Gangnam Korean restaurant squid stir-fry and pork: Obongjip

After having a little look around Hyundai Department Store and taking a walk because the weather was nice, I went to Obongjip, a great restaurant near Samseong Station! It is right next to COEX Mall, so it is easy to get to, and I had such a hearty Korean meal 😆

The atmosphere at Obongjip beside COEX Mall and Samseong Station

Ah... the color is unreal. What is this sudden natural light? I have been to Obongjip so many times, but it was especially delicious that day...💖 Did my appetite suddenly explode? It just felt like Obongjip near Samseong Station was extra high-quality. Look at this spread...!!! ✨✨

The makguksu (buckwheat noodles) is included in the set too, along with who knows how many side dishes. And of course, you can refill them endlessly at the self bar 😊 I seriously wonder whether they make any profit. Hahahahahahaha.

When I went on the weekend, the food alley near COEX was a little quiet. But... everyone was gathered at Obongjip 🤭 It was peak lunchtime, sure, hahahahahaha, but I was still shocked. Great restaurants really are different.

Don't get me wrong. I snapped this quickly when there was no one around; there really were so many customers!! Stir-fried octopus and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) are Korean dishes that are always delicious and craveable, right? Bossam (boiled pork wraps) is usually drinking food, but I need meat from daytime on 😝

Ordering the Squid Obongjip Special

Obongjip has such a huge menu. Since we had to walk around and shop some more, we decided to fill up properly and ordered a set!!! I tried squid instead of stir-fried octopus, and I debated the creamy Toowoomba kalguksu so hard, but maybe next time 😂

The banchan (Korean side dishes) came out first. Even the tray feels so homey, haha. There were bean sprouts and seaweed to mix with the squid stir-fry later, plus kimchi and sausage-and-vegetable stir-fry among the sides ❣

Spicy squid stir-fry with gabrisal boiled pork

✅ Squid Obongjip Special ₩62,000 Eek, this absolutely insane-looking spread arrived...💖 This has to be for three, not two, right? It would be so good for three people having drinks too!!! I bet it is super popular for company dinners near Samseong Station. The squid stir-fry and gabrisal (pork neck) boiled pork were so delicious that, makguksu, I'm sorry. I didn't give you enough attention 😂

The gabrisal boiled pork was ridiculously good. It was unbelievably tender, and the kimchi and dried radish strips were so good that I could not stop eating. It paired perfectly with the makguksu too!!!! At other places the boiled pork can be pretty dry, but although this was not steaming hot, it was truly tender with no off smell at all!!

The star: squid stir-fry. I had only ever ordered stir-fried octopus before, but I was craving squid that day, so I ordered it—and it was a successful choice. The squid was springy, and there was lots of cabbage, so it was delicious 👍👍

Self-bar side dishes and squid stir-fry bibimbap

The self bar was so clean, and everything was available for unlimited refills. And at lunch, get this... the rice is free, unlimited. I scooped some into a big bowl to mix it all up 😉😉

Okay, mix mix. I had wanted to stir it all together with the squid stir-fry. Thinking that I would have added a soft-cooked egg if I were at home, I added bean sprouts, seaweed flakes, and the sesame oil on every table—and it was exactly three times tastier 😝😝

I diligently wrapped the boiled pork in kimchi, then wrapped it with makguksu too, and ate until I was seriously bursting. A sugar spike, sure, but I can just move around~ Starting with Goyard, I shopped and shopped.

Over to one side, they had floss, hair ties, toothpicks, and even plum tea that is good for digestion. Such thoughtful touches 👍👍 The owner or staff member seemed incredibly busy working alone, but they were really kind too 👍👍

Parking and opening hours

It had been a while since I came to Obongjip, and it was so delicious. My boyfriend, who was visiting Obongjip for the first time, enjoyed it too. We parked at Hyundai Department Store! They give you a parking coupon 😉 That squid stir-fry, boiled pork, and makguksu combination was the best.

• Daily 11:00–22:00
• Weekday break time 14:30–17:00
• Weekend break time 15:00–16:00