Daebak Hongdo Agujjim in Mokpo is a restaurant specializing in agujjim — spicy braised monkfish — and it closes for a break every day from 15:00 to 16:30.
For a visitor from abroad, the thing to work around is that break time and the Monday closures, not the menu, which has a single item listed.
This post covers what the dish is, where the restaurant sits inside Dongbu Market, the hours and closing days, how to get there from Seoul by KTX or bus, and what the listing does not tell you.
Key facts — As of 2026-10-02
- KTX from Seoul to Mokpo takes at fastest 2h 20m with fares from 43,500 KRW, first train 05:08 and last 21:18; the express bus takes at fastest 3h 50m at 36,700-57,200 KRW.
- The restaurant sits inside Dongbu Market in Mokpo and runs a main building plus an annex; the phone number in the listing is +82-61-278-7773.
What Is Agujjim, and What Do You Order Here?
| Restaurant | Daebak Hongdo Agujjim (대박홍도아구찜) |
|---|---|
| Signature dish | Agujjim — spicy braised monkfish (아구찜) |
| Location | Dongbu Market, Mokpo, South Jeolla Province |
| Hours | 11:30–21:00, break 15:00–16:30 |
| Last order | 14:00 and 20:00 |
| Closed | 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month |
| Phone | +82-61-278-7773 |
You order the agujjim — the Korean is 아구찜, which you can point at on the menu.
The name breaks down simply: agu means monkfish, and jjim means braised.
The Korea Tourism Organization lists it as the restaurant’s signature and only menu item, described as a well-known secret among Mokpo residents.
The dish is monkfish, bean sprouts, and other vegetables stir-fried in a red chili paste–based sauce.
Monkfish itself is known for a tender, chewy texture, and in Korea it is usually cooked by braising.
The listing adds that the restaurant is known for its dipping sauce made with chili pepper powder.
If you want a dish to order without studying a menu, this is the case — one name, one item, and the Korean characters to say or point at.
Getting there — Daebak Hongdo Agujjim
- Seoul → Mokpo by train: fastest 2h 20m, from ₩43,500, 35 trains a day, first 05:08 · last 21:18 · timetable
- Seoul → Mokpo by express bus: fastest 3h 50m, from ₩36,700, 14 buses a day, first 06:00 · last 23:55 · timetable
- Last leg: about 1.8 km from Mokpo Station — roughly 3 min by taxi or car without traffic; local buses also run (check the stop sign or a map app)
- Map: Naver Map · Kakao Map · Google Maps — search 대박홍도아구찜
Calculated by koreankorea.com from the national train and express-bus timetables, OpenStreetMap road distance. Plan your own route
Where Is Daebak Hongdo Agujjim — Mokpo, Not Gwangju?
The restaurant is in Dongbu Market in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province — not in Gwangju, though it appears in the Gwangju & Jeonnam regional listing.
Mokpo is a port city in South Jeolla, about 2h 20m from Seoul by KTX.
The restaurant runs two buildings — a main building and an annex — which the listing attributes to its popularity.
It sits inside a traditional market rather than on a standalone street front, so it reads as a market food-hall stop rather than a destination restaurant.
If you are searching for it in Gwangju, switch your map to Mokpo; the confirmed address is only "Dongbu Market, Mokpo," since the street address is blank in the KTO listing.
Hours, Break Time, and Which Mondays It Closes
Daebak Hongdo Agujjim is open 11:30–21:00, with last order at 14:00 and 20:00, per the Korea Tourism Organization English listing.
| Detail | Time or day |
|---|---|
| Open | 11:30–21:00 |
| Break time | 15:00–16:30 |
| Last order | 14:00 & 20:00 |
| Closed | 1st & 3rd Mondays of the month |
| Safest slot | Lunch before 14:00, or an early dinner before 20:00 |
Whether the Monday closure shifts on public holidays is not confirmed, so check the calendar date before a holiday-weekend trip.
