Grilled king shrimp and Ipsaeju at a Wolsan-dong seafood restaurant

Today I visited a Gwangju seafood spot, Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha Gwangju Wolsan Branch! This place serves fresh, seasonal live fish and seafood, and the space is spacious, making it a great Wolsan-dong restaurant for gatherings haha. Let me show you the details in this review :)

Where is Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha in Wolsan-dong, Gwangju?

This is the exterior of Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha Gwangju Wolsan Branch, a seafood restaurant in Wolsan-dong. It's a 10-minute walk from Mudeung Market and opens at noon, so it's a great place to grab a meal after browsing the market haha.

In front of the shop there's a large fish tank and a sign saying "100% refund if not fresh or not tasty," which really boosted my confidence in the taste and freshness ☺️

Inside the restaurant: how big is the hall?

I visited during an early weekday dinner slot, and it was already packed with guests! (I took the photo when it had thinned out a bit.) The space is large with plenty of seats, so it works fine for a date or a group gathering 😊

Each table came equipped with a tablet, napkins, soy sauce, chogochujang (vinegared chili paste), and a bottle opener.

Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha menu and set prices

This is the menu at Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha Gwangju Wolsan Branch, a Gwangju sashimi restaurant known for its assorted platters. They had seasonal items like shrimp and flounder, plus stews and mixed sashimi platters, and were even running a great-value lunch event 😗

• Grilled king shrimp + raw shrimp sashimi set
• Ipsaeju soju

Self-serve pajeon and seaweed, free refills

On one side of the restaurant, you could eat as much pajeon (savory pancake) and seaweed as you wanted, and I liked that the batter was loaded with toppings and not too watery haha.

It was crispy in texture and had chili inside so it wasn't greasy at all, and dipped in soy sauce it was so tasty 😚

What free side dishes come with the set?

Next, the basic side dishes were laid out haha. Mulhoe (cold raw fish soup), chomuchim (vinegared salad), grilled fish, seaweed soup, and corn mayo — a great lineup for picking at!

The seaweed soup had a real ocean scent and wonderful flavor,

and the mulhoe was sweet and tangy, the kind of flavor that instantly wakes up your appetite!

The chomuchim was sprinkled with bean flour, giving it an excellent nutty flavor 🫶🏻

On top of that, the plump grilled herring was packed with roe and had a clean, savory flavor that I enjoyed a lot 🤤 The basic side dishes were so satisfying that I immediately cracked open a bottle of soju 🫡

Raw shrimp sashimi: how springy is it?

Of the grilled king shrimp + raw shrimp sashimi set I ordered, the raw shrimp sashimi came out first haha. Its fresh color and plating looked so appetizing 🙂 The springy texture really came through, and it tasted even better dipped in just soy sauce,

and I could also load it onto the sushi rice that came alongside for a filling raw shrimp sushi bite 😘

Grilled king shrimp and butter-grilled shrimp heads

Next up, the grilled king shrimp made its entrance! Watching them still flopping about, you could immediately tell how lively and fresh these shrimp were,

and they were grilled to a beautifully golden color 😍 (a color you can only get with really fresh shrimp!) On top of that, they grilled the heads for free and served them separately, cut off to the side 👍🏻👍🏻

You could tell at a glance how plump the king shrimp were..❤️ I put on the gloves they gave us and got to peeling :)

The shrimp were sweet even on their own, whether dipped in the classic chogochujang

or eaten with soy sauce over sushi rice — both were a great match 🥰

The butter-grilled shrimp heads were rich with buttery flavor and so nutty and delicious..🫶🏻

Being able to enjoy both the springy raw shrimp sashimi and the nutty grilled king shrimp together felt like a real deal, and the hearty side dish spread made it perfect for a glass of soju ☺️

Restrooms and final verdict on Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha

Lastly, the restroom is indoors and separated by gender :)

A Wolsan-dong seafood restaurant where you can enjoy seasonal live fish and fresh seafood in a spacious, clean space — definitely give Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha Gwangju Wolsan Branch a visit 🙂