Jincheon Chopyeong Braised Crucian Carp
KoreaNorth Chungcheong · JincheonJincheon Chopyeong Braised Crucian Carp: Lakeside Bungeo-jjim With Radish Greens
Landlocked Jincheon in North Chungcheong has a local table built on freshwater fish. Here is the story of Chopyeong Reservoir, the province's largest, the fish restaurant village beside it, braised crucian carp cooked on a bed of dried radish greens, what to eat with it, and how to pair it with the nearby stone bridge and suspension bridge.
Live in Jincheon, Eat From the Lake
Jincheon has an old saying: saenggeo Jincheon, sahu Yongin, "in life Jincheon, after death Yongin." It is usually read to mean that Jincheon, with its wide fields, is the best place to live. The county still uses Saenggeo Jincheon as its brand, and even its rice is sold under that name. In landlocked North Chungcheong, rivers and reservoirs have long served as the fish pantry. A 2019 Seoul Shinmun report called the province "a paradise of freshwater fish," home to nearly 20 species including mandarin fish, common carp, crucian carp, snakehead, bullhead and catfish. In Jincheon, the star of that freshwater table is the crucian carp.
Chopyeong Reservoir, the Largest in the Province
The stage for Jincheon's braised carp is Chopyeong Reservoir in Chopyeong-myeon. It was built by damming the upper Miho Stream for irrigation; according to a 2026 report, construction began in 1942 and finished in 1958, and the dam was rebuilt from 1982, giving the lake its current shape in 1986. A 2017 Segye Ilbo report describes it as North Chungcheong's largest reservoir, holding 13.78 million tons of water, built to irrigate Jincheon and the former Cheongwon County. Wide and deep, it is also famous among anglers. Chopyeong is known as one of the biggest fishing spots in central Korea, with floating fishing platforms open all year round. With a lake this big, it is only natural that crucian carp dishes became the local specialty.
The "Crucian Carp Village" by the Lake
Around Chopyeong Reservoir is a local food street known as the Crucian Carp Village. A 2008 report counted about ten restaurants serving braised crucian carp in the village at Hwasan-ri beside the reservoir, and reports in 2019 and 2026 introduce the same village as the place to eat at Chopyeong Lake. Some of the restaurants are designated local-food restaurants by Jincheon County. The 2017 Segye Ilbo wrote that "the dishes made around Chopyeong Reservoir that are famous are braised crucian carp and simmered crucian carp." Even for travelers new to freshwater fish, braised carp here is often recommended as Jincheon's signature dish. It is hard to find an exact record of when the village became the restaurant cluster it is today. It is best seen as a food village that grew naturally from a big reservoir, the anglers it drew, and an inland food culture that has always enjoyed freshwater fish.
Braised With Dried Radish Greens
Jincheon's braised carp comes with siraegi, dried radish greens. A 2026 report describes Chopyeong's bungeo-jjim as fresh crucian carp "cooked down slowly with siraegi and plenty of seasoning, light yet spicy." According to a 2017 report, large crucian carp are scored and stuffed with seasoning before braising, so the sauce soaks right into the flesh. The dried greens tame any fishiness and soak up the broth, and they are just as popular as the fish. Crucian carp has many fine bones, so take your time. Pick off small pieces and eat them over rice with the saucy greens. Restaurants in the area also serve dishes such as eotang guksu, noodles in a long-simmered freshwater fish broth, and doribaengbaengi, small fish fried crisp and glazed. Some say the rice is cooked from local Saenggeo Jincheon rice.
Make a Day of It Around the Lake
There is plenty to see around Chopyeong Lake beyond the braised carp. Nearby is Nongdari, a stone bridge said to date back to the Goryeo period, which the media sometimes call the oldest stone bridge in East Asia. In April 2024 the 309-meter Mireu 309 suspension bridge opened, billed as the longest towerless suspension bridge in Korea, and quickly became a new attraction. In spring, Bungeo Island in the lake is covered in cherry blossoms, at their best from early to mid-April. The lake area is free to visit. Try walking Nongdari and the suspension bridge in the morning, then sharing a pot of braised carp in the Crucian Carp Village for lunch. Restaurant hours and menus can change, so check before you set out.