The tteokbokki didn't come out good when I tried to make it at the house, but that's probably because I tried to zazz it up by stirring it in with bulgogi sauce instead of the spicy or cream sauces that it usually goes better with, and I couldn't be sure what was the best boiling point for them. I have to go to that specific restaurant for the softer ones.
The Korean market/restaurants by me a little closer than that, but because they're 20 minutes compared to a regular supermarket, I have to be strategic and come with enough money and a shopping list to come home with what I'd need so I won't have to drive near such a heavy traffic location that's difficult to get in and out of constantly. It's more of a special place to hit up when I have some free time or have to pick stuff up to cook for a special occasion.
I get thrown off by what is soju because they don't clarify which is which very well on the shelves. I'm able to identify the sake and fruit wine well, but they tend to have several varieties of rice/grain wines that I can only assume may or may not be soju. It might be easier to identify if I could read Korean, but because I can only grasp onto English and some Japanese, I can only guesstimate. There's the TyKu one at Total Wine, but their forte was always overpriced sake.