Firsthand stories from Korea, in ten languages

Local places and Korean products, reviewed by the people who actually went and tried.

Restaurants, cafés and salons across Korea — every story by a blogger who actually went, linked to Google Maps.

Jeolla yukhoe rice bowl, kimchi stew swap in Gangnam: 1992 Deopbap

1992 Deopbap & Jjageuli Gangnam Main Branch is a Korean rice bowl and jjageuli (thick stew) restaurant about 90m from Exit 3 of Gangnam Station in Seoul. The Jeolla-style yukhoe (raw beef) rice bowl and the fully loaded jjageuli cost 13,500 won each, and the steamed egg that comes with the yukhoe rice bowl was swapped for kimchi jjigae to alternate with the spicy raw beef. With a traditional interior of a spinning wheel and pine wood and each order served as its own full set, 1992 Deopbap & Jjageuli was an easy choice for a solo lunch in Gangnam.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored

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Gyeongju, GyeongbukBars

Gyeongju izakaya with tsukune and chicken gomtang: Yakitori Sogi

Yakitori Sogi is a charcoal-grill yakitori izakaya tucked into a Hwangridan-gil alley in Gyeongju. Course A (full) for two costs 66,000 won and runs from sous-vide chicken breast salad through chicken tenderloin, neck and kawa (chicken skin) skewers and pork belly rolled with scallion to tsukune (chicken meatball), finishing with chicken gomtang (clear chicken soup) and shiso sorbet, paired with two Kirin draft beers. With both dachi counter seats and tables, Yakitori Sogi suits a date or a night out with friends while traveling in Gyeongju.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Gimhae, GyeongnamRestaurants

Medium gamjatang with a rice pot in Gimhae Yulha: Ppyeodae Itneun

Ppyeodae Itneun Haejangguk Gamjatang Yulha Branch is a gamjatang (pork bone stew) and haejangguk (hangover soup) restaurant on Yulha 7-ro in Gimhae, Gyeongnam. The visit covered a medium gamjatang with a solbap rice pot, unlimited add-ins from the self-bar, and a ramen noodle finish that left no room for the usual fried rice. With unlimited sari refills and a stamp coupon that gives a free gamjatang after 10 visits, Ppyeodae Itneun is worth returning to for a family meal.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Jemulpo, IncheonRestaurants

Yeonan Pier haejangguk restaurant with free refills: Sopuri, Incheon

24-Hour Sopuri Yangpyeong Haejangguk, Yeonan Pier General Fish Market Branch is a 24-hour hangover soup restaurant on Yeonan-budu-ro 33-gil in Jemulpo, Incheon, open every day of the year. On a weekend morning a family ordered yangpyeong haejangguk (ox blood and tripe hangover soup) and somori gukbap (ox head soup with rice); the wife, who had never been able to eat blood sausage, emptied her bowl because the broth had no gamy smell, and the self-serve bar offered free extra blood sausage and rice. For a family meal with young children, Sopuri delivers a filling bowl that pleases everyone at the table.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Seo-gu, DaejeonCafés

Tanbang-dong dessert café in Daejeon with fig pavlova: Dalke

Dalke Dessert Cafe is a dessert café in Tanbang-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, near Exit 5 of Tanbang Station and close to Lotte Department Store. The signature fruit pavlova costs 13,000 won, and with an iced café latte and an iced americano the bill came to 22,300 won; the meringue base was crisp and the seasonal fig topping was the highlight. With its wood tones and plant-filled interior, Dalke Dessert Cafe is an easy stop before or after shopping, or on a date.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Sunchang, JeonbukCafés

Fresh fruit mochi lunchbox at Hwayangyeonhwa, a Sunchang hanok café

Hwayangyeonhwa is a dessert café made up of several hanok buildings on Gyeongcheon-ro in Sunchang-eup, Sunchang, Jeonbuk. Visiting with her child, the writer ordered the lunchbox of chapssaltteok (glutinous rice cakes) with six fresh fruit flavors — cherry, fresh strawberry, shine muscat, gold kiwi, tangerine and tiramisu — along with oranda (puffed rice sweets) and a chocolate latte, and cherry tomato and strawberry tied as the shared favorite. The soft, chewy rice cake with very sweet fresh fruit makes Hwayangyeonhwa an easy rest stop on a Sunchang trip.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Seongbuk, SeoulBars

