Seoul Window
The platter arrives looking like a red hill. Bean sprouts, hundreds of them, glazed in a thick chili sauce, with chunks of white fish, a few knobbly sea squirts and green stems of water dropwort poking out. You will need to dig for the monkfish, and when it is gone a server will scoop what is left into a hot pan with rice and seaweed. That is 아구찜 agujjim, one of the great Korean group meals, and the dish that turns a table of four into a table of people arguing about who gets the last piece of monkfish liver. This guide covers how to order it without overspending, how spicy it really is, and where locals go in Seoul.
The short answer
- It is a group dish. Small usually means 2 people, medium 3, large 4. Single eat-in portions almost never exist.
- Price: on 2026 menus in this guide, a small agujjim costs about ₩39,000–55,000; seafood haemuljjim runs a little higher.
- Spice is adjustable at most places: ask for deol maepge (less spicy), or order the chili-free jiri-jjim.
- Finish with fried rice, ₩2,000–3,000 per portion, stir-fried in the leftover sauce.
- Two alleys: Nagwon-dong near Jongno 3-ga, home of Yetnaljip, a Seoul Future Heritage restaurant; and Sinsa-dong in Gangnam, where places stay open past midnight.
Where did agujjim come from?
The port of Masan in South Gyeongsang Province, most likely in the 1960s. That much the sources agree on. Who made it first is another matter. Accounts in the Korean press name a woman nicknamed “Hokburi Halmeoni” in Masan’s Odong-dong, a seaside eel restaurant whose daughter-in-law line still runs a monkfish restaurant there (Seoul Shinmun, 2019), and a shop that claims 1965 as its founding year. A Kyungnam University professor told Nocut News in 2019 that the dish spread nationwide after visitors tasted it during the 1982 National Sports Festival in Masan. Treat each origin story as a story.
The fish itself has a humbler past. Monkfish is enormous-headed and spectacularly ugly, and fishermen are said to have tossed it back into the sea. In Incheon it is still called 물텀벙 multeombeong, after the splash it made when it was thrown overboard (Newsis, 2017). Today Incheon’s fisheries research institute calls it a winter stamina food.
ℹ️ Background: agwi or agu, dried or fresh
The name. The standard Korean word is 아귀 agwi; the Standard Korean Language Dictionary lists agu as non-standard. Almost every restaurant sign still says 아구찜 agujjim, so that is the word you will read and hear.
Masan style vs Seoul style. The original Masan agujjim uses monkfish dried in the sea wind for about two to four weeks, giving a chewy, concentrated texture. Seoul restaurants mostly use fresh monkfish, which is softer. The Seoul Media Hub credits Yetnaljip in Nagwon-dong with first serving the fresh, Seoul-style version.
The supporting cast. Bean sprouts make up most of the plate and soak up the sauce; 미더덕 mideodeok (warty sea squirt) pops with briny juice when you bite it, so bite carefully; 미나리 minari adds a fresh, herbal note. Some places sell the monkfish liver, 애 ae, separately. It is rich and smooth, sometimes called Korean foie gras.
Agujjim, haemuljjim, tang: what’s on the menu?
Seoul agujjim restaurants almost always list four dishes at the same prices: agujjim, haemuljjim, agutang and haemultang. Jjim means braised, nearly dry, in a thick sauce with bean sprouts; tang is the same ingredients as a soup. 해물찜 haemuljjim swaps or adds seafood: small octopus, squid, crab, shrimp, clams and roe. You will also see:
- 섞어찜 seokkeo-jjim: half monkfish, half seafood.
- 알찜 al-jjim: pollock roe and milt, rich and creamy.
- 순살 sunsal: boneless monkfish. Monkfish bones are large, so this is easier to eat.
- 지리 jiri: a clear version with no chili at all.
How many people is small, medium and large?
Usually small for 2, medium for 3, large for 4, but check the menu. Most places in this guide follow that rule. Tongnamu Sikdang in Nagwon-dong is the exception that catches people out: its medium is for two and its large for three. Koreans eating with drinks often order one size down; Koreans eating as a full meal plus fried rice order the size that matches the table.
