Jeoneo (錢魚), the "Money Fish": How Korea's Autumn Delicacy Got Its Name

Jeoneo (錢魚) — read literally by its Chinese characters, the name means "money fish." In his book Nanhoeomokji, the late-Joseon-era Silhak scholar Seo Yu-gu wrote that the fish got its name because when merchants salted it and brought it to Hanyang (present-day Seoul) to sell, buyers purchased it without haggling over the price. Around the same period, Oh Hui-mun's diary Soemirok recorded that a large jeoneo once sold for the price of three doe (a traditional unit) of rice.

A fish once so expensive and prized has now become a delicacy commonly found in Seoul every autumn. Jeoneo caught in fall, just before spawning, are known to have a much higher fat content than in spring, which is why their nutty flavor is especially pronounced during this season.

Jeoneo is typically grilled whole or sliced and eaten bones and all. Grilled over charcoal, its fat sizzles and gives off a rich, nutty, smoky aroma, while the bone-in raw slices have a distinctive texture, with tiny bones crackling between the teeth with each bite. Wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves with rice and served with doenjang (soybean paste) or chogochujang (vinegared red pepper paste), the nutty flavor mixes with a sweet-and-spicy kick in a single bite.

If you want to try autumn jeoneo on the spot, Incheon's Sorae Port — reachable from Seoul by subway on a day trip — is worth considering as a destination. The Sorae Port Festival, held every fall, will take place this year over three days, from October 2 to 4, around Haeoreum Square at Sorae Port. It's close to Sorae Port Station on the Suin-Bundang Line, and details on experience programs and fees will be posted progressively on the festival website before it opens.

Just as the old saying goes that people once bought it without asking the price, in front of autumn jeoneo, it's the smell — even before the price tag — that draws people in.