Now In Korea
Taste of Mokpo: Seafood and Mudflats Shape Namdo Delicacies
Creatrip Team
a month ago
Mokpo, on South Korea’s southwestern coast, drew attention during the 2025 Namdo International Food Industry Expo, jointly hosted by Jeollanam-do and Mokpo City. The event showcased regional masters, top local and international chefs, and signature restaurants promoting K-food. Mokpo’s geography — sea, mudflats, fields and mountains — supplies abundant seasonal ingredients that form the basis of its cuisine. The city’s famous “Mokpo 9-mi” (Mokpo nine delicacies) include small octopus (sebal-nakji), fermented skate served with sides (hongeo-samhap), marinated blue crab (kkotge-muchim), croaker sashimi (min-eohoe), braised monkfish (agu-jjim), rockfish soup (ureok-ganguk), butterfish sashimi (byeong-eohoe), braised hairtail (galchi-jorim), and seasoned ark shell (kkomaek-muchim). Notable restaurants: JinYang Hoetjip serves a multi-course menu showcasing local seafood—abalone porridge, abalone sashimi, sushi, raw fish, honggeo-samhap, octopus dishes (including nakji-yukhoe-tangtangi and grilled octopus rolls), spicy fish stew (maewoon-tang) and sweet potato fritters. Mirak is famous for its flower-crab bibimbap using bibwa (biwa) fruit in the sauce and fresh local fish. Joseon Jjolboktang specializes in a hearty soup made from small puffer-like fish called jjolbok, served per person in earthenware pots. Mansen Restaurant features a rich rockfish broth (ureok-ganguk) made from large rockfish and offers dried eel soup and “song-eo hoe” (locally named bandeng sashimi). Overall, Mokpo’s cuisine emphasizes fresh, local ingredients prepared simply to highlight natural flavors and the generous hospitality of the Namdo region.
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