Yedam Bapsang

About

Long-running Korean table d'hote restaurant near Konkuk University, renowned for generous soy sauce marinated raw crab served alongside stone-pot rice and side dishes.

Tucked away near the edge of the Konkuk University food alley in Gwangjin, Yedam Bapsang has quietly served classic hanjeongsik for twenty-five years. Stepping inside requires removing your shoes, revealing a calm, wood-toned interior accented by neatly tended orchids, traditional ornaments, and wide windows. Alongside the main dining hall, private rooms accommodate four to eight guests, making it a frequent stop for family gatherings, quiet weekday lunches, and travelers seeking an authentic spread. The undisputed centerpiece of the meal is the ganjang gejang (raw crab marinated in soy sauce). Served as part of the crab hanjeongsik or paired with seasoned beef ribs in the Yedam Special set, the female crabs arrive plump and brimming with meat and rich orange roe. The soy marinade strikes a delicate balance—deeply savory and glossy without overwhelming the palate with salt—making it natural to scrape the crab shells clean and spoon the rich contents directly over hot rice. Diners can also purchase the marinated crab boxed to go. A traditional meal here unfolds with a stone-pot rice (dolsotbap) setup alongside a wide rotation of sides, including salted croaker, savory japchae, seasoned greens, acorn jelly, and fermented jeotgal. Communal bowls of doenjang jjigae and kongbiji (pureed soybean stew) round out the table. While the seasoned galbisal and earthy side stews receive mixed reactions from diners who find them milder or inconsistent compared to the star crustacean, the crab itself commands near-universal respect. Yedam Bapsang operates daily from 10:00 to 22:00, offering two street-level parking spaces out front with a paid public lot across the street.