🍽️ Agujjim sizes and real 2026 prices from this guide
| Size | Korean | Feeds | Example prices (2026 menus) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 소 so / 소자 soja | 2 | Cheombeong ₩39,000 · Yaksudong ₩43,000 · Yetnaljip ₩50,000 |
| Medium | 중 jung | 3 | Cheombeong ₩54,000 · Samdado ₩49,000 · Yetnaljip ₩60,000 |
| Large | 대 dae | 4 | Cheombeong ₩69,000 · Ttoksuni ₩73,000 · Yetnaljip ₩70,000 |
| Fried rice | 볶음밥 bokkeumbap | per portion | ₩2,000–3,000 |
| Solo options | 점심 1인 메뉴 | 1 | Lunch monkfish soup: Yaksudong ₩10,000 · Hongbak ₩18,000 |
How spicy is agujjim?
Less spicy than it looks, at most Seoul restaurants. On our Korean spice ladder, which runs from 0 (jjajangmyeon) to 5 (the hottest instant ramen), a standard “regular” agujjim at a Seoul nopo sits around level 2 to 3, roughly between Jin Ramen Spicy and Shin Ramyun. Reviews of the older Seoul places repeatedly describe the sauce as sweet and savory rather than fiery. That is our estimate from reviews, not a lab measurement. Spice levels are set before cooking, so say what you want when you order.
🌶️ Agujjim heat on SeoulWindow's 0–5 spice ladder (our estimate)
| What to say | Korean | What you get | Ladder level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear version | 지리로 주세요 jiri-ro juseyo | No chili at all | 0 |
| Not spicy | 안 맵게요 an maepge-yo | A little color, very mild | 1 |
| Less spicy | 덜 맵게 해 주세요 deol maepge hae juseyo | Gentle heat | 1–2 |
| Regular | 보통으로요 botong-euro-yo | The house standard | 2–3 |
| Spicy | 맵게 해 주세요 maepge hae juseyo | Noticeably hot | 3–4 |
| Very spicy | 아주 맵게요 aju maepge-yo | For heat lovers | 4 and up |
Cheombeong in Sinsa-dong goes further and lists six levels, from jiri to very spicy. If you have just done the Seoul nakji guide, note that agujjim at “regular” is usually gentler than nakji-bokkeum.
💡 Practical tip: how to order agujjim
- Count the table and pick the size: two people say 소자로 주세요 soja-ro juseyo (small, please).
- Choose the dish: agujjim, haemuljjim, or half and half (섞어찜 seokkeo-jjim). Ask for 순살 sunsal if you would rather not deal with bones.
- Set the heat now: 덜 맵게 deol maepge or 보통 botong. It cannot be changed after cooking.
- Eat in order: fish first while the sauce is hot, then the bean sprouts. Dip the fish in the mustard sauce if there is one.
- Leave some sauce and order fried rice: 볶음밥 두 개요 bokkeumbap du gae-yo (two fried rice).
- Leftovers can be packed: 포장해 주세요 pojanghae juseyo.
Nagwon-dong or Sinsa-dong: which agujjim alley?
Seoul has two agujjim alleys, and they feel very different. Nagwon-dong, beside the Nagwon instrument arcade near Jongno 3-ga, came first: Korean reports date the first agujjim there to the early 1970s, and in 2023 the Seoul Media Hub counted more than ten agujjim and haemuljjim restaurants still busy on the street. Sinsa-dong, right outside Sinsa Station in Gangnam, grew from the late 1970s and 1980s. Busan Agu there says it opened in 1980 (The Korea Herald, 2025). The Gangnam side stays open far later, some places until 4 a.m.
🗺️ Seoul's two agujjim alleys
| Nagwon-dong (낙원동) | Sinsa-dong (신사동) | |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest station | Jongno 3-ga, 3 min | Sinsa, 1–3 min |
| Started | Early 1970s | Late 1970s–1980s |
| Feel | Older crowd, office dinners, near Insadong and Jongmyo | Late-night Gangnam, after-work groups, near Garosu-gil |
| Late night | Most close around 22:00 | Some open until 01:00–04:00 |
| Best for | A history-minded Jongno day | Dinner after Garosu-gil, or very late |
11 agujjim and haemuljjim places in Seoul
Selection criteria: places where agujjim or haemuljjim is the main dish; a dated 2025–2026 sign they are still open (Kakao Map, DiningCode reviews, menu updates); a spread across Seoul; and at least two with a solo-friendly lunch option. Two Nagwon-dong places already appear in our neighborhood guides, so they get short entries with links. Prices and hours reflect public listings as of October 2026.
