Chowon Bokguk

Busan

Chowon Bokguk

Busan Blowfish Soup

The pufferfish dishes at Chowon Bokguk are filled with affection for the local people and the passage of time.

Edit Areum Lee

Photograph Kihun Jung

It was the influence of her father-in-law, who ran a Japanese restaurant, that led CEO Baek Kyung-hee to take up the pufferfish business in her 20s without any prior knowledge of the restaurant industry. His intention was for her to learn the cooking method and open a pufferfish specialty restaurant, noting that there were few establishments serving pufferfish in the Busan area. It was then that Daegu-style pufferfish soup caught the eye of her husband, CEO Kim Dong-sik. In Daegu, where CEO Kim had attended university, a distinctive feature of pufferfish soup was the addition of bean sprouts. After learning this Daegu-style recipe, she opened 'Chowon Instant Pufferfish Soup' in Yeonsan-dong in 1983. CEO Baek recalls that, perhaps because she had a knack for hard work, people flocked to the restaurant as soon as it opened. This is no exaggeration, as she opened the Yeongdo branch in 1986 followed by the main branch in Daeyeon-dong in 1991. Chowon Pufferfish Soup serves four types of pufferfish: the silver pufferfish, the spotted pufferfish, the black-tailed pufferfish, and the true pufferfish. Using these varieties, they prepare dishes such as pufferfish soup, pufferfish bulgogi, steamed pufferfish, and boiled pufferfish. The menu composition remains unchanged from when the restaurant first opened over 40 years ago. The most popular item is undoubtedly the pufferfish soup. Owner Baek cites kelp, radish, and green onions as the three secrets to the broth's flavor. The couple, who have been making pufferfish soup for over 40 years, have concluded that to achieve a light, clean, and deep taste, one must use fresh kelp, high-quality radish, and green onions while minimizing the use of artificial seasonings. The soup is prepared by adding bean sprouts and water parsley to pre-boiled broth immediately upon ordering and simmering it vigorously before serving; it is served alongside fried pufferfish and seasoned pufferfish skin. The seasoned pufferfish skin, boasting a texture that is both soft and crunchy, is made by removing all the bones from the pufferfish with a knife, blanching it once, lightly freezing it, finely chopping it, and mixing it with crisp vegetables and spicy seasoning. It used to be a standalone menu item sold separately, but due to the significant rise in pufferfish prices, it is now offered as a complimentary dish. Pufferfish soup was designated as a local specialty of Busan in 2002. When asked what he considers to be the defining characteristic of 'Busan Bokguk,' which has established itself as the taste of Busan, CEO Baek gave a refreshing answer. He stated that while he is not entirely sure what makes the taste of bokguk unique to Busan, he intends to repay the love received so far with honest flavors exclusively found in Busan. The bokguk dishes at Chowon Bokguk are filled with affection for the local people and the history of time.