Yubu-jumeoni — Busan's Glass-Noodle Tofu Pouches in Hot Broth: Origin at Kkangtong Market and How to Eat Them
Fried tofu pouches stuffed with glass noodles and simmered with fish cakes — a winter street food from Bupyeong Kkangtong Market
Yubu-jumeoni (유부주머니, "tofu-skin pouch") is a fried tofu pouch stuffed with glass noodles (dangmyeon) and vegetables, tied shut and simmered in hot broth, often in the same pot as fish cakes. It is closely linked with Bupyeong Kkangtong Market in Jung-gu, where a shop began selling it as 'yubu-jeongol' — a 2014 report put the start about 30 years earlier. Today it is counted among Busan's signature winter street foods.
Yubu-jumeoni in one line
A thin fried tofu pouch (yubu) is opened like a little bag, filled with glass noodles and vegetables, and simmered in hot broth until it is soaked through. Bite in and the noodles and broth spill out together.
| Korean | 유부주머니 (yu-bu ju-meo-ni) — "tofu pouch" · 유부전골 (yubu-jeongol) — the hot-pot version |
|---|---|
| Filling | Glass noodles (sweet-potato starch) plus vegetables such as onion, carrot and spinach; some makers add mushrooms or meat. Recipes differ by shop. |
| Broth | Usually fish cake broth (fish, kelp, radish) — not vegetarian as served. |
| Taste | Savoury, juicy and mild. Not spicy unless you add sauce. |
| Where | Bupyeong Kkangtong Market (Jung-gu) is the classic place; also fish cake shops and stalls around Nampo-dong. |
Where it came from — Kkangtong Market
- Born as market fast food: According to a 2014 report, a shop in Bupyeong-dong's Kkangtong Market began selling yubu-jeongol as an on-the-spot market dish about 30 years earlier, later growing big enough to run its own factory. No record settles who made it first.
- A young people's Busan food: A 2017 Kookje Shinmun series described tofu-pouch hot pot with glass noodles as a dish that had become a Busan signature among younger people.
- A winter street snack: English-language Busan media list yubu-jumeoni among the city's best warm winter street foods.
The market behind it
Bupyeong Market opened in 1910 as a public market. It got the nickname 'Kkangtong' (tin can) Market during the Korean War, when canned food from US bases ended up on its stalls. A 1915 market bulletin lists three fish cake (kamaboko) shops there, so the market is also seen as the documented starting point of Busan fish cakes — a natural home for a pouch simmered in fish cake broth. Since 2014 a night market of food stalls has opened along an alley of about 100 m in the evenings.
Yubu-jumeoni or yubu-jeongol?
They are basically the same food. Each stuffed pouch is a yubu-jumeoni; a pot of pouches simmered with fish cakes and other ingredients is usually called yubu-jeongol (tofu-pouch hot pot). At stalls you often buy pouches one by one from the fish cake pot; at fish cake shops you may see a jeongol set for sharing.
| Part | What you'll notice |
|---|---|
| Pouch | Thin fried tofu that soaks up broth — soft and juicy |
| Filling | Slippery glass noodles with a little crunch from vegetables |
| Broth | Fish cake broth that seeps into the filling |
How to eat it
- Start with the broth: it carries the flavour of fish cakes and tofu pouch together.
- Cut it in half: the filling is very hot — open it with a spoon to let the steam out before biting.
- Pick a well-soaked one: pouches that have simmered longer are juicier than ones just added.
- Pair with fish cakes: fish cakes from the same pot complete the classic Busan market combination; a mulddeok rice cake skewer makes it more filling.
- Share small portions: at Kkangtong Market, try a little of several snacks — bibim-dangmyeon and ssiat hotteok are close by.
Useful Korean: "유부주머니 하나 주세요" (yubu-jumeoni hana juseyo) — "One tofu pouch, please." "국물 좀 주세요" (gungmul jom juseyo) — "Some broth, please."
Where to eat it in Busan
The best-known place is Bupyeong Kkangtong Market in Jung-gu. Snack alleys and fish cake shops inside sell yubu-jumeoni or yubu-jeongol, and in the evening the night market adds more stalls — an easy stop on a Nampo-dong walk. The wider fish cake story is in our Busan eomuk article.
Taking packaged tofu pouches home? They are perishable — keep them cool and check your destination country's rules on bringing food products before you fly.
FAQ
What is yubu-jumeoni?
Yubu-jumeoni is a Busan market food: a fried tofu pouch stuffed with glass noodles and vegetables, simmered in hot broth, often together with fish cakes.
How do you say yubu-jumeoni in English or Japanese?
In English it is usually called a stuffed tofu pouch; 'yubu' is fried tofu and 'jumeoni' means pouch. It is similar to Japanese kinchaku, a fried tofu pouch used in oden.
What is the difference between yubu-jumeoni and yubu-jeongol?
They are basically the same food. One stuffed pouch is a yubu-jumeoni; a hot pot of pouches simmered with fish cakes is usually called yubu-jeongol.
Is yubu-jumeoni vegetarian?
Usually not as served. The broth is normally fish cake broth, and some fillings include meat. The noodles are made from sweet-potato starch.
Where can I eat yubu-jumeoni in Busan?
Bupyeong Kkangtong Market in Jung-gu is the classic place, with snack alleys, fish cake shops and an evening night market.
Sources
- 시인 최원준의 부산탐식프로젝트 <72> 부평깡통시장 — Kookje Shinmun, Nov 28, 2017
- 유부전골, 'KTX 부산역 직영점' 개점 — Aju Business Daily, Sep 5, 2014
- Warm Winter Snacks to Eat on the Street — Haps Magazine (Dynamic Busan), Jan 28, 2021
Fillings, prices and opening hours differ by shop. This article is a food explainer, not a restaurant ranking or advertisement.
More Busan food
Busan Eomuk (Fish Cakes)
Ground fish, fried golden: a century-old Busan market food from Bupyeong Market to Yeongdo and Choryang
Bibim Dangmyeon (Spicy Glass Noodles)
Pre-boiled glass noodles, a sweet-spicy sauce and simple toppings — a market bowl that is ready the moment you sit down
Mulddeok (Rice Cake Skewers in Fish Cake Broth)
The soft white rice cake that always stands next to the fish cake skewers in a Busan street-stall pot
Ssiat Hotteok (Seed Hotteok)
A fried sweet pancake split open and stuffed with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and peanuts — Nampo-dong's famous street snack
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