Cultural background
Spicy Stir-fried Baby Octopus is a popular dish among those who enjoy spicy flavors, usually eaten with rice or wrapped in lettuce.
Regional & modern variations
- Jjussam — Baby octopus and Samgyeopsal are stir-fried together. The pork fat mingles with the spicy seasoning, giving the dish a richer, more savory flavor.
- Griddle Spicy Stir-fried Baby Octopus — This version is cooked on a large iron griddle or a tabletop grill. After the octopus is finished, many people round out the meal by stir-frying rice in the leftover sauce.
How Koreans eat it
Jjukkumi is especially well known as a spring seafood, but Spicy Stir-fried Baby Octopus is eaten year-round thanks to frozen ingredients. In coastal areas, restaurants and festivals sometimes highlight in-season baby octopus. At restaurants, it is usually ordered for at least two people and shared, with the leftover sauce often turned into Fried Rice.
Taste & how to choose
Baby octopus is smaller than nakji and has shorter arms, giving it a distinct bite-sized chew. Cooked too long, it turns tough and releases a lot of water, thinning out the sauce. A good Spicy Stir-fried Baby Octopus carries the aroma of high heat, with the seasoning clinging to the octopus while the flesh has not shriveled too much.
Similar dishes
Seafood Stir-fry
해물볶음 · hae-mul-bokkeum
A spicy dish made by stir-frying various seafood in gochujang sauce over high heat, showcasing the harmony of chewy seafood and seasoning. It can be enjoyed mixed with rice or wrapped in lettuce.
Stir-fried Octopus
낙지볶음 · nakji-bokkeum
A dish where octopus is stir-fried with vegetables in a spicy sauce, characterized by its chewy texture and strong spice flavor. It tastes even better when mixed with rice or wrapped in lettuce.
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.
Grilled Intestines Stir-fry
곱창볶음 · gopchang-bokkeum
A spicy dish made by marinating intestines in gochujang sauce and stir-frying them with vegetables over high heat. It features the chewy texture of intestines and the sweet-spicy flavor of the seasoning.
Beef Stir-fry
소고기볶음 · so-go-gi-bokkeum
This dish features marinated beef stir-fried with onions over high heat, characterized by its savory and rich taste. It can be mixed with rice or wrapped in lettuce for serving.
Stir-fried Garlic
마늘볶음 · maneul-bokkeum
A dish made by stir-frying garlic in oil to create a fragrant and savory side dish.
Goes well with
Ingredients
How it's made
- 1Clean the baby octopus and remove moisture.
- 2Chop onion and green onion into appropriate sizes.
- 3Heat oil in a pan and sauté garlic to release aroma.
- 4Add baby octopus, onion, and green onion, then stir-fry with gochujang seasoning.
- 5Quickly stir-fry over high heat until the baby octopus is cooked.
Nutrition
* Estimated values per serving.
Allergens
Contains seafood and gochujang seasoning, so it is not suitable for vegetarian or halal diets.
How to order
쭈꾸미볶음 주세요
Jju-kkumi-bokkeum ju-se-yo
Please give me Spicy Stir-fried Baby Octopus
Customize your order
Traveler tips
How to eat it
Frequently asked questions
- Are ‘쭈꾸미’ (jjukkumi, baby octopus) and ‘주꾸미’ (jukkumi, baby octopus) different foods?
- They refer to the same seafood. The standard Korean spelling is ‘주꾸미’ (jukkumi, baby octopus), but ‘쭈꾸미’ (jjukkumi, baby octopus), which is closer to the way it is pronounced, is also very common on actual menus and in everyday conversation.
- Do you eat the round part of baby octopus too?
- In Korea, people often call that part the head, but it is actually closer to the body. If the baby octopus has been cleaned, it is often eaten along with the arms; if the texture feels unfamiliar, cut it up and eat it with the sauce.
- Why add Fried Rice at the end?
- The seafood flavor from the baby octopus and the Gochujang seasoning are left in the pan. Stir-frying rice, crushed dried seaweed, and sesame oil in it is a Korean-style finish that lets you enjoy the spicy sauce to the very end.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-07