Gangseo, Seoul restaurant for mala naksam-sae: Gungmin Nakgopsae

Punchy naksam-sae near Balsan Station

It is on a main road near Balsan Station, so I had seen it often—and it was always bustling with people. I had been curious, and I was craving something spicy and warming, so I finally went haha.

There were lots of options besides nakgopsae, including Korean beef large intestine, beef intestine hot pot, and gopdoritang (spicy chicken and beef intestine stew).

They sell large intestine and beef intestine dishes, octopus and shrimp dishes, warming hot pots, spicy chicken stew, and more. I do not really like beef intestine, so rather than nakgopsae, we ordered naksam-sae! Octopus + pork belly + shrimp: a combination that simply cannot taste bad. Yay!

They are also running a receipt-review event! A photo review gets you add-ons, sliced beef belly, or a drink, while a video review gets fried rice, pineapple sherbet, or a highball. It felt more generous than at other restaurants!

Mala naksam-sae and the basic sides

Once you order, the side dishes come out first: pickled radish wraps and leafy wraps that go beautifully with nakgopsae, plus mayonnaise for that extra kick! Seaweed soup comes with it too.

Not even 5 minutes after ordering, our food was ready. We changed our naksam-sae to the mala flavor!

Those pork belly slices looked so delicious,

and there were rice cakes in it too~

Shrimp! I loved that there was so much shrimp too.

And then, the star of the show: octopus! Is it not so plump??? The springy, chewy texture was incredible.

Glass noodles too~~~~ I am definitely coming back, and next time I am adding ramen noodles as well haha.

As it started bubbling away, the mala aroma really rose up! I have a low spice tolerance, but it was still a level of heat I could enjoy.

Ahh... as the broth cooked down, it became salty and savory, and the other ingredients were so substantial... it was truly delicious. The kind of flavor that automatically makes you order a bowl of rice.

The weather has suddenly turned chilly lately, so I had been feeling a little cold, but this spicy, warming naksam-sae was just perfect. And the sauce here is so good. It would absolutely be delicious even without switching to mala flavor... I really love nakgopsae, but honestly, good places are so hard to find that I was close to giving up. Then I found this genuine gem of a restaurant, like a ray of light ㅠㅠ

Fried rice topped with a fried egg

One order of fried rice, please~

In goes the seasoned sauce, and plop goes the fried egg~

What am I supposed to do when even the fried rice is perfect? ㅠㅠㅠ I gained 1.5 kg after eating at Gungmin Nakgopsae hahaha.............. The crispy rice stuck to the pan was so nutty, spicy-sweet, and just... I think I have fallen in love with Gungmin Nakgopsae...

A clean interior with a large screen

I was so focused on describing how delicious everything was that I forgot to show you the interior!

Gungmin Nakgopsae has a large screen. It would be nice to come back and watch a game here too!

The interior is nice and clean too~ Gungmin Nakgopsae Gangseo Branch is on a main road, just a 5-minute walk from Balsan Station! It seems like a great restaurant for a date, meeting friends, or a group dinner. It is the kind of place everyone would enjoy, so I really recommend it! The medium size is a suitable portion for two people haha. Plump octopus, substantial shrimp, and thinly sliced pork belly! Switching to the mala flavor is a must!!