🏆 Agujjim and haemuljjim in Seoul: 11 places (as of October 2026)
| # | Place | Area | Small agujjim (2026 menu) | Solo option | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Busan Agu | Sinsa-dong | ₩40,000 | — | 1980, open to 01:00 |
| 2 | Cheombeong | Sinsa-dong | ₩39,000 | — | 6 spice levels, open to 04:00 |
| 3 | Wonjo Masan Halmae Agujjim | Sinsa (Jamwon-dong side) | from ₩55,000 | Crab-roe set ₩30,000 | Chili-free jiri-jjim, mostly 24 h |
| 4 | Yetnaljip Nagwon Agujjim | Nagwon-dong | ₩50,000 | — | Seoul Future Heritage |
| 5 | Tongnamu Sikdang | Nagwon-dong | Medium (for 2) ~₩48,000 | — | Strong on haemuljjim |
| 6 | Hongbak Agujjim | Gongdeok | ₩50,000 | Lunch fresh monkfish soup ₩18,000 | Fresh monkfish from Busan |
| 7 | Yaksudong Haemul Teombeong | Yaksu | ₩43,000 | Lunch monkfish ttukbaegi ₩10,000 | 1 min from the station |
| 8 | Garakgol Masan Agujjim | Garak-dong | from ₩50,000 | — | Huge portions, floor seating |
| 9 | Samdado | Samyang-dong, Gangbuk | Medium ₩49,000 | Agutang (soup) small ₩36,000 | Neighborhood nopo |
| 10 | Oksu Haemuljjim Kalguksu | Oksu | Haemuljjim ₩60,000 | Clam kalguksu ₩9,000 | Seafood-jjim specialist |
| 11 | Ttoksuni Agujjim | Balsan, Gangseo | Large (for 4) ₩73,000 | Takeout single portion ₩27,000 | Small chain, main shop |
1. Busan Agu (부산 아구) — Sinsa-dong’s 1980 original, a minute from the station
On the east side of the Sinsa-dong alley, steps from Sinsa Station, Busan Agu told The Korea Herald in 2025 that it opened in 1980, and the dining room still has a market-hall feel. The small agujjim is ₩40,000; the crab-and-monkfish mixed jjim (small, ₩65,000) is the luxury option. Two house extras make it memorable: free refills of the crab broth on the side, and the crab-roe rice (₩30,000) that many tables order instead of plain fried rice. Regulars describe the sauce as savory rather than aggressive. 10 Gangnam-daero 150-gil, Gangnam-gu · Sinsa Station, about 1 min · 10:00–01:00 (Sun to 23:00), break 15:00–16:00 · agujjim (S) ₩40,000 / crab mix (S) ₩65,000 / fried rice ₩3,000
2. Cheombeong (아구본가첨벙 신사본점) — Six spice levels, open until 4 a.m.
Next door to Busan Agu, Cheombeong is the place to go if heat control matters. According to a 2026 Taste Korean Food write-up, it offers six levels, from chili-free jiri through mild, less spicy, regular, spicy and very spicy. Sizes are clear: small ₩39,000, medium ₩54,000, large ₩69,000, and monkfish liver is sold as a separate dish. It stays open until 04:00 most nights, which makes it the late-night answer in Gangnam. Recent reviews are critical of the service, so expect efficiency rather than warmth. 12 Gangnam-daero 150-gil, Gangnam-gu · Sinsa Station Exit 1, about 2 min · 11:00–04:00 (Sun to 22:00), break 15:00–16:00 · agujjim S ₩39,000 / M ₩54,000 / L ₩69,000 / seafood mix (S) ₩65,000 📍 Open in Naver Map
3. Wonjo Masan Halmae Agujjim (원조 마산할매아구찜) — The chili-free option, almost around the clock
At the Seocho entrance to the alley on the other side of Gangnam-daero, this long-running place has the widest menu in the area: regular agujjim (₩55,000), fresh-fish agujjim (₩59,000), seafood jjim (₩69,000), a mala-spiced agujjim (₩60,000) and, most usefully for spice-shy visitors, agu jiri-jjim (₩55,000), made without any chili powder. It is open almost 24 hours with a short evening break, and one person can order the crab-roe rice set (₩30,000). Reviews note a lot of tour groups, so it feels more touristy than its neighbors. 10 Gangnam-daero 99-gil, Seocho-gu · Sinsa Station, about 3 min · mostly 24 hours, short break around 16:20–17:00 (varies by day) · agujjim ₩55,000 / jiri-jjim ₩55,000 / seafood jjim ₩69,000
4. Yetnaljip Nagwon Agujjim (옛날집 낙원아구찜) — The Seoul Future Heritage of the Nagwon alley