Seoul wine bar near Gireum Station with spicy lamb stew: N.G.T

N.G.T is a wine and whiskey dining bar on Samyang-ro near Gireum Station in Seongbuk, Seoul. The meal at N.G.T ran from a tofu ricotta starter salad and a non-alcoholic minari syrup cocktail to a highball poured in a Riedel glass, but the spicy lamb rib stew with mashed potatoes — almost free of the usual lamb gaminess — was the dish worth remembering. N.G.T is the place to keep in mind around Gireum Station when you want proper cooking alongside your drinks.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Cheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan naengmyeon restaurant in Dujeong-dong: 50 bowls a day at Geuni

Geuni Sikdang is a Korean restaurant in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan that makes its pure buckwheat pyeongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) in-house and serves only 50 bowls a day. Alongside the clean, mild naengmyeon, Geuni Sikdang serves minari hanwoo tangban (Korean beef and watercress soup) built on a broth boiled from domestic hanwoo beef, plus big king mandu with tender filling and rich broth. For a light, non-spicy lunch in Dujeong-dong, Geuni Sikdang is a solid pick.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Yeongwol, GangwonStays

Yeongwol couple stay with Seobu Market takeout: Deo Swim caravan X1

Deo Swim is a private caravan stay on Donggang-ro in Yeongwol-eup, Gangwon, with units for two to four guests. A married couple spent one night in X1, the two-person room, using the mountain-view bed, the private barbecue and fire-pit area, and the in-room Nespresso machine and Osulloc tea set, after picking up soondae (Korean blood sausage), dakgangjeong (sweet crispy chicken) and memil jeonbyeong (buckwheat crepe rolls) at Yeongwol Seobu Market on the way in. Deo Swim suited a quiet couple's trip where the two of you keep the whole unit to yourselves.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Goheung, GwangjuStays

Dog-friendly glamping in Goheung with pork belly BBQ: Synth Pet & Kids

Synth Pet & Kids Glamping is a dog- and child-friendly glamping site in Gwayeok-myeon, Goheung, South Jeolla. Staying in unit B with our dog, we received a pet welcome kit, played ball on the gravel yard and the lawn, and grilled pork belly for dinner with the camping dishware provided in the room. The indoor warm-water pool runs only until 8pm, so night swimming was out, but Synth Pet & Kids Glamping is worth a shortlist spot if you want somewhere both dogs and kids can play.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Suwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon Chicken Street oak-fired chicken with tteok: Haenggung Jangjak

Haenggung Jangjak Hanbang Tongdak is an oak firewood-roasted whole chicken restaurant on Suwon's Chicken Street, right beside Hwaseong Haenggung palace. The corn cheese gratin sauce roast chicken costs 27,000 won, and adding tteoksari (rice cake) for 3,000 won is worth it; despite the long roast the meat stayed moist, and the rice under the chicken turned into thick nurungji (crisp scorched rice). At Haenggung Jangjak the rice cake crisped up on the outside, making it a must-add.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Hapjeong hair salon for damaged-hair matte brown color: Recteur Seoul

Recteur Seoul is a hair salon on Jandari-ro in Mapo, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Hapjeong Station. Hair left dry and badly damaged by a hippie perm got a full color in matte brown with no red tones, together with the Course C clinic made for color and perm services, and the clinic product was mixed into the dye so the tone came out even. For a matte brown without worrying about further damage, Recteur Seoul is a satisfying choice.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
SejongRestaurants

Sejong sotbap and ramen self-bar Korean restaurant: Chung-sil Hoegwan

Chung-sil Hoegwan (충실회관) is a meat and Korean food restaurant on Noeul 3-ro in Hansol-dong, Sejong. The meal was kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) and gyeranjjim (steamed egg) served with sotbap (rice cooked in a stone pot), plus enoki mushrooms and ramen noodles boiled in the stew from the self-bar, finishing with sungnyung (scorched rice tea) poured into the empty pot. Chung-sil Hoegwan is a comfortable choice for a filling Korean meal rather than a flashy menu.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored

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