Gangnam blowfish soup restaurant with live abalone: Bogi-o Boguk

Wanting a filling meal with a light broth, I visited Bogi-o Boguk (복이오복국) near Cheongdam Station. That day, I chose the blowfish soup with live abalone. Eating the clear broth, blowfish, and abalone together from a hot ttukbaegi (earthenware pot) left me feeling quite full after the meal.

How do you get there from Cheongdam Station, and is parking available?

Bogi-o Boguk is on the second floor of Cheongdam Deokyeong Building at 540 Dosan-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. It is within walking distance of Exit 13 of Cheongdam Station. Valet parking is also available if you visit by car. The hours listed in the original post are 11:00–22:00.

What is the atmosphere like for a meal with parents or family?

The restaurant felt clean and calm overall. There was relatively generous space between tables, so I ate comfortably. It seemed fine for a casual stop for a bowl of blowfish soup, as well as for bringing parents, family dining, or gatherings.

What blowfish dishes are available, and what did I eat?

This is a blowfish specialty restaurant serving blowfish soup, fried blowfish, blowfish bulgogi, blowfish samgyetang, and course meals. I wanted something a little more substantial than the blowfish soup I usually have, so I chose the live-abalone blowfish soup. It arrived still bubbling in its ttukbaegi.

It had plenty of vegetables, including bean sprouts and water parsley. With the abalone added, the whole pot felt generous.

What does the live-abalone blowfish soup broth taste like?

I started by tasting the broth. It was clean and mild at first. It was neither oily nor heavy, with a refreshing quality from the bean sprouts and water parsley and a subtle savory depth. Since I generally prefer clear broth to spicy red broth, it suited my taste well.

Because the broth was not overpowering, it was easy to eat with rice. I could see why people seek out blowfish soup as a hangover meal, but for me, it was also the kind of flavor I would think of when I wanted a warm, filling everyday meal.

How did the textures of the blowfish and abalone work together?

The blowfish was mild and chewy, while the abalone had a crisp-chewy texture. It was enjoyable to alternate between the two. Neither ingredient stood out too strongly, so both went naturally with the clear broth.

I mixed small amounts of rice into the broth and ate the kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and side dishes one at a time. The crisp side dishes added texture between spoonfuls of hot broth.

What stood out most after the meal?

What I liked about the live-abalone blowfish soup was being able to eat blowfish and abalone together in a mild broth. It was a meal that suited a day when I wanted clean Korean food or a hot soup dish rather than something strongly seasoned.

I felt quite full after the meal. What stood out most was how I kept reaching for the spoon even though the broth was not overpowering.