Our Insadong guide covers this one, so briefly: Yetnaljip is a designated Seoul Future Heritage, said to be the first agujjim house on the Nagwon-dong street, and credited by the Seoul Media Hub with introducing the fresh-monkfish Seoul style. Its sauce is on the mild, sweet side. Agujjim, haemuljjim, agutang and haemultang all cost the same: small ₩50,000, medium ₩60,000, large ₩70,000. Seoul city’s own articles give its founding year as both 1967 and 1977, so we leave it at “over 40 years.” 436 Samil-daero, Jongno-gu · Jongno 3-ga Station Exit 5, about 3 min · 11:30–22:00 · agujjim / haemuljjim S ₩50,000 / M ₩60,000 / L ₩70,000 📍 Open in Naver Map
5. Tongnamu Sikdang (마산해물아구찜 통나무식당) — The haemuljjim pick next door
Covered in our Jongno 3-ga and Seosulla-gil guide, Tongnamu is the one Nagwon regulars argue for when Yetnaljip is full, and its haemuljjim is the reason. Watch the sizes: here medium is for two (about ₩48,000) and large for three, one step off from most places. It does not take phone reservations, and weekday service may start in the late afternoon. 436-1 Samil-daero, Jongno-gu · Jongno 3-ga Station Exit 5, about 3 min · hours vary by day (some weekdays from 16:00) to 22:00 · medium (for 2) ~₩48,000 / large (for 3) ~₩56,000
6. Hongbak Agujjim (홍박아구찜) — Gongdeok’s fresh-monkfish specialist
West of the center, in a basement near Gongdeok Station, Hongbak brings in fresh monkfish from Busan and is known for monkfish suyuk (boiled, sliced monkfish with dipping sauce), a dish that shows off the fish without the sauce. Agujjim runs small ₩50,000, medium ₩65,000, large ₩80,000, and you can choose the heat. For solo travelers, the lunch fresh-monkfish soup (₩18,000) is the way in. B1, 11 Mapo-daero 7-gil, Mapo-gu · Gongdeok Station, about 5 min · 11:30–21:30, break 15:00–17:00 · agujjim S ₩50,000 / monkfish suyuk (S) ₩60,000 / lunch monkfish soup ₩18,000
7. Yaksudong Haemul Teombeong (약수동해물텀벙) — The solo traveler’s agujjim stop
About a minute from Yaksu Station, this restaurant ranks at the top of DiningCode’s Seoul agujjim list, and it solves the solo problem better than anyone: a lunch monkfish ttukbaegi (₩10,000), a single-serving earthenware bowl of monkfish soup. For two, the small agujjim (₩43,000) is labeled clearly as a two-person size. It is an easy stop between Dongdaemun and Itaewon, or on the way to the Namsan walking trails. 11 Dasan-ro 10-gil, Jung-gu · Yaksu Station, about 1–2 min · 11:00–22:00, closed one day a week · agujjim S (for 2) ₩43,000 / monkfish seafood soup M (for 3) ₩62,000 / lunch monkfish ttukbaegi ₩10,000
8. Garakgol Masan Agujjim (가락골마산아구찜) — Songpa’s portion champion
Near Garak Market in Songpa, this is a big-portion, shoes-off, sit-on-the-floor restaurant with a line at opening on Saturdays. Agujjim and agutang run ₩50,000–70,000 by size, haemuljjim ₩55,000–75,000, and you can add abalone for ₩10,000. The sauce is not very spicy. Arrive right after the 17:30 reopening to avoid the queue. 3 Songi-ro 19-gil, Songpa-gu · Police Hospital Station, about 5 min · 11:30–21:30, break 16:00–17:30, closed one day a week · agujjim ₩50,000–70,000 / haemuljjim ₩55,000–75,000 / fried rice ₩3,000 📍 Open in Naver Map
9. Samdado (삼양동 삼다도아구탕) — A north Seoul neighborhood classic
Far from the tourist map in Samyang-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Samdado was introduced on Korean TV in 2026 as a 47-year-old monkfish house, and Esquire Korea (2023) described its sauce as made with chili flakes rather than gochujang, using fresh monkfish bought daily. The menu is short: agujjim medium ₩49,000, large ₩59,000, and monkfish soup from ₩36,000 for a small pot. Locals call it one of the best in Seoul; it is a ride on the Ui-Sinseol light rail, and a good pairing with a Bukhansan hike. 10-14 Samyang-ro 29-gil, Gangbuk-gu · Samyang Sageori Station Exit 1, about 6 min · 11:00–22:00, closed one day a week · agujjim M ₩49,000 / L ₩59,000 / agutang S ₩36,000
10. Oksu Haemuljjim Kalguksu (옥수해물찜칼국수) — Seafood jjim by Oksu Station
