Gawon Okdol Gim Myeongdong | The only handmade gopchang gim made with perilla oil you can taste only in Korea

Korea's gim is a globally well-known ingredient, easy to enjoy and one of the foods that represents Korea.

Among them, there's a place that grills on an Okdol (heated stone slab) and sells Gopchang Gim, which is much thicker than regular gim.

Myeongdong’s 'Gawon Okdol Gim' is a specialty shop that uses Gopchang Dol Gim raw seaweed and grills it in-store to serve freshly roasted gim.

This is a place where you can compare and see the differences from the raw seaweed to the grilling method, showing how it differs from regular gim.

Today, Our editor will introduce “Gawon Okdol Gim” based on a first-hand visit and impressions.

👇 Click below to see more about detailed business information, how to book, refund policy, and precautions! 👇

[Spot] Gawon Okdol Gim Myeongdong | USP 1 item

 Gawon Okdol Gim | Why We Recommend It

• 'Gawon Okdol Gim' is a premium gim shop that uses limited-quantity Gopchang-dol Gim raw seaweed, produced only in Korea, and grills and sells it fresh in-store.
• Gopchangdol Gim gets its name from the bumpy, gopchang-like surface, and since it can only be harvested for about two months a year, it’s a rare premium ingredient that’s hard to find even within Korea.
• Every morning the gim is marinated and aged in freshly pressed perilla oil, then each sheet is hand-grilled on an Ok-dol (jade stone), so every step is done by hand, and only same-day production gim is sold that day to ensure freshness.
• They use gopchang gim that is about three times thicker than regular paraegim or jeraegim, giving it a substantial thickness that turns delightfully crispy like a snack, and it’s very satisfying as a side or bar snack.
• Each purchase comes with sealed packaging including a desiccant packet, and vacuum packaging is free for orders over 30,000 won, so the crispy texture and rich aroma stay preserved during long trips or after returning home.
• Use a Creatrip coupon to get a 5% on-site discount and receive one extra pack of gim, so don’t miss out!

Gawon Okdol Gim | Our Visit

Today I visited the premium gim specialty shop in Myeongdong, Gawon Okdol Gim.

'Gawon Okdol Gim' is already known for its Gopchang Gim, which has a much thicker texture than regular gim.

I was excited before visiting because you can watch an artisan grill the gim directly on a hot Okdol right in front of you.

Myeongdong is located in the heart of the shopping district, making it easy to drop by naturally while shopping or sightseeing.

[image slider]   

On one side of the shop there was a notice explaining the differences from regular gim, summarizing at a glance the raw seaweed used, the oils, and the overall roasting methods and standards.

They especially emphasize using the finest perilla oil and sesame oil, and grilling the gim directly on an Okdol, which really shows their clear standards and confidence in the seaweed itself.

At the shop they roast gim in real time, so the savory scent of oil and a subtle smoky aroma kept filling the space.

I compared Parae Gim, Jaerae Gim, and Gopchang Gim based on the same 100-sheet standard.

You could clearly see the difference in thickness, it looked at least three times thicker.

They use the highest-grade seaweed that can only be tasted in Korea, Gopchang Dol Gim, and they select only the most prized raw sheets, known as the Gim Emperor, so it was easy to understand why this is considered a premium gim.

[image slider]  

This seaweed is made from raw material that’s limited even in Korea, harvested for only about two months a year, making it a rare and highly prized ingredient.

This is an ingredient classified as a premium raw seaweed, its value clearly sets it apart from regular gim.

The surface is curled and bumpy like gopchang, which naturally gave it the name Gopchang Gim, and you can clearly see the difference from regular gim just by looking at it.

The method of making seasoned gim from this Gopchang Gim is said to be the first and only one in Korea by Gawon Okdol Gim!

Thick seaweed made from these high-quality ingredients is only available here, which made today's visit feel even more special.

[image slider]  

Gopchang Dol Gim itself is a premium raw product, and they apply freshly pressed perilla oil and sesame oil every morning, so you can feel the difference starting from the preparation process.

