favorites, and every single piece was so plump and firm that the texture was on point. Popping out a chunky scallop and biting in, the plump flesh just burst — so good! The owner personally cuts up the abalone, squid, and sausage for you!

On top of that, there was sausage that hits that childhood-favorite spot, chewy rice cake, and then my favorite combo of all — fried rice, noodles, and bread for dipping into the sauce — all included as standard. The lineup was seriously perfect.

How does the house sauce taste? Dipping bread, mixing in rice and noodles

Above all, the spicy-sweet, umami-packed special sauce was insane. The sauce itself was so good that once I put on the plastic gloves and started cracking open the plump scallops and shrimp, I couldn't stop. After finishing off all the seafood, dipping bread into the leftover sauce, then mixing in the rice and noodles — I genuinely couldn't put my spoon down.

The portion was so huge we couldn't quite finish it all and had to leave a little behind, but I'm still thinking about that addictive flavor even as I write this.

If you're looking for proper seafood near National Assembly Station, or missing that American boiling crab experience, definitely check out Gaetbeol-ui Jogae. Seriously recommend it! I want to go back already...!