Learn Korean: The Craze of 'Jjujjunku' Dishes

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Korean Reading Practice

"평일에 반차 내고 가도 웨이팅 실패"…'쭈쫀쿠'가 뭐...

Date: April 04, 2026

Introduction

This article discusses the recent popularity of certain seasonal Korean dishes, particularly "jjujjunkku" (a dish made with spring greens and small octopus) and "aljokkumi" (a dish made with baby octopus). It explores how the high demand for these foods has led to long waiting times at restaurants and increased prices for ingredients like spring greens.

Vocabulary

Korean Romanization Meaning Example
제철 jecheon in season 이 음식은 제철 음식이에요.This food is in season.
봄동 bomdong spring greens 봄동 비빔밥이 인기가 많아요.Spring greens bibimbap is very popular.
있다 itda to exist, to be 줄이 아직 있어요.The line is still there.
음식 eumsig food 이 제철 음식을 먹고 싶어요.I want to eat this seasonal food.
오후 ohu afternoon 오후에 식당에 갔더니 이미 다 차 있었어요.I went to the restaurant in the afternoon, but it was already full.
주꾸미 jukkeumi small octopus 주꾸미 요리가 인기가 많아요.Dishes made with small octopus are very popular.
웨이팅 weiting waiting 웨이팅을 하다가 지쳐서 가버렸어요.I got tired of waiting and left.
손님 sonnim customer 손님들이 많이 기다리고 있어요.The customers are waiting a lot.
가격 gagyeog price 봄동 가격이 많이 올랐어요.The price of spring greens has increased a lot.
수요 suyo demand 봄동에 대한 수요가 급증했어요.The demand for spring greens has increased rapidly.
유행 yuhaeng trend 최근에 이 음식이 유행이에요.This dish has been trending recently.
분석 bunseog analysis 전문가가 이 현상을 분석했어요.The expert analyzed this phenomenon.

Reading Text

최근 제철 음식인 '쭈쫀쿠(jjujjunkku)'와 '알주꾸미'가 큰 인기를 끌면서 식당에서 이를 즐기기 위해 긴 대기 줄이 생기고 있다.

These days, the seasonal dishes "jjujjunkku" and "aljokkumi" have become very popular, leading to long waiting lines at restaurants as people try to enjoy them.

쭈쫀쿠는 봄동과 작은 주꾸미로 만든 요리이고, 알주꾸미는 아기 주꾸미로 만든 요리이다. 이 두 가지 요리가 소셜미디어에서 화제가 되면서 많은 사람들의 관심을 끌고 있다.

Jjujjunkku is a dish made with spring greens and small octopus, while aljokkumi is a dish made with baby octopus. These two dishes have become a hot topic on social media, attracting a lot of people's attention.

식당 점주 A씨에 따르면, 심지어 반차를 내고 온 직장인 손님들도 있다고 한다. 이들은 오후 6시 무렵 식당에 도착했지만, 이미 모든 좌석이 차 있어 웨이팅을 하다가 포기하고 돌아갔다고 한다.

According to the restaurant owner A, there are even office workers who took a half-day off work to come to the restaurant. They arrived around 6 pm, but all the seats were already taken, so they had to give up and leave after waiting.

이처럼 쭈쫀쿠와 알주꾸미에 대한 인기가 높아지면서, 봄동 가격도 2월 초 대비 33% 이상 올랐다. 전문가는 제철 음식 유행이 소비자의 '손실 회피'와 '경험 소비'를 자극한다고 분석했다.

As the popularity of jjujjunkku and aljokkumi has increased, the price of spring greens has also risen by more than 33% compared to early February. Experts have analyzed that the trend of seasonal food is stimulating consumers' "loss aversion" and "experience consumption".

즉, 사람들은 제철 음식을 먹지 못하면 손실을 느끼고, 새로운 경험을 하고 싶어 하기 때문에 이런 음식을 찾게 된다는 것이다. 이로 인해 식당은 손님이 몰리지만, 재료 구입 비용도 높아져 어려움을 겪고 있다.

That is, people feel a sense of loss if they don't eat seasonal foods, and they want to have new experiences, so they seek out these dishes. As a result, restaurants are flooded with customers, but they also face difficulties due to the increased cost of purchasing ingredients.

이처럼 제철 음식의 인기가 높아지면서 식당 운영에 어려움이 생기고 있지만, 소비자들의 욕구를 충족시키기 위해 노력하고 있다.

While the popularity of seasonal foods is causing difficulties in restaurant operations, they are making efforts to satisfy the consumers' desires.

Grammar Points

-(으)면서 while (simultaneously)

Attached to a verb stem to mean 'while doing' or 'as (something happens simultaneously)'. Used here to show two things happening at the same time.

📖 최근 제철 음식인 '쭈쫀쿠(jjujjunkku)'와 '알주꾸미'가 큰 인기를 끌면서 식당에서 이를 즐기기 위해 긴 대기 줄이 생기고 있다. Recently, as seasonal foods 'Jjujjunkku' and 'Aljukkumi' are gaining great popularity, long waiting lines are forming at restaurants to enjoy them.

✏️ 음악을 들으면서 공부해요. I study while listening to music.

-기 때문에 because of

Attached to a verb stem with -기 to mean 'because of' or 'due to the fact that'. It gives a reason or cause for the following clause.

📖 즉, 사람들은 제철 음식을 먹지 못하면 손실을 느끼고, 새로운 경험을 하고 싶어 하기 때문에 이런 음식을 찾게 된다는 것이다. In other words, people seek out these foods because they feel a sense of loss if they miss seasonal foods and because they want new experiences.

✏️ 비가 오기 때문에 우산을 가져가세요. Please take an umbrella because it is raining.

Cultural Notes

In Korean cuisine, the concept of "seasonal foods" (제철 음식) is very important. Koreans believe that eating foods that are in season not only provides the best flavors and nutritional benefits, but also aligns with the natural cycles of the environment. The high demand for dishes like jjujjunkku and aljokkumi during the spring season reflects this cultural appreciation for seasonal ingredients and the desire to experience the freshness and uniqueness of these dishes.

Source: 네이버 뉴스 | Original Article
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📝 Comprehension Questions

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Q1

What are the two popular seasonal dishes mentioned in the article?

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Q2

Why are customers willing to wait in long lines to eat these dishes?

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Q3

How have the prices of the main ingredient, spring greens, been affected by the high demand?

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Q4

According to the experts, what factors are driving the popularity of these seasonal dishes?

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Q5

How are the restaurants dealing with the challenges of high demand and increased ingredient costs?

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