The oils used are also top-quality perilla oil and sesame oil, which are premium ingredients roughly 20 times more expensive than common cooking oil, so the oil itself is treated as a premium component.

The laver brushed with oil is given a two-day aging process after applying fresh oil to enhance its flavor.

After that, a craftsman grills each sheet by hand on an Okdol (heated stone slab) heated to over 400°C, and the process of hand-grilling about one sheet every 4 seconds was impressive.

Instead of being mass-produced by machines all at once, each sheet is grilled by hand, so you can feel the difference in the process itself.

At the shop, the entire roasting process is open for viewing, so you can watch the artisan roast the seaweed right in front of you.

The sight of sheets of gim being grilled one by one on the hot stone plate felt like a performance.

A premium raw seaweed, fresh oil, and a master’s Okdol (heated stone slab) grilling all combined!

You don't need a long explanation to feel why it's premium right away.

The roasted gim is sealed and packaged with a desiccant, which prevents sogginess without using preservatives.

They operate on a same-day production, same-day sale principle, so products were sold fresh without any added preservatives.

The packaging notes that at room temperature it can be stored for about 2 weeks, and in the freezer for about 6 months, and this information is also printed on the package.

You can feel their focus on freshness, and that they only deal in premium gim!

[image slider]  

You can try these seaweed sheets, freshly roasted in-store, for free.

Our editor tried it on site, and we were able to taste seaweed freshly roasted right at the store.

I liked that you can taste samples before buying, so you can choose with confidence.

You can try Gopchang Gim in this unique form, something you can only experience in Korea, and it felt like a great experience to try once during your trip.

Our editor tasted it personally and noticed a clearly different texture and flavor compared to machine-made gim.

Because they roast each sheet by hand, a subtle, deep smoky aroma rises and the crisp, breaking texture is impressive.

Freshly pressed perilla oil and sesame oil add a nutty aroma, and as you chew the Gopchang Dol Gim its characteristic sweetness comes through.

The thickness is noticeably substantial, so it wasn’t heavy to eat it like a snack.

So it's great to eat on its own as a snack, works well as a bar snack, and is versatile enough to be served with rice.

[image slider]    

After tasting it ourselves, our editor decided to buy some, noting a clearly different texture and composition compared to regular gim.

They offer free sealed packaging for foreign tourists when you spend ₩30,000 or more.

I liked that the service is designed so the seaweed stays crispy and flavorful for a long time, even after long trips or upon returning home.

The vacuum-sealed packaging kept the gim secure, so it didn't break while I was traveling.

Because gim can easily lose its shape, I was even more satisfied that the packaging method took this into account.

So it was great that I could take it along without any hassle during long trips or when returning home!

[image slider]  

The packaging itself was neat, so it looked great as a gift!

The packaging didn’t feel like simple food wrapping, it had a luxurious design, so it seemed like a tasteful souvenir to bring home from a trip to Korea.

Since they use premium raw seaweed, I thought the packaging would be perfect for gifting to special people.

With that, today's visit to Gawon Okdol Gim comes to a close.

'Gawon Okdol Gim' is the first and only place in Korea to make seasoned gim from Gopchang Gim, and its noticeably thicker texture sets it apart from regular gim, so you can clearly feel the difference starting from the raw seaweed itself.

Because the artisan grills each batch by hand and follows a same-day production, same-day sale policy, it was easy to see why it’s known as a premium gim.

If you want to experience Gopchang Dol Gim the most authentic way that you can only taste in Korea, you absolutely must visit Gawon Okdol Gim!

Gawon Okdol Gim | How to Get There

Exit Myeongdong Station through Exit 10.

Go straight.

Turn left at the first alley.

Go straight ahead.

Turn left at the first alley.

Go straight.

Arrived at Gawon Okdol Gim on the right side of the road!

If you have any questions or concerns, Creatrip provides 24/7 real-time support in English, Chinese, and Japanese for international visitors completely free of charge. Reach us anytime on WhatsApp (+82 10-8818-2915) or LINE (@creatrip, @required). You can also follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Youtube to stay updated on all things Korea!