Snow crabs are cooked inside a large iron pot at a restaurant in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, Feb. 6. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

ULJIN, North Gyeongsang Province — "This is how you cook snow crabs. Have them turned upside down and steam them. Never cook them in boiling water, you have to cook them in hot steam," Lim Hyo-chul, 57, said at his snow crab restaurant near Hupo Port in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, Feb. 6.

When Lim lifted the lid of a massive iron pot at his restaurant, dozens of boiled snow crabs emerged from a cloud of steam. The crowd of customers gasped in delight, quickly snapping pictures with their smartphones.

"Snow crabs used to go on the king's table, and this is the best time to taste them — when the cold wind blows," Lim said.

Nestled along Korea's eastern coastline, the picturesque seaside town of Uljin is renowned as the country's largest snow crab supplier, harvesting between 8,000 and 13,000 tons of these delectable crustaceans annually.

An aerial view of Hupo Port in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

Every winter, food enthusiasts from across the country, particularly from inland areas, gather at Hupo Port in Uljin to indulge in the snow crabs at their peak, when the crabs are at their juiciest and most flavorful.

"The snow crab's major habitat is Wangdolcho, an underwater reef about 23 kilometers east of Hupo Port," explained Kim Tuk-yong, a 70-year-old Uljin native who now works as a village head and a cultural commentator.

This fertile crabbing ground, roughly twice the size of Yeouido (spanning 21 kilometers east to west and 54 kilometers north to south), lies where cold and warm currents meet. It thrives with abundant plankton and features pristine sand dunes, with clear waters that maintain a temperature of about 2-3 degrees Celsius year-round, Kim explained.

"Snow crabs from this area tend to have meat that is more juicy, soft and sweet," Kim added.

Around 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 7, Hupo Port bustled with crab catchers and seafood wholesalers holding auctions of freshly caught snow crabs.

Crab catchers arranged hundreds of live snow crabs on the ground in lines, with their white bellies pointing up to prevent them from escaping. Merchants, with their hands behind their backs, swarmed around the auction area, looking swiftly for the freshest crustaceans.

Live snow crabs are on display for auction at Hupo Port in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, Feb. 7. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

"It varies from day to day [how much a snow crab costs]. It fluctuates a lot depending on the quantity you catch. It could go up to 20,000 won to 30,000 won per crab. Even though the unit price varies every day, auction houses try to keep it constant." Lim Joon-sik, 44, an auctioneer at the port, said.

"We don't sell anything less than 9 centimeters in length to keep the crab quality, and we always check the number of legs and see if they have all 10, including the claws."

The average price of snow crab that day was around 18,000 won.

Crab catchers and locals in Uljin recommend enjoying the snow crab in its freshest state, right in the area where it is caught, to fully savor its sweet, juicy flavor.

Also, although some may be tempted to pick the largest one, the key to choosing the best snow crab is to press its stomach gently.

A crab catcher puts snow crabs into a plastic crate for auction at Hupo Port in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, Feb. 7. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

"A good snow crab has a strong gut. The one that feels somewhat firm and nimble is a good one. Some crabs may be bigger in size, but if it's too light, it doesn't have any flesh and won't be meaty as you would expect," he said.

The best way to eat snow crab is to have it steamed, so you can enjoy the original taste of the flesh without seasoning, he added.

The neighborhood has some 90 restaurants selling snow crabs, along with octopus and raw fish. Many of them provide delivery services, offering steamed snow crabs sent to the doorstep within a day.

Two types of snow crabs — white or red belly — are usually available. The white-belly snow crabs tend to taste sweeter, while red ones have a more rounded taste.

Every year, Uljin hosts the annual Uljin Snow Crab Festival to celebrate the famous local specialty and some 50,000 people attend the event.

This year's festival will be held from Feb. 28 to March 3 and feature various activities like crab catching, free snow crab tastings and snow crab flash mob dance.

Snow crabs are on display at a seafood market in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province. Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

As food enthusiasts from across the country continue to flock to the seaside county, Uljin anticipates an increase in visitors with the opening of the Donghae train line and Uljin Station this January.

With the opening of the Donghae Nambu Line and Uljin Station in January, it has become an easy destination to visit from anywhere in the country. The railway connects Gangneung of Gangwon Province to Samcheok along the eastern coast, offering a scenic coastal view with breathtaking crystalline blue water and mountainous scenery.

Uljin plans to lure tourists by expanding various tourism programs linked to railroads.

KORAIL also introduced a special Uljin train trip package to mark the Uljin Snow Crab Festival. The product includes this year's snow crab festival, train fares, admission fees to tourist attractions such as hot springs and pine tree forest, and accommodation and meals in the seaside county.