Not far from the main entrance of Oeam Folk Village, you’ll find the Oeam Folk Marketplace Street, known for its row of traditional eateries in thatched roof houses. One of the restaurants, Sangjeon (상전), is famous for its chef, dressed in traditional Korean attire, flipping giant Korean pancakes (jeon) on a massive griddle shaped like a traditional roof tile. When it comes to jeon, this shop is the most famous eatery in the area and perhaps all of Asan City.

In Korea, jeon refers to a type of traditional pancake made with flour, eggs and various ingredients like seafood, green onions, kimchi or vegetables, pan-fried in oil. It’s a beloved comfort that pairs perfectly with makgeolli, traditional rice wine. Koreans also enjoy them on holidays like Lunar New Year and Chuseok.

This local gem has been featured on multiple TV shows like “The Master of Living,” which recognized the owner as a true jeon master. Enjoying jeon cooked by a jeon master in a 500-year-old folk village truly feels like a journey back to the old days. From the outside, the restaurant resembles a thatched farmhouse while the inside follows the layout of a traditional hanok. It’s spacious, so even on weekends, you rarely have to wait long.

Their signature dish is the giant jeon grilled on the massive cast iron griddle. Watching the chef skillfully spread batter, pile on green onions and top it with seafood or kimchi is almost like watching a live cooking show. I highly recommend stepping outside to see the open kitchen while your jeon is being prepared.

The batter is made from a special blend of 12 different grain flours, including glutinous rice, potato and corn powder. Onion juice is added instead of sugar for a natural sweetness. As a result, these jeon pancakes aren’t just crispy on the outside, but moist and chewy on the inside with generous pieces of squid and shrimp. The jeon comes with side dishes like pickled onions and kimchi that complement the rich pancake flavor beautifully.

The giant jeon is almost the size of a pizza, making it perfect for sharing. The kimchi jeon is especially very flavorful, spicier and crunchier. If you can’t decide, go for the half and half jeon which serves both seafood and kimchi jeon on the same plate.

Though Sangjeon is best known for its jeon, they also offer a wide selection of Korean dishes, including traditional soups, bibimbap, handmade pork cutlets and other various pancakes made with potatoes, oysters, or beef slices.

Aside from the jeon, I also tried galbitang (short rib soup) and on-gung-tang—a health soup made with pork feet, abalone, jujube and ginseng. Galbitang came with a generous portion of tender short rib and the broth was clean and hearty. On the other hand, the on-gung-tang, once served for royalty as a health-boosting dish, may not be for everyone. It has a unique presentation and aroma. Still, many old Koreans seemed to enjoy it as a nourishing and traditional meal.

If you’re visiting Oeam Folk Village, it’s worth taking a short five-minute walk to the old marketplace to stop by Sangjeon. This cozy restaurant brings the village’s traditions to life, one bite at a time.

Things to know

Address: 1030-14 Oeam-ro, Songak-myeon, Asan-si, Chungcheongnamdo, Naver Map

Hours: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily

Phone: 041-541-2545

Prices of the menu:

• Seafood jeon: 18,000 won

• Kimchi jeon: 18,000 won

• Half & half Jeon (seafood + kimchi): 20,000 won

• Regular meal dishes: 7,000 – 14,000 won

Korean

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