Myeongdong Grilled Cheese Lobster for ₩20,000: What You Actually Get at This Street Stall
In the middle of Myeongdong, the grilled cheese lobster at Kkorichineun Lobster Gui costs ₩20,000 per serving. That puts it at the top of the price range for Myeongdong street food, and the price is printed on a standing sign at the front of the cart in Korean, English, and Chinese, so you can read it before you commit to anything. The shell and the meat come already separated, so a single pair of wooden chopsticks is all you need, and when you're done you hand your trash straight to the vendor.
What is Kkorichineun Lobster Gui, and how much does it cost?
Kkorichineun Lobster Gui is a Myeongdong street snack: lobster tail meat brushed with cheese and seasoning, then finished on a grill. The cart's main sign carries the Korean name alongside Roast lobster with Cheese and 芝士烤龙虾.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Menu | Kkorichineun Lobster Gui (Roast lobster with Cheese) |
| Price | ₩20,000 |
| Where the price is posted | Standing sign at the front of the cart (Korean, English, Chinese) |
| Payment | Cash, credit cards, QR pay |
| How you eat it | No seating / standing at the cart or while walking |
| Trash | Hand it to the vendor |
Most Myeongdong street food runs between ₩3,000 and ₩10,000 per item. So ₩20,000 is the number that makes people stop and think twice. What matters here is that the figure isn't negotiated or improvised on the spot — it's printed in large type on the sign, as in the photo below.
Once you've seen the price, the next question is how to find the cart in the first place.
How do you find this stall in Myeongdong?
This cart is easy to spot from a distance. Four life-size lobster models hang upside down from the frame above the cart. The first time I walked past, I stopped because I thought they were real.
There's one more life-size lobster model lying on a wooden board at the front of the work counter. The signage is a strong red, which reads clearly even at night.
Found the cart? Then it's worth standing there a minute to watch how the food is actually made.
How is the lobster cooked?
This vendor doesn't stack up finished portions in advance. The lobster gets an initial round on the grill first, and the final cooking happens right after you order. That's why nothing arrives soggy or lukewarm.
Two grills are in use: a standard direct-flame grill and an infrared electric grill. The infrared grill cooks the lobster from both sides one more time before it's handed over.
Cheese and seasoning go on while the lobster is on the grill. After that, a handheld torch scorches the surface to push the char flavor further. Spreading the cheese and seasoning evenly across the meat is the core of how this cart does it.
Then you're handed the finished lobster, and the moment most visitors worry about arrives. The shell.
Do you have to shell the lobster yourself?
No. This cart separates the shell from the meat in advance. Wrestling with a shell is the most tedious part of eating any crustacean, and here that part is already done before it reaches you.
The only tool you need is a pair of disposable wooden chopsticks. The chopstick cup sits on the counter, so you take a pair yourself. Since you're just lifting the meat out, there's less chance of getting sauce on your hands or hunting for somewhere to put shell fragments.
With the eating sorted, that leaves payment.
Can you pay by card or QR pay?
Cash, credit cards, and QR pay all work. There's a QR payment board mounted on the post next to the cart, and it displays logos for several payment services, Alipay among them.
That said, given how fast this cart turns over orders, having cash ready is the quickest option. When there are people behind you, a short payment makes it easier for everyone.
Payment done, lobster in hand — and then the same question comes up every time. Where do you eat this?
Where do you eat it, and where does the trash go?
It's an outdoor cart, so there's no seating. You eat standing at the cart, or while walking through the Myeongdong streets.
Trash isn't something you need to plan for. Next to this cart there's a sign reading "Give me the trash" in four languages: Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese. Hand your finished skewer and wrapping to the vendor and they'll dispose of it for you.
Public bins are not common on the streets of Myeongdong, which is what makes that sign genuinely useful. So is this the only place in Myeongdong selling grilled lobster?
Are there other lobster stalls in Myeongdong?
Three carts in Myeongdong sell grilled lobster in total. Each one handles the cooking and the finish a little differently.
The cart covered in this post — Kkorichineun Lobster Gui — is defined by the pre-grill, the finish after ordering, the cheese and seasoning, the torch, and the pre-separated shell. If you want to compare, read the earlier post on the other Myeongdong cheese lobster stall alongside this one.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Kkorichineun Lobster Gui cost?
₩20,000. The figure is printed on a standing sign at the front of the cart in Korean, English, and Chinese, so you can check it before ordering. It sits at the top end of the Myeongdong street food price range.
Can I pay with a credit card or QR pay?
Yes. The cart takes cash, credit cards, and QR pay. A QR board next to the cart displays logos for several payment services, Alipay included. When a line has formed, cash moves fastest.
Do I have to shell the lobster myself?
No. The vendor separates the shell from the meat before handing it over. You lift the meat out with the disposable wooden chopsticks kept on the counter. No experience with crustaceans required.
Is there anywhere to sit, and what do I do with the trash?
There's no seating. You eat standing at the cart or while walking through Myeongdong. Hand your trash to the vendor and they'll dispose of it. A four-language sign next to the cart says so.
Is it something pre-made that gets reheated?
No. Only the first round of grilling is done in advance. Once you order, the cheese and seasoning go on and the lobster is finished on the spot, ending with a handheld torch across the surface.
Prices and cooking methods vary a lot from cart to cart in Myeongdong. Now that you've seen a ₩20,000 lobster, it's worth looking at the other end of the scale — the ₩3,000 to ₩5,000 snacks — to get a feel for how wide that range really is. Which price bracket do you want to see next?