Getting There From Seoul — KTX vs Express Bus
The fastest KTX from Seoul to Mokpo takes 2h 20m and costs from ₩43,500, with the first train at 05:08 and the last at 21:18.
The express bus takes at fastest 3h 50m at ₩36,700–₩57,200, running from 06:00 to 23:55.
The KTX is 1h 30m quicker than the fastest bus, but starts about ₩6,800 higher than the cheapest bus fare (₩43,500 vs ₩36,700).
| Route | Fastest time | Fare | First | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KTX Seoul → Mokpo | 2h 20m | from ₩43,500 | 05:08 | 21:18 |
| Express bus Seoul → Mokpo | 3h 50m | ₩36,700–₩57,200 | 06:00 | 23:55 |
For trains on the day, the koreankorea.com page lists today’s departures to Gwangju, Mokpo, and Yeosu.
Prices, Phone, and What the Listing Does Not Say
No price for the agujjim is listed in the Korea Tourism Organization English listing, so plan to confirm the cost on site or by phone.
The phone number in the listing is +82-61-278-7773.
The listing also has no website, no reservations field, and no takeout field — only the parking field, which says not available.
This means you cannot pre-check the menu price or book a table through a listed site.
Calling the number above before a long trip is the one confirmed way to check same-day availability.
If you are budgeting a Seoul–Mokpo day trip, the number you can plan with is the transport cost — from ₩43,500 each way by KTX — and the meal cost stays a call-away rather than a listed figure.
Before anything else I look at the hours, the break time and the closing day, because that 15:00–16:30 break is what most often ruins a visit — I would rather plan lunch before 14:00 than risk an afternoon arrival.
👉 trains from Seoul to Mokpo, Gwangju, and Yeosu
👉 Gwangju & Jeonnam travel guide map
👉 KTX Seoul to Mokpo timetable
👉 Express bus Seoul to Mokpo timetable
Related posts
📎 Seoul — everything we know
📎 📅 Upcoming Dates — Release & Event Calendar
Sources
- Restaurant confirmed as located in Dongbu Market, Mokpo (api.visitkorea.or.kr)
- Fastest 2h 20m, from 43,500 KRW, first 05:08, last 21:18 (koreankorea.com)
- Fastest 3h 50m, 36,700-57,200 KRW, first 06:00, last 23:55 (koreankorea.com)
Worth Knowing Before You Go
- Agujjim (아구찜) is the only listed menu item — agu is monkfish, jjim is braised.
- The restaurant closes 15:00–16:30 daily and on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month.
- Last order is 14:00 and 20:00, so a lunch before 14:00 or an early dinner is the safest slot.
- The KTX from Seoul takes 2h 20m from ₩43,500; the express bus takes 3h 50m from ₩36,700.
- Parking is listed as not available, so arriving on foot or by local transport is the way in.
FAQ
Q. What is Daebak Hongdo Agujjim known for, and what should I order?
Agujjim — spicy braised monkfish stir-fried with bean sprouts in a red chili paste sauce. The Korean to point at is 아구찜.
Q. Where exactly is it — Mokpo or Gwangju?
Mokpo, in Dongbu Market, South Jeolla Province. It appears in the Gwangju & Jeonnam regional listing but the restaurant itself is in Mokpo.
Q. How much does agujjim cost there?
No price is listed in the Korea Tourism Organization listing or other checked sources, so the cost needs confirming on site or by phone at +82-61-278-7773.
Q. Can I make a reservation?
The listing has no reservations field, so booking availability is not confirmed — calling +82-61-278-7773 is the way to check.
Q. Is it worth going from Seoul just for this?
The KTX takes 2h 20m each way, so it is a full-day trip; whether that is worth it depends on how much of Mokpo you plan to see beyond this one restaurant.
Check the trains from Seoul page for today’s departures to Mokpo, and the Gwangju & Jeonnam travel guide map for what else pairs with a Mokpo stop.
Cover photo: Daebak Hongdo Agujjim by Korea Tourism Organization — KOGL Type 1 (attribution)
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