Simple Snail Soup and Spicy River Fish Stew | Travel Course | K-Travel Mate

Olgaengi soup is one of Goesan's famous dishes, and near the intercity bus terminal in central Goesan-eup, a few restaurants selling olgaengi soup still maintain their presence. Juchajang Restaurant is known for its olgaengi hangover soup. Other notable places include Gisa Restaurant, Olgaengi Seoul Restaurant, and Mas Restaurant, which appeared in Heo Young-man's comic "Sikgaek." Olgaengi is called dasulgi in standard Korean, but the term olgaengi better conveys its taste and aroma. The flavor of olgaengi soup depends on the doenjang (soybean paste); each restaurant in Goesan making olgaengi soup prepares their own doenjang for a reason. Usually, they use doenjang aged over three years, and some even have doenjang aged eight years. The soup includes the ingredient auk (mallow). In particular, auk tastes best in autumn, so olgaengi soup is at its most delicious when eaten in autumn.

Goesan Hyanggyo's original construction date is unknown, and it was relocated to its current site in 1530. It was rebuilt in 1587 and has undergone several repairs since, preserving much of its original form. Existing buildings include Daeseongjeon, Dongmu, Seomu, Myeongnyundang, and Gyojiksa. Daeseongjeon enshrines the spirit tablets of Confucius and other sages and is a gable-roof building with three bays front and two bays side, oriented towards Confucius with four sages enshrined on either side. Dongmu and Seomu are also gable-roof buildings with three bays front and one bay side, housing the spirit tablets of two Song dynasty scholars and eighteen Korean scholars. Myeongnyundang, where students studied, together with Dongjae and Seojae, form the learning space. It is a single-story gable-roof building with five bays front and two bays side; Dongjae and Seojae each have four bays front and one bay side. The current Myeongnyundang was built in 1569 during King Seonjo's reign, rebuilt in 1647, and extensively repaired in 1981. The buildings’ scale and style follow the typical hyanggyo layout of Jeonhak-humyo (school in front, shrine in back).

Sanmaki Market is a medium-sized market with around 200 stores, established in 1970, with shops scattered throughout the area. Originally named Goesan Market, it was renamed Sanmaki Market in 2013 after being selected as a cultural tourism market. Goesan in Chungbuk has historically formed markets through merchants coming by waterways and land routes, and Sanmaki Market continues this tradition. Alongside the simple and charming permanent market, a traditional market opens on the 3rd and 8th of every month, where agricultural products and mountain vegetables from nearby rural and mountain villages, as well as unique local flavors like homemade soybean paste and freshly pressed oil, can all be purchased. Moreover, a canopy-type arcade is installed, allowing comfortable shopping regardless of the weather. A highlight of Goesan Market is Goesan specialty chili peppers. Around September, the Goesan Chili Festival takes place, reflecting its status as a representative agricultural product that once attracted merchants nationwide at harvest time. Particularly famous is the Goesan Clean Chili Market, where over 60% of Goesan farms cultivate this specialty, making it popular with outsiders. Goesan’s chili peppers are the nation’s top producing area, having won the Chungcheongbuk-do Agricultural Product Quality Award for 10 consecutive years since 1994, and receiving top awards at national agricultural product exhibitions for hygiene and quality. The Goesan county office invested over 60 million won this year to open the Goesan Clean Chili direct sales store (specialty shop), selling Goesan Clean Chili to consumers at farm prices (delivery by courier and mail also available).

Located about 5 minutes from Goesan-eup toward Goegang Bridge, this freshwater spicy fish stew specialty restaurant sits under Goegang Bridge. The main dishes center on spicy stews made with freshwater fish from the clean waters of the Namhan River and Goegang: soogari maeuntang, catfish maeuntang, bagasari maeuntang, and assorted fish maeuntang, along with various braised freshwater fish dishes. The representative stew, soogari maeuntang, includes soogari fish, water parsley, mushrooms, garlic, radish, and potatoes, flavored at the end with hand-pulled dough flakes and Goesan clean chili powder, resulting in a spicy yet mild dish with a refreshing aftertaste. It attracts not only local customers but also visitors from Seoul, Daejeon, and other urban areas. Served per pot for four people in large, medium, and small sizes, the restaurant also offers several side dishes made with Goesan’s specialty chili peppers. Particularly, the jangtteok pancake is a delicacy.