Cycle 16 – Item 244

POST 5,723

6 (Sat) September 2025

Nakji Bossam Hansang

4.0

at Nakbuljip

-Songjeong, Haeundae, Busan, Republic of Korea-

with staff

Setting Up Shop (Pik-a-Book): Day 3 of 4

• • Day 1 (16.242 Milmyeon, When in Busan)
  • Day 2 (16.243 Gomjangeo Samgyeopsal)
  • Day 3 (16.244 Nakji Bossam Hansang)
  • Day 4 (16.245 Suyuk Baekban)

In Busan.  Here to oversee set-up of our new store – Pik-a-Book – located in the Village de Ananti, as teased in a post on our recon mission a couple months back (see generally 16.190 Suyuk (Assorted Boiled Meat Slices).  If all goes according to schedule, we should be up and running by Saturday.  Returning Sunday.

LUNCH

Wonjo Halmae Gukbap is a Korean restaurant.  Specializes dweji gukbap.  The highest rated gukbap joint in the neighborhood.

What a dump, both the place and the food.

LAUNCH

By early afternoon, we were ready to roll.

At day’s end, we had secured 4 sales.  Let’s go.

SNACK

Dakbal Dakggochi Yeomtong Dakgangjeong – not really the name, just a list of some menu items – is a Korean snack shop.  Offers a limited range of snack items, including odeng, specializing in various forms of chicken.

On my first visit to Busan a few yearss ago, I had been disappointed to learn that “Busan odeng/eomuk” isn’t really a thing in Busan, beyond what fishcake skewers are anywhere in Korea (see generally 13.094 Just Regular Eomuk).

This trip, the hotel was surrounded on either side of shops offering odeng/eomuk – the 3 shops featured over the past 3 posts were located at a combined distance of 492 m from the hotel – couldn’t resist, just a taste.

They all tasted exactly the same.

None of them were spicy, as “Busan odeng/eomuk” used to be promoted, at least in Seoul, years back.

DINNER

Nakbuljip is a Korean restaurant.  Specializes in octopus (nakji), sautéed in spicy sauce.  According to the menu, the octopus is aged through a patented process.

In Cycle 12, the beer franchise chain Yeokjeon Halmeoni Maekju 1982 was featured as holding a patent on their beer-freezing device (see 12.196 ‘Tis Rare Fine Beer).  This makes sense because beer freezing is the kind of novelty that is protectable by patent, and because the franchise model necessitates dissemination of the technology, making it vulnerable to piracy, which competitors would exploit to the detriment of the chain, and because the corporate owners would have the resources to file for the patent.  And because they show the patent certificate on the wall.

But this is a small independent restaurant that serves octopus.  Seems a bit far-fetched that the kitchen developed some cutting edge methodology for making octopus that was somehow at risk of falling into the hands of competing octopus restaurants, and so the mom-and-pop owners had the wherewithal to hire a lawyer and file for protection.  No patent certificate to be seen.

In Cyle 4, Korean-Chinese restaurant Son Jjajang Maeul was featured to hold a patent for something (see generally 4.205 Jjajang Myeon) – though the place currently operates under a different name, no mention of the patent.

I can’t recall any restaurant outside of Korea that boasts of holding a patent.

Nakji Bossam Hansang is a set (hansang = one/full table).  Comes with nakji + bossam (technically, just steamed pork belly), along with a variety of toppings + dips + wraps + rice + sides.

Absolutely awesome.  The signature octopus was exquisitely chewy – thanks to the patent-protected aging process, no doubt – perfect balance of spicy-sweet-salty.  The pork belly was luxuriously silky.  Among the toppings, the snow fungus was intriguing in its flavorless sponginess.  Every combination provided a distinct taste-texture profile, each as amazing as the next.  Best meal of the trip.

Will definitely come back.

(See RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)

(See GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See HANSIK)

(See BOOZE)