KoreaNorth ChungcheongOkcheon's Fish Noodle Soup and Doribaengbaengi: Two Freshwater Fish Dishes From the Geum River
Okcheon in North Chungcheong sits on Daecheong Lake and the Geum River, and it is known for saengseon-guksu, noodles in a long-simmered freshwater fish broth, and doribaengbaengi, small fish fried in a circle in a pan. Here is how both came about, how they are made and where to find them.
Freshwater Fish Food Shaped by Daecheong Lake and the Geum River
Okcheon, in the south of North Chungcheong, is a county where the Geum River winds through the hills and the large man-made Daecheong Lake spreads out along the border with Daejeon. Even in landlocked North Chungcheong it is a place rich in water, so dishes made from river fish developed here long ago. Okcheon's two signature freshwater fish dishes are saengseon-guksu and doribaengbaengi. Saengseon-guksu is noodles cooked in a thick broth made by simmering freshwater fish for hours. Doribaengbaengi is tiny, finger-sized fish arranged in a circle in a frying pan, fried until crisp and brushed with a spicy sauce. The two are often sold at the same restaurant, and a bowl of noodles with a plate of doribaengbaengi on the side is a typical order in Okcheon.
Saengseon-guksu: A Broth Simmered for Four or Five Hours
Okcheon's saengseon-guksu is said to have started at a restaurant in Cheongsan-myeon in 1962. Fresh freshwater fish are simmered in a large pot for four to five hours, then the broth is strained to remove the bones. Seasoned gochujang is stirred in, and the noodles go in with green onion, zucchini, perilla leaves, water dropwort and green chili for one more boil. The fish flesh dissolves into the broth and makes it thick, and you get soft bits of fish with every mouthful of noodles. Many people worry about a fishy smell, but the gochujang and vegetables make it spicy and clean-tasting. Rich in protein and calcium, it is regarded as a restorative dish and is popular as a hangover cure, too. Similar dishes elsewhere are called eotang-guksu, so if you have tried that in another region, think of this as a close relative.
Doribaengbaengi: Little Fish Arranged Round and Round
Doribaengbaengi is made from finger-sized freshwater fish caught in the Geum River. The little fish are lined up neatly in a ring around a frying pan, fried until crisp, then brushed with a gochujang sauce and topped with carrot, green onion and chili. The sight of the fish fanned out like petals on a round pan is so striking that first-timers usually take a photo before taking a bite. The name is said to come from cooking the fish arranged round and round in the pan. Minnows (pale chub) or pond smelt are the usual choice, and some restaurants use pond smelt in winter and pale chub in summer. Because the fish are eaten bones and all, they are crunchy, and the sweet-spicy glaze makes them great with rice or with drinks. You will often find them at freshwater fish restaurants along the upper Geum River, starting with Okcheon.
The Fish Noodle Street in Cheongsan-myeon
Cheongsan-myeon in Okcheon County, known as the birthplace of saengseon-guksu, has a cluster of fish noodle restaurants. In 2018 the county designated the Jijeon-ri and Gyopyeong-ri area of Cheongsan-myeon as a fish noodle specialty street, and news reports have put the number of restaurants at roughly six to eight. Each one has its own broth thickness and seasoning, and some are praised for a clean broth made with gochujang alone. Cheongsan-myeon is a rural township some distance south of Okcheon-eup, so it is easier to get there by car than by public transport. Okcheon-eup and the area around Daecheong Lake also have plenty of restaurants serving freshwater fish, so choose whatever fits your itinerary. Okcheon-eup is home to the birthplace and literary museum of the poet Jeong Ji-yong, and many visitors combine a bowl of fish noodles with a literary outing.
Ordering and Eating Tips
For a first visit, order a bowl of saengseon-guksu and a plate of doribaengbaengi and share them with your companions. Doribaengbaengi usually comes by the plate or pan and is priced by size, so choose according to the size of your group. Some restaurants serve other freshwater fish dishes as well. The bones are strained out of the noodle broth, but a few fine ones may remain, so eat slowly. The thick, hot broth stays hot for a long time, so you may want to ladle some into a small bowl. Doribaengbaengi loses its crunch as it cools, so eat it as soon as it arrives. Spice levels vary by restaurant; if you cannot handle heat, mention it when ordering. Many people hesitate over freshwater fish because of the smell, but the long-simmered broth and gochujang seasoning make these dishes easy even for first-timers.