The seafood-first option. This Oksu restaurant, a couple of minutes from the station, builds its menu around haemuljjim (small ₩60,000, medium ₩70,000, large ₩80,000), with agujjim (small ₩57,000) as the alternative. Because it is also a kalguksu shop, a solo diner can come for a ₩9,000 clam kalguksu and watch what the neighbors order. It pairs well with a walk along the Han River at Oksu or a Seoul Forest afternoon. 39 Dokseodang-ro 40-gil, Seongdong-gu · Oksu Station, about 2 min · 11:30–21:30 · haemuljjim S ₩60,000 / agujjim S ₩57,000 / clam kalguksu ₩9,000 📍 Open in Naver Map
11. Ttoksuni Agujjim (똑순이아구찜) — Near Gimpo, with a takeout single portion
In Gangseo near Balsan Station, on the airport side of the city, Ttoksuni was described by Elle Korea in 2024 as over 40 years old. It now has a branch in Jamsil, so it is a small chain, and this is the main shop. Its menu illustrates the solo rule perfectly: one-person agujjim exists, but only for takeout (₩27,000). To eat in, start from the small baek-jjim (white, for 2, ₩45,000) or go to the large agujjim for four (₩73,000). Boneless and roe options are on the menu. 375-8 Gangseo-ro, Gangseo-gu · Balsan Station, about 2 min · 11:00–22:00, closed one day a week · agujjim L (for 4) ₩73,000 / seafood agujjim M (for 3) ₩79,000 / baek-jjim S ₩45,000 / single takeout ₩27,000 📍 Open in Naver Map
💡 Practical tip: before you go
- Eating alone? Aim for lunch at Yaksudong Haemul Teombeong or Hongbak, or take a single portion away from Ttoksuni.
- Break times are common between 15:00 and 17:30. Arriving right as dinner service starts avoids most queues.
- Weekly closing days vary and are not always posted online. Check Naver Map on the day.
- Mind the sea squirts. Mideodeok squirts hot liquid when bitten. Pierce it with a chopstick first.
- Dietary note. The sauce is thickened with starch and seasoned with soy and other sauces; there is no reliably gluten-free, halal or vegetarian agujjim at these places.
If you are building a spicy-food day, pair agujjim with a bowl from our Seoul jjamppong map, and keep the Korean hangover food guide handy for the morning after a long Sinsa-dong night.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the difference between agujjim and haemuljjim? Same sauce, same bean sprouts, different protein. Agujjim is mainly monkfish; haemuljjim is mixed seafood such as small octopus, squid, crab, shrimp and clams. Most restaurants price them the same or close. Seokkeo-jjim is half of each.
Q. Which alley should I visit, Nagwon-dong or Sinsa-dong? Nagwon-dong if you are sightseeing in Jongno, Insadong or near Jongmyo; it is older and closes around 22:00. Sinsa-dong if you are in Gangnam or need a late dinner; several places are open past 01:00.
Q. How much should two people budget? On 2026 menus in this guide, a small agujjim for two costs about ₩39,000–55,000, plus ₩4,000–6,000 for two portions of fried rice and drinks on top.
Sources
- Standard Korean Language Dictionary — "agu" → "agwi" (National Institute of Korean Language)
- Seoul Media Hub — Nagwon-dong agujjim street and Yetnaljip (Jan 2023)
- Seoul Media Hub — Seoul Future Heritage restaurants (Nov 2021)
- Incheon Fisheries Resources Research Institute — Monkfish, seafood of the month (Feb 2025)
- Seoul Shinmun — Masan agujjim and its origins (Feb 2019)
- Nocut News — Masan dried agujjim vs Seoul style (Mar 2019)
- Newsis — Incheon's "multeombeong" (Jan 2017)
- Kyunghyang Shinmun — Nagwon-dong agujjim alley (Oct 2001)
- Gyeongnam Domin Ilbo — Agujjim from Masan to Seoul (Feb 2015)
- The Korea Herald — Busan Agu, Sinsa-dong (Jan 2025)
- Taste Korean Food — Cheombeong agujjim (Feb 2026)
- Esquire Korea — Seoul monkfish restaurants (Jan 2023)
- Kakao Map and DiningCode place listings (menus, hours, latest reviews) for each restaurant, checked 2026-10-02
Spice levels are SeoulWindow's estimate based on restaurant menus and diner reviews. Prices and hours reflect public listings as of October 2026; a checked date will be added after on-site verification.