Chungmu Gimbap (충무김밥)
Plain mini rolls served with spicy squid and radish — Tongyeong style.
- Korean name
- 충무김밥
- Spice level
- Medium
- Flavor
- spicy · briny
- Typically contains
- squid
- Vegetarian / vegan
- Not vegetarian — meat or seafood is core to the dish
- Typical price
- ₩8,000–₩12,000 per person checked 2026-07 — varies by area
- Good to know
- Beginner-friendly ●●●○○ Solo dining ●●●●○ Kid-friendly ●●○○○
- Also written as
- chungmu kimbap, tongyeong gimbap
What is Chungmu Gimbap?
Chungmu-gimbap strips gimbap to survival basics: plain rice rolls with nothing inside, eaten with spicy squid muchim and cubed radish kimchi on the side. Born on Tongyeong ferry docks (old name: Chungmu) where fillings spoiled at sea, it turned scarcity into a beloved formula — bland roll, fierce sides.
How to eat it
- Skewer a plain roll with the toothpick provided, then a piece of spicy squid, then radish — that triple is one 'bite'.
- Don't look for filling in the rolls; the sides ARE the filling.
- It travels well — still a top pick for road trips and ferries.
Good to know
- The squid muchim runs genuinely spicy at proper Tongyeong-style places.
A dockworker's meal design: rice kept plain so it wouldn't spoil, flavor carried by preserved sides.
Nutrition
| Calories | 146 kcal |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | 27.29 g |
| Protein | 5.86 g |
| Fat | 1.49 g |
| Sodium | 324 mg |
Per serving (~400g): ≈584 kcal · sodium ≈1,296 mg (65% of the WHO daily guideline, 2,000 mg)
Related foods
김밥 · GimbapOften eaten together Seaweed rice rolls — Korea's picnic and lunchbox default. 
떡볶이 · TteokbokkiOften eaten together Chewy rice cakes in sweet-spicy gochujang sauce. 
어묵탕 · Eomuk TangOften eaten together Fish-cake skewer soup — the street-stall winter warmer. 
비빔밥 · BibimbapSame family · Rice & Porridge Rice bowl with seasoned vegetables and gochujang — mix hard, then eat. 
돌솥비빔밥 · Dolsot BibimbapSame family · Rice & Porridge Bibimbap in a sizzling stone pot — the crispy rice is the prize.