The fish tank is intimidating only until you know the words. 14 dishes decoded — 활어회 vs 모둠회 vs 물회 vs 회덮밥 — the 6-step 횟집 flow that catches foreigners off guard (the 스키다시 side-dish bill, saying 지리 for non-spicy), 6 coastal regions by signature catch, and 8 ordering tactics.
Checked 2026-09-25 against Korea Tourism Organization and Visit Jeju listings. No dish prices: they swing with season, weight and wild vs farmed (자연산 vs 양식) — agree the total before anything is prepared.
Filter to raw-only or cooked-only if you’re easing in.
14 results
A prized shellfish — eaten raw as hoe, grilled with butter, or as 전복죽 (abalone rice porridge). Common on Jeju.
Allergens: mollusk, sesame
Tip: Jeonbok-juk (porridge) is the foreigner-friendly form — mild, no bones, and easy to find on Jeju. Raw abalone is chewy.
A mixed platter of several fish (and often sea squirt, sea cucumber, octopus). The easiest single order for a table that can’t read a tank.
Allergens: fish, mollusk, shellfish
Tip: Ordered by platter size (소/중/대 = small/medium/large) for a number of people — say how many of you there are and let them size it.
The non-spicy version of maeuntang — a clean, clear broth from the same fish frame, seasoned with salt instead of chili.
Allergens: fish, soy
Tip: The magic word for "make it not spicy." Pronounced "jee-ree." Lifesaver for chili-sensitive diners.
Sliced raw fish (or squid/whelk) in an icy, sweet-tangy chilled broth with julienned vegetables. Popular along the east coast, especially in summer.
Allergens: fish, mollusk
Tip: An easy way to try raw fish solo — it’s a one-bowl dish, no tank, no 스키다시 minimum. Great for a hot day.
A tabletop grill loaded with clams, scallops, mussels and razor clams, often finished with cheese-corn or a buttery clam-rice.
Allergens: shellfish, mollusk, milk
Tip: A cooked, no-raw option that’s great for groups and beer. Ordered as a set for 2+; solo diners struggle here.
A winter specialty of Guryongpo, Pohang — saury (sometimes herring) dried in the sea breeze for about ten days until chewy and rich. A strong, oily, acquired taste.
Allergens: fish
Tip: A winter dish. Intense — go with the full wrap (or dip in chojang), never plain. A "you either love it or hate it" dish.
A small octopus chopped at the table — the pieces still squirm. A texture/novelty dish, mild in flavor.
Allergens: mollusk, sesame
Tip: Real choking risk — chew each piece fully before swallowing, especially the suckers. Not for kids or the squeamish.
Sashimi from a fish killed to order out of the tank. Chewier and firmer than Japanese sashimi — Koreans prize the springy texture, not melt-in-mouth fat.
Allergens: fish
Tip: Price is usually per fish/per kg, not per person — confirm the total before they kill it. Flatfish (광어) and rockfish (우럭) are common, familiar choices.
Diced raw fish over rice with vegetables and chojang — Korea’s answer to chirashi/poke. An approachable raw-fish dish for first-timers.
Allergens: fish, sesame, soy
Tip: Available at ordinary restaurants and even food courts — you do not need to go to a 횟집. An easy entry point to Korean raw fish.
A bright-orange marine invertebrate with a uniquely metallic, sweet-bitter ocean flavor. Often part of a 모둠회 platter.
Allergens: mollusk
Tip: The most polarizing item on a sashimi platter — try one piece before committing.
A thick, crisp-edged pancake packed with squid, shrimp, clams and scallions. The cooked, no-risk crowd-pleaser of any seafood spread.
Allergens: shellfish, mollusk, wheat, egg
Tip: A fully cooked fallback if the raw stuff is too much — many seafood restaurants have it.
Steamed crab sold by weight, with the roe-and-rice fried in the shell at the end. East-coast towns such as Yeongdeok and Uljin are known for snow crab.
Allergens: shellfish
Tip: Always sold by live weight — watch the scale, agree the price BEFORE it’s cooked.
Raw blue crab cured in soy sauce — silky, briny, intensely savory. Nicknamed "rice thief" (밥도둑) because you eat so much rice with it.
Allergens: shellfish
Tip: It’s raw + very salty — start with a little. There’s also a spicy version, 양념게장. A famous Seoul dish, no coast trip needed.
A bubbling red stew of fish bones/heads, tofu, vegetables and chili. At a 횟집 it’s the cooked "finish" made from your sashimi fish’s frame.
Allergens: fish, shellfish, soy
Tip: After raw fish at a 횟집, the staff offer 매운탕 or the clear 지리 — this is normal and often included or cheap. Say "지리" if you can’t do spicy.
In order — this is where the surprises (and overcharging) happen.
At a 횟집 you choose from the tank by weight, or just order 모둠회 (assorted) sized 소/중/대 for your group. At a market, buy from a stall, then take it to an on-site restaurant to be prepared.
Live fish and crab are sold by weight — ask the total (얼마예요?) and confirm before they prep it, so the bill holds no surprises.
A dozen+ free-ish side dishes (스키다시) arrive before the fish — tempura, snails, salads, sometimes grilled fish. At markets the restaurant that prepares your fish usually charges a per-person 상차림 (table-setting) fee; at restaurants sides are usually included.
The raw fish comes after the sides. Dip in chojang or soy-wasabi; wrap with garlic, chili and perilla leaf. Eat lighter white fish first.
The fish frame becomes 매운탕 (spicy) or 지리 (clear) stew with rice — order whichever; say 지리 for non-spicy. Often included or cheap.
Check for the 상차림/자릿세 (table fee), drinks, and the stew. At markets the restaurant’s fee is separate from what you paid the fish stall.
Each coast has a different signature catch. Includes a Seoul option if you’re not leaving the city.
A fishing port at the southern end of Sokcho, known for fresh seafood — easy to combine with a Seoraksan day.
The home of Guryongpo gwamegi — go to the source in winter, and walk the nearby Japanese-era house street.
One of Korea’s largest seafood markets, famous for its “Jagalchi ajumma” fish sellers — the classic pick-it-live, eat-it-here experience.
A harbour market with almost 400 years of history (KTO), next to Dongpirang mural village.
Jeju’s largest permanent market (KTO), which highlights its sliced raw cutlassfish at reasonable prices.
One of Korea’s largest seafood markets. Buy in the market, then take it to the raw-fish restaurants (2F) to have it sliced or cooked for a fee.