Sokcho · Food
Chungchosoo Mulhoe: Sokcho’s Chilled Seafood Specialty
By Korea Plainly · Published
At a glance: A Sokcho seafood restaurant best known for mulhoe, a refreshing chilled raw-fish soup that suits a warm day by the coast.
Visiting Chungchosoo Mulhoe
- Region
- Sokcho
- Address
- 12-36 Expo-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do
- Google rating
- 4/5 from 12,392 reviews (October 2026)
Opening hours, prices and closures change. Check the map before you go.
What it is
Chungchosoo Mulhoe is a seafood restaurant at 12-36 Expo-ro in Sokcho. Its signature is mulhoe: a cold Korean dish of raw fish or other seafood served in a tangy, often spicy broth with vegetables. It is part soup and part seafood meal, with bright, bracing flavors that make it especially appealing in summer. Sokcho is a coastal city with a strong seafood culture, so this is a good place to try a local specialty rather than defaulting to familiar grilled or fried fish.
The first taste can be a surprise if you expect a mild soup. Mulhoe is served cold, and its seasoning can be sweet, sour and spicy all at once. The combination is refreshing but lively. Chungchosoo is well known in Sokcho for this style of meal; it has a Google rating of 4.0 from 12,392 reviews.
What to order and how to enjoy it
Start with mulhoe if you want the dish the restaurant is named for. Squid mulhoe is one variation associated with the restaurant, while other seafood preparations may include fish and shellfish. The exact selection can vary, so check the menu when you arrive and ask staff to point out the house specialty if you are unsure. If you enjoy trying a mix of seafood, look for choices featuring ingredients such as abalone, sea cucumber or sea squirt.
Expect a bowl that brings together chilled broth, seafood and crisp vegetables. Mix the ingredients gently so the seasoning coats the seafood, then taste the broth before adding anything. Some versions are quite spicy; if you are sensitive to heat, ask whether a milder option is available before ordering. Mulhoe is often eaten with rice or noodles, depending on the dish and what comes with it. Follow the serving instructions, or ask how to combine the components if it is your first time.
Korean restaurants commonly serve small side dishes for the table. These are usually shared, while each person has a main dish. Use your own spoon and chopsticks for your meal, and take only a little of a shared side dish at a time. If you are dining with others, ordering different seafood dishes to share can make the meal a good introduction to more than one local flavor.
How to plan your visit
Allow around an hour for a relaxed meal, with extra time if you are visiting with a group or during a busy meal period. Lunch or an early dinner is a practical choice if you want to avoid making the restaurant the final stop of a tightly planned evening. On a hot day, a cold seafood dish makes a particularly satisfying break; in cooler weather, consider whether chilled food is what you feel like eating before you go.
The restaurant is on Expo-ro, in the area around Cheongcho Lake. Pair lunch with a walk by the lake or a visit to the nearby Sokcho Expo Tower for a change of pace after the meal. If you are spending the day exploring the city, you can also make this a seafood stop alongside Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market or Abai Village. These offer different ways to experience Sokcho’s food and local character, so leave room in your appetite if you plan to visit more than one.
Good to know
Address: 12-36 Expo-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do. If you are using a map app, search for “Chungchosoo Mulhoe” or enter the Korean name 청초수물회; showing the address to a taxi driver can help if place names are unfamiliar. Check the menu before ordering if you have allergies, avoid raw seafood, or need to know how spicy a dish is. Mulhoe contains raw seafood, so choose another option if that is not suitable for you.
Bring a payment card and be ready to order at the table; staff can help identify dishes even if you are not familiar with the Korean names. For current hours or prices, check Naver Map before setting out.
FAQ
What is mulhoe?
Mulhoe is a Korean cold seafood dish served in a seasoned broth, usually with raw fish or other seafood and vegetables. Its flavor is typically tangy and may be spicy.
Is Chungchosoo Mulhoe suitable for someone who does not eat raw seafood?
Its signature dish is based on raw seafood, so it may not be a good fit if you avoid it. Check the menu for cooked alternatives and ask staff about ingredients before ordering.
What can I visit nearby?
Cheongcho Lake and Sokcho Expo Tower make natural nearby additions. Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market and Abai Village are also worthwhile stops elsewhere in the city.
