Busan local food

Nakgopsae — What It Means, What's in It and How to Eat Busan's Spicy Octopus Pot

Nak-gop-sae = nakji (small octopus) + gopchang (intestines) + saeu (shrimp): a spicy pot born outside an old Busan textile mill

By Busan.net editors · Published Oct 30, 2026 · 한국어로 보기

Nakgopsae (낙곱새) is a Busan dish whose name joins the first syllables of its three main ingredients: nakji (small octopus), gopchang (intestines, usually beef) and saeu (shrimp). They are simmered in a red chili-flake sauce in a shallow pot at your table and eaten spooned over rice. It grew out of 'Jobang nakji', the spicy octopus that workers ate near the former Joseon Textile factory in Beomil-dong, Dong-gu.

Illustration of a bubbling pot of spicy octopus, intestines and shrimp with a bowl of rice — Illustrative image — a pot of nakgopsae simmering at the table. Not an actual restaurant photo.

Nakgopsae in one line

Small octopus, intestines and shrimp go into one pot with a spicy sauce, cook down until saucy, and are eaten over rice. Chewy octopus, rich intestines and sweet shrimp give you sea and meat in one bite.

Korean	낙곱새 (nak-gop-sae) — nakji 낙지 (small octopus) + gopchang 곱창 (intestines) + saeu 새우 (shrimp)
Contains	Octopus (mollusc), shrimp (crustacean), intestines (usually beef), chili flakes, garlic, onion, green onion. The broth is often made with anchovy. Not vegetarian, not halal, not for shellfish allergies.
Spice	Medium to hot — it's built on chili flakes. Tell staff early if you can't handle heat.
How it's served	Usually ordered per person (often 2 or more), cooked in a shallow pot at the table, with rice.
Price	A mid-priced casual meal. Prices differ by shop and are posted on the menu.

What does 'Jobang' mean? The origin story

Jobang = Joseon Textile: 'Jobang' (조방) is short for Joseon Bangjik, the Joseon Textile Company. According to Busan Metropolitan City, in 1917, under Japanese colonial rule, Korea's first cotton mill was built where Beomil-dong, Dong-gu is today — a huge site with about 3,000 workers.
A workers' drinking snack: Shops and people gathered around the mill, and locals called the area 'Jobang'. Spicy stir-fried octopus eaten there with drinks became known as Jobang nakji, and the name spread nationwide.
After the mill: The company ran for about a decade after liberation and was wound up in 1968. Markets such as Jayu Market and Pyeonghwa Market and an intercity bus terminal took its place.
Adding ingredients: Add shrimp and it's naksae; add intestines and it's nakgop; add both and you get nakgopsae. There's no clear record of who first combined all three.

Most nakji comes from the south and west coasts — places like Muan and Jangheung in South Jeolla — not from Busan's own waters — octopus from elsewhere became a Busan dish through the mill workers. Because 'Jobang' recalls the colonial period, some people prefer not to use the name.

What it tastes like

The sauce

Jobang-style sauce uses plenty of red chili flakes rather than gochujang, so it's spicy but relatively clean-tasting. Anchovy stock and lots of garlic go into an aged sauce base.

Vegetables

Just onion and green onion; their sweetness balances the heat.

Three ingredients

Octopus brings chewiness, intestines bring rich, fatty flavour, and shrimp add sweetness. The fat from the intestines melts into the sauce and deepens it — that's the appeal of nakgopsae over plain octopus.

Read the menu by the name

Name	Main ingredients
낙지볶음 nakji-bokkeum (Jobang nakji)	Octopus
낙새 naksae	Octopus + shrimp
낙곱 nakgop	Octopus + intestines
낙곱새 nakgopsae	Octopus + intestines + shrimp

Menus vary a little by shop, but the rule is the same: join the first syllables of the ingredients you want.

How to eat it — and where

Eat as soon as it bubbles: Octopus gets tough if overcooked, so start once the pot boils and the ingredients are done.
A little at a time over rice: Spoon some of the pot and sauce onto your rice and mix a little at a time — the Busan way.
Say your spice level early: It can be quite hot; ask before they cook.
Autumn is octopus season: Koreans say nakji is at its best in autumn.

Useful Korean: "낙곱새 2인분 주세요" (nakgopsae i-inbun juseyo) — "Nakgopsae for two, please." "덜 맵게 해 주세요" (deol maepge hae juseyo) — "Less spicy, please." "새우 빼 주세요" (saeu ppae juseyo) — "No shrimp, please" (ask if the shop can do it).

Where: The dish's home is Beomil-dong, Dong-gu — the road there is still called Jobang-ro, and Jayu and Pyeonghwa markets on the old mill site are close by (Beomil Station, Metro Line 1). Nakgopsae is also easy to find across Busan. On a cold day, pair your Busan food trip with dwaeji-gukbap.

FAQ

What does nakgopsae mean?

It joins the first syllables of nakji (small octopus), gopchang (intestines) and saeu (shrimp) — the three main ingredients, cooked together in a spicy sauce and eaten over rice.

How do you say nakgopsae in English?

There's no standard English name. Menus may say 'spicy octopus, beef tripe and shrimp' or 'spicy octopus hot pot'. Saying 'nakgopsae' (nak-gop-sae) works in any Busan restaurant.

What does 'Jobang' mean?

It's short for the Joseon Textile Company mill built in 1917 in Beomil-dong, Dong-gu. The area in front of the mill was called 'Jobang', and the spicy octopus workers ate there became 'Jobang nakji'.

Is nakgopsae very spicy?

Medium to hot, because the sauce is built on chili flakes. Ask for less spicy (덜 맵게) when you order; eating it with plenty of rice helps.

Can I eat nakgopsae with a shellfish allergy?

It's not recommended: it contains octopus and shrimp, and the stock is often made with anchovy. Some shops offer nakgop (no shrimp), but the octopus is still a mollusc.