Seafood Pancake
A pancake made by pouring a flour batter over scallions and topped with seafood such as squid and shrimp. It's crispy on the outside and moist on the inside with the scallions and seafood blending together. It's typically enjoyed cut up and shared with dipping sauce on rainy days as a side dish for Makgeolli.
Cultural background
A traditional side dish enjoyed with Makgeolli on rainy days, often shared with family or friends. It is also served on feast tables during holidays along with various other pancakes.
Origin & history
Seafood Pancake is a type of Pajeon. Pajeon is made by laying scallions lengthwise and frying them in batter, bringing out the sweetness and aroma of the scallions. When seafood such as squid, shrimp, and clams is added, it becomes Seafood Pancake.
In coastal regions, cooks topped Pajeon with readily available seafood to make it more generous and filling. The style associated with Busan's Dongnae area, made thick with plenty of seafood, is especially well known, and one account says it developed as a dish for entertaining guests.
Regional & modern variations
- Dongnae Pajeon — A Busan Dongnae-style Pajeon. It tends to be thicker and moister than a typical Seafood Pancake, and often includes generous amounts of seafood and egg.
- Seafood Chive Pancake — A savory pancake cooked with lots of chives instead of scallions. Compared with Pajeon, it has a grassier aroma and a finer bite, and it pairs well with the briny flavor of seafood.
How Koreans eat it
At specialty restaurants, Seafood Pancake usually comes as one large pancake, and people often order it less as a meal than as a drinking snack or a dish to share. Diners pick up one piece at a time with chopsticks, but the long scallions can be hard to separate, so the pancake is sometimes cut with scissors first.
Taste & how to choose
The heart of Seafood Pancake is the scallions and seafood, more than the batter. A good one has softened scallions that are not limp, visible squid or shrimp on the surface, crisp edges, and a moist center. If it is very thick and the inside tastes floury, it can feel undercooked.
Similar dishes
Seafood Pancake
해물전 · hae-mul-jeon
A pancake made with squid, shrimp, and other seafood, coated in flour and egg, and pan-fried until golden. Crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, it tastes even better when dipped in vinegared soy sauce.
Pajeon
파전 · pa-jeon
A pancake made with plenty of chives, spread wide in a frying pan with a flour batter. The outside is golden and crispy while the inside is moist with a blend of chives. It is especially enjoyed as a side dish with Makgeolli on rainy days, cut and shared while dipped in vinegared soy sauce.
Buckwheat Pancake
메밀전 · memil-jeon
This is a savory pancake made by mixing buckwheat flour, characterized by its nutty and light taste. It is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, typically served with a dipping sauce made of soy sauce and vinegar.
Seafood Fried Rice
해물볶음밥 · hae-mul-bokkeum-bap
A Korean-style fried rice made by stir-frying fresh seafood and vegetables with rice.
Spicy Seasoned Scallions
파무침 · pa-mu-chim
A tangy and spicy side dish made with long slices of green onion mixed with red pepper powder and seasonings.
Seafood Tempura
해물튀김 · hae-mul-twi-gim
A dish made by coating various seafood such as squid and shrimp in batter and frying them until crispy, often served with vinegared soy sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
How it's made
- 1Wash the scallions clean and cut them to a suitable length.
- 2Prepare the squid and shrimp.
- 3Mix the flour and eggs to make the batter.
- 4Grease a pan, lay down the scallions, place the seafood on top, and pour the batter to cook.
- 5Once golden brown, flip it over to cook the other side.
Nutrition
* Estimated values per serving.
Allergens
Not suitable for vegetarian or gluten-free diets as it contains seafood and flour.
How to order
해물파전 주세요
Hae-mul-pa-jeon ju-se-yo
Seafood pancake please
Customize your order
Traveler tips
How to eat it
Frequently asked questions
- Is Seafood Pancake sweet like a Western-style pancake?
- No. The name is translated into English as pancake, but the flavor is closer to a savory buchimgae, or pan-fried fritter. Instead of syrup, people dip it in choganjang, a vinegared Soy Sauce.
- The scallions are left long. Am I supposed to eat them in one bite?
- No need. If the scallions run in long strands, tearing them with chopsticks or cutting them with scissors is completely normal.
- What is the difference between Dongnae Pajeon and regular Seafood Pancake?
- Dongnae Pajeon is a regional style named after Dongnae, and it is usually fried thicker and moister. Regular Seafood Pancake varies a lot by restaurant, but many versions emphasize crisp edges.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-07