Nagwon-dong Agujjim Street

In 1972, the first restaurant to serve agujjim (braised monkfish) in Seoul opened on Nagwon-dong Street. At that time, eating monkfish as a braised dish was something only heard of in faraway Masan. Even in Incheon, the closest sea to Seoul, monkfish was not braised. So the first restaurant to open on Agujjim Street put all its effort into making agujjim. The top priority was to make the flesh of the monkfish, which becomes mushy when boiled in water, firm and chewy. They tried drying it in the mountains and even on sandy beaches on islands off the coast of Incheon, but hygiene issues such as flies were severe. They tried various methods, but each time it was difficult to maintain the texture of the monkfish flesh. The method they finally figured out was to alternately boil and cool the fish in ice-cold water and boiling water. Word spread that agujjim could be tasted in Seoul, and following the rumors, more restaurants serving agujjim opened nearby. At one time, there were over a dozen agujjim restaurants, but for some unknown reason, there was a period when they closed and moved elsewhere. After going through that ordeal, agujjim restaurants filled Agujjim Street again, resulting in the street's current appearance. Today, on this street, from restaurants that opened just 3-4 years ago to those that have been around for over 30 years, all are operating harmoniously and thriving.