Juju Madang

About

A cozy, nostalgic retro pocha near Gwangmyeong Sageori serving comfort-food hand-pulled suebi, crispy jeon, and homestyle drinking snacks.

Tucked along Ori-ro near Gwangmyeong Sageori Station, Juju Madang captures the unpolished, time-worn soul of a classic Korean drinking den. Stepping inside reveals a snug tavern with roughly six tables, walls strung with empty makgeolli bottles, and handwritten menus displaying an extensive roster of jeon, stews, and stir-fries. It is the sort of neighborhood fixture where locals crowd in on rainy evenings, drawn by the sizzling sounds from the kitchen and the hospitable owner who greets patrons like family. Before the first kettle of makgeolli arrives, the kitchen sets down a freshly fried sunny-side-up egg for each guest—a comforting, no-fuss gesture that doubles as an immediate soju companion. The calling card here is the kimchi sujeobi, a bubbling pot of hand-torn, chewy dough flakes swimming in a tart, refreshing kimchi broth served over a portable burner so it stays piping hot. For those seeking clear heat, the broth-forward myeolchi (anchovy) sujeobi delivers equal comfort studded with spicy peppers. Pancake craft anchors the rest of the table. True to the tavern’s roots as a bindaetteok specialist, the skillet-fried selections emerge crisp and devoid of excess grease. The cast-iron seafood scallion pancake arrives loaded with squid, shrimp, and green onions bound by a sheer, minimal batter. Individual cravings are met by crisp-edged potato pancakes served alongside pickled onions, or a varied platter of modeum-jeon featuring pink sausage, battered pollock fillets, zucchini, and mushrooms. Richer drinking snacks round out long nights, including wok-tossed chicken gizzards dipped in toasted sesame oil and salt, as well as fiery seasoned chicken feet. Compact, buzzy, and unfazed by changing trends, Juju Madang excels at delivering unpretentious drinking food in a setting preserved from decades past. It is an essential second-round haunt for crisp jeon and hot broth when skies turn gray.