Sokcho Saeu Ajeossi, Jungang Market: Fried Shrimp, Red Crab Tempura and Stuffed Squid

Sokcho Saeu Ajeossi (속초새우아저씨) is a fried-food stall inside Jungang Market in Jungang-dong, Sokcho, and its name means "Sokcho Shrimp Uncle". The counter in my November 2019 photo is stacked with fried shrimp (saeu-twigim, 새우튀김), shrimp fried in batter with the tails left on.

The shrimp counter at Sokcho Saeu Ajeossi

In the photo, battered shrimp lie in rows with their orange tails out, beside long breaded sticks with red tips and flat green fritters. Two price cards show a cartoon man and the words 속초 아저씨 튀김맛집 (Sokcho Uncle fried-food place). In November 2019 the cards read 홍게 튀김 (hongge-twigim), fried red snow crab, at ten pieces for ₩10,000, and 순살 누드 새우 (sunsal nudeu saeu), literally boneless nude shrimp, at fifteen for ₩10,000.

Egg-battered slices on the griddle

In the second photo, about twenty round slices in a yellow egg coating cook on a black griddle while a hand with tongs reaches in. Their rims show a pinkish skin, so they look like slices of ojingeo-sundae (오징어순대), squid stuffed with a savory filling, but I can't tell which menu item they are.

What reviewers say about Sokcho Saeu Ajeossi

A Trip.com travel blogger wrote in October 2022 that people queue for more than 30 minutes and singled out the boneless king shrimp tempura. Reviewers on Polle (뽈레), a Korean restaurant review site, describe plump shrimp under a fairly thick batter; two mention queues, and one adds that the market is hot. NOL, a Korean travel app, says in its listing that Sokcho Saeu Ajeossi was the first stall in Jungang Market to serve shrimp gangjeong (새우강정), fried shrimp in a sweet glaze, made from plump whole shrimp.

Sokcho Saeu Ajeossi's prices, then and now

Polle's menu list for Sokcho Saeu Ajeossi, checked on November 14, 2026, shows king shrimp tempura, boneless king shrimp tempura and red crab tempura at ₩10,000 each but, unlike the 2019 cards above, gives no piece counts for these three. It also lists half-and-half sets at ₩10,000.

Before you go

• Sokcho Saeu Ajeossi is open 09:00–21:00 every day except Wednesday, according to NOL's listing, checked on November 14, 2026.
• A blog post from December 2022 says the market car park was crowded and that stalls hand out parking tickets with purchases, sometimes only above a minimum spend, so ask when you pay.

How to order