Mabokrim Grandma's House in Sindang-dong, Sindang-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Visit overview
We visited Grandma Maboklim's Tteokbokki House in Sindang-dong, which is known as one of the originators of Tteokbokki in Korea, and is a place where you can experience the flavors and history of various Tteokbokki.
Location and accessibility
Sindang-dong Maboklim Grandma's Tteokbokki House is located in Sindang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. It's about a 5-minute walk from Exit 2 of Sindang Station on Subway Line 6, so it's very accessible.
Address : 5, Dasan-ro 35-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea
Maboklim Grandma's Tteokbokki on Naver Map
Menu introduction
Maboklim Grandma's Tteokbokki House offers a wide variety of menus. Here are a few of our favorites
- Original Tteokbokki: A traditional gochujang tteokbokki, featuring chewy rice cakes and a spicy-sweet sauce.
- Cheese Tteokbokki: You can add cheese to the original Tteokbokki for a more savory flavor.
- Seafood Tteokbokki: The fresh seafood gives it a deep flavor.
- Sundae: This is a great side dish to go with tteokbokki.
The Role and Impact of the Mabokrim Grandmothers
Grandma Ma Bok-rim started her first tteokbokki shop in 1953 in Sindang-dong, Seoul, and is known as the creator of the gochujang tteokbokki we enjoy today. Unlike traditional court tteokbokki, her grandmother's tteokbokki uses gochujang to give it a spicy flavor.
How Tteokbokki started
How Grandma Mabokrim came to make Tteokbokkiis as follows. During the difficult economic times after the Korean War, Grandma Ma Bok-rim felt the need to develop new foods to make ends meet. She accidentally created spicy tteokbokki, a combination of gochujang and rice cakes, and it quickly became very popular, especially among students and young people, and the Sindang-dong neighborhood became known as Tteokbokki Street.
The Legend of Sindang-dong Tteokbokki
Grandma Mabokrim's tteokbokki is not just a delicious food, but a precious memory that helped her get through a difficult time. Her shop became a gathering place for family and friends, and many people found comfort and joy in her tteokbokki.
Popularization of Tteokbokki
Grandma Maboklim's tteokbokki has been loved by many ever since, and has become one of Korea's most iconic street foods. Her influence has inspired many people to open tteokbokki shops, and many variations of tteokbokki have emerged.
Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Town
Today, Sindang-dong is known as "Tteokbokki Town," and has become a hot spot for many tteokbokki restaurants. Grandma Mabokrim's shop is still loved by many, and it continues to change with the times while maintaining its traditional flavor.
What we thought of our visit
Here are some of my impressions of visiting Grandma Mabokrim's Tteokbokki house:
- Flavor: The original tteokbokki has a spicy and sweet flavor. The rice cakes are chewy and the sauce is delicious.
- Atmosphere: The interior of the restaurant is clean and has a traditional atmosphere. The staff are friendly and make you feel at ease.
- Price: Enjoy a diverse menu at reasonable prices.
- History and tradition: It's a place where you can feel the history and tradition of Tteokbokki.
- Variety of menus: In addition to Tteokbokki, there are a variety of side dishes to choose from, so you can experience a variety of flavors.
- Accessibility: It is conveniently located close to Shindang Station.
Conclusion
Grandma Mabokrim's inspiration to create Tteokbokki was born out of her struggle to survive during difficult economic times. Her creative ideas and perseverance helped shape the iconic food culture of Korea today. Tteokbokki isn't just a food, it's a treasured legacy of Korean life and memories.
Grandma Mabokrim's Tteokbokki House in Sindang-dong is highly recommended for those who want to experience the original flavor of Tteokbokki. With a delicious and diverse menu, you'll have a great time in a traditional atmosphere.
