Spice-level octopus stir-fry combo near Samseong Station: Obongjip

You know those days when you just want a hearty Korean meal around Samseong-dong? This time we were looking for a place where we could have spicy octopus stir-fry and bossam (boiled pork wraps) together, so we headed to Obongjip Samseong Branch.

Obongjip is pretty famous for its octopus stir-fry and bossam combo, so I was curious. Trying it in person, it turned out to be a great fit for a day when you want to enjoy several dishes on one table rather than just one thing. Especially if you're looking for a Samseong Station restaurant for a work dinner or family meal, this could be a solid pick.

Obongjip Samseong Branch location and basic info

• Address: 62 Teheran-ro 81-gil, 1F, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Location: Near Samseong Station
• Signature menu: Octopus stir-fry, bossam, jeyuk bokkeum, obong special
• Reservations: Available via Naver Reservation

Given the nature of Samseong-dong, it felt like a good spot for office gatherings or dinner get-togethers, and since the menu is mostly Korean food, it seemed easy for a group to visit together.

What's in the nakji obong special (₩62,000)

What we ordered was the nakji obong special for ₩62,000. It comes with two servings of fire-grilled octopus stir-fry along with bossam and jaengban makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles), all at once.

There are those moments when ordering just the octopus stir-fry feels a bit lacking, and eating just bossam alone feels a bit plain. But the obong special lets you have all three at the same time, which really made the table feel abundant.

Since it comes as a set without needing to order several dishes separately, I thought it was a great menu for dining with a group among Samseong Station restaurants.

Fire-grilled octopus stir-fry, that smoky flavor is alive

The main dish, octopus stir-fry, is cooked over an open flame so the smoky char flavor really comes through. The octopus was on the plumper side too, so the chewy texture was great, and the sauce paired really well with rice.

You could also pick the spice level from mild, regular, spicy, all the way to hell, so it seemed convenient for a group with different spice tolerances. When the spiciness got to be a lot from the octopus stir-fry, having a bite of bossam toned it down nicely, and the combination was pretty great.

Bossam and jaengban makguksu make it even more filling

I felt like the charm of the obong special lies in this combination. Instead of eating just the octopus stir-fry the whole time, you get bossam too, and pairing in some jaengban makguksu here and there kept things from getting boring till the end.

With the basic side dishes coming along too, it felt like a properly complete meal, and the portion was generous enough — plenty for two, and depending on appetite, it looked fine for three people to share as well.

Good for a Samseong-dong work dinner or family meal too

Samseong-dong has a lot of offices and a lot of appointments, so deciding on a dinner spot can secretly be a struggle. When someone wants something spicy and someone else wants meat or noodles, a menu like the obong special that brings several things together at once is definitely convenient.

We personally like eating a bit of everything rather than sticking to one dish, so this combo suited us well.

If you're looking for a Samseong Station restaurant and want to enjoy fire-grilled octopus stir-fry, bossam, and noodles all at once, give Obongjip Samseong Branch a try. Price-wise it's not exactly cheap, but considering the composition and portion, it seems like great value for money. It's a place worth remembering again on a day you want a hearty Korean meal.