I need to be honest with you right from the start.
I am about to introduce you to a food that even most Koreans argue about. A food that has passionate devotees and equally passionate haters. A food that former President Kim Dae-jung loved, that j-hope's refrigerator famously contained, and that has made grown adults gag on camera.
This is hongeo (νμ΄) β fermented skate fish. And it is not for the faint of heart.
Hongeo is skate (a type of ray fish). While it can be eaten raw and fresh, when Koreans say "hongeo," they almost always mean the fermented version β fish that has been aged and allowed to develop its... distinctive qualities.
I'll be direct about what those qualities are: the smell is ammonia. Not "kind of like ammonia." Actual ammonia. The fermentation process produces it naturally, and it hits you the moment you open the container. It's sharp. It's intense. It tingles in your nose. And for many people, it's an absolute dealbreaker.
For others β the devoted β it's the entire point.
Hongeo is simultaneously one of Korea's most polarizing foods and one of its most expensive. Eating out, expect to pay around β©100,000 ($75) or more for two people. This isn't street food. It's a delicacy with a dedicated following.
The most popular way to eat hongeo is samhap (μΌν©) β literally "three combination." You take a piece of fermented hongeo, a slice of boiled pork belly (μμ‘/suyuk), and a piece of well-fermented kimchi, stack them together, and eat them in one bite.
Wash it down with makgeolli (Korean rice wine), and devotees will tell you it's one of the greatest flavor combinations in Korean cuisine. The ammonia bite of the hongeo, the rich fat of the pork, the sour funk of aged kimchi, the sweet earthiness of makgeolli β it all comes together.
If you're on the other side of the fence... you just ruined a perfectly good piece of pork.
j-hope is from Gwangju β a city in Korea's southwestern Jeolla Province that is widely considered the food capital of Korea. Gwangju is famous for its incredibly diverse cuisine, generous portions, and particularly its fermented and aged foods: deeply ripened kimchi, fermented seafood pastes (μ κ°), and of course, hongeo.
Restaurants in Gwangju are known for serving mountains of banchan (side dishes) as standard β some of them made with ingredients that restaurants elsewhere would charge extra for. The city's food culture is generous, bold, and deeply rooted in tradition. If you truly love Korean food, people say you must visit Gwangju.
j-hope grew up in this food environment, so it's no surprise he enjoys hongeo. He's adventurous with food in general β open to trying international dishes, comfortable with strong flavors, willing to experiment. He once pointed out the contrast between himself and Jimin, who tends to seek out kimchi fried rice even when traveling abroad. Different members, different food philosophies.
I have to be honest: I enjoy hongeo myself. With makgeolli, as anju (drinking snack), it's genuinely wonderful. The ammonia fades once you pair it with the right foods, and what remains is a complex, deeply savory experience.
But would I recommend it to someone visiting Korea for the first time?
No. Absolutely not.
Hongeo is regularly ranked among the world's most challenging foods. The smell alone has defeated people far braver than me. If you haven't spent years building up to it through other Korean fermented foods, jumping straight to hongeo is like trying to run a marathon without training.
However. If there's an ARMY out there who feels the irresistible pull of eating what j-hope eats... start gentle. Try hongeo-muchim (νμ΄λ¬΄μΉ¨) β a version where the fermented fish is mixed with spicy seasoning and vegetables. The sauce tames the ammonia significantly. Or try samhap, where the pork and kimchi do most of the heavy lifting.
And you'll almost certainly need to be in Korea for this. Fermented hongeo is nearly impossible to find outside the country. If curiosity strikes during a Seoul visit, here's a recommended spot:
νμ΄νλ§λ¦¬ (Hongeo Hanmari) β one of Seoul's most well-known hongeo specialty restaurants. Search "νμ΄νλ§λ¦¬" on Google Maps or Naver Map to find locations.
You've been warned. You've been prepared. What you do with this information is between you and your taste buds.