Firsthand stories from Korea, in ten languages

Discover local places and Korean products through reviews from people who’ve actually been there and tried them.

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

Half-pig BBQ set for two after exam day at a Seomyeon BBQ: Anmin Busan

Anmin Busan is a whole-pig charcoal BBQ restaurant on Dongcheon-ro in Seomyeon, Busan, where staff grill your meat from start to finish. On the day two months of exam prep and cram-school living finally ended, the writer sat at the bar with a friend and ordered the half-pig set (₩41,000) and doenjang sulbap (fermented soybean paste rice soup), with the finished meat kept warm on a tabletop mini brazier. The mouthwash, floss and fabric deodorizer thoughtfully stocked by the restroom left a strong impression at this Seomyeon restaurant that grills for you.

Written Aug 11, 2026Sponsored

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Seongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Weekday lunch omakase sushi in Pangyo with 1-hour course: Suyori

Suyori Sikdang is a sushi omakase restaurant with 11 counter seats in Pangyo Techno Valley, Seongnam. The weekday lunch course costs ₩45,000 per person for 18 courses in about an hour, from shiitake and gamtae porridge to steamed abalone, three kinds of sashimi, sushi with rotating toppings, futomaki, three tempura pieces, udon and yuzu sherbet, plus 2 hours of free parking. Each fish comes with a different topping, so the long course never feels repetitive.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
Goyang, GyeonggiHair & beauty salons

Poongdong hair salon for a 3-step summer damage clinic: Hair Onsae

Hair Onsae is a hair salon in Poongdong, Ilsan (Goyang), right in front of Poongsan Station and across from the Poongsan E-mart. Frequent dyeing and summer UV had left the hair so dry that fingers wouldn't run through it, so Hair Onsae did a 3-step clinic — protein, internal repair and cuticle care — with steam applied while lying at the shampoo bed. Even with no blow-dry, just air-drying, the hair fell smooth and looked glossy.

Written Aug 11, 2026Sponsored
Bucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Beombak-dong bossam restaurant with jaengban makguksu: Obongjip

Obongjip Beombak-jeom is a Korean restaurant in Beombak-dong, Bucheon, Gyeonggi, sitting right in front of a school and known for bossam (boiled pork wraps) and flame-grilled octopus stir-fry. The meal arrives on a large tray (obong) with seaweed soup and side dishes, and diners wrap the bossam pork in jaengban makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles), then turn the octopus stir-fry into bibimbap with bean sprouts, seaweed flakes and sesame oil from the self-bar. The portions at Obongjip were enormous, and the meal was good enough to make a return visit certain.

Written Sep 23, 2026Sponsored
Jeju, JejuBars

Jeju District Court bar with boneless chicken feet: Golbaengi Pocha

Golbaengi Pocha is a pojangmacha-style bar specializing in wild whelk dishes on Namgwangbuk 1-gil, near Jeju District Court in Jeju City, Jeju. On this visit the table was built around the sweet-and-tangy whelk salad (30,000 won, served with thin somyeon noodles) plus an added plate of boneless chicken feet, shared over drinks with family. The relaxed, unfussy mood at Golbaengi Pocha makes it an easy place to sit and talk long past the first round.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
Dongjak, SeoulRestaurants

Late lunch ramen set served until 5pm at Noryangjin's Chome

Chome is a Japanese ramen restaurant in a back alley behind Noryangjin Station in Dongjak, Seoul. The lunch-only Chome set, served until 5pm, pairs one of five ramen with a side for 10,000-19,000 won; the writer ordered two cho ramen and a karai ramen with futomaki (thick seaweed rice roll), then added green tea, kimchi, danmuji, tsukemono, minced garlic, pepper and vinegar from the self-serve bar. Arriving at 4pm and still getting the lunch set made Chome excellent value.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Gongdeok burger spot with garlic butter fries upgrade: Quokka Bite

Quokka Bite is an Australian-style handmade burger restaurant in an alley off Gyeongui Line Forest Park in Gongdeok, Mapo, Seoul. The avocado smash Quokka burger set is 16,900 won and the grilled Quokka burger is 9,900 won, and for about 3,000 won more the fries can be upgraded to garlic butter French fries; the avocado was piled on so generously that it dripped. For a first visit to Quokka Bite, the avocado burger is the one to order.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
Songpa, SeoulRestaurants

Munjeong-dong Korean BBQ: pork belly and skirt meat at Insaengdwaeji

Insaengdwaeji Songpa Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Munjeong-dong, Songpa, Seoul, in the basement of Songpa Prugio City near Exit 4 of Jangji Station. Two servings of pork belly plus an order of ganmaegisal (skirt meat) went down with somaek (soju mixed with beer): the aged Korean pork belly was springy, while the skirt meat stayed juicy rather than dry and tasted great with nothing but salt. Insaengdwaeji Songpa Branch is an easy pick for mixing two cuts with a friend after work.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
Gangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Brazilian wax with ingrown hair care in Gangnam: Nu Waxing & Brow

Nu Waxing & Brow is a Brazilian and brow waxing salon in Gangnam, Seoul, a 3-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 3 on the second floor of Hyosung Harrington Tower. The Brazilian wax was done with Lycon wax and finished in 10 minutes including ingrown hair care, at 50,000 won with a calming pack. Nu Waxing & Brow suits anyone who wants a fast, low-fuss wax squeezed in before other plans nearby.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
Gangbuk, SeoulRestaurants

Suyu Japanese restaurant with mozzarella cheese katsu: Katsu Shokudou

Katsu Shokudou Suyu is a Japanese tonkatsu restaurant on the first floor of Episode Suyu838, by Suyu Station in Gangbuk, Seoul. Eating alone at the bar counter, the writer ordered the mozzarella cheese katsu set and picked mini cold soba as the side — the cheese stretched right down to the last of the four pieces, and a dip in pink salt brought out the flavor of the katsu itself. Katsu Shokudou Suyu runs until 9pm with no break time and offers 60 minutes of free parking, making it an easy, filling stop for lunch or dinner.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
Seongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pangyo Korean BBQ that grills pork neck in three cuts: Dwaeji Mansion

Dwaeji Mansion Pangyo Avenue France Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant on the 1st floor of Avenue France, 381m from Pangyo Station Exit 1 in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, where staff grill han-don (Korean pork) and Iberico pork at your table. On an early lunch visit right after opening on the first day of a holiday, han-don pork neck at 18,000 won and thick-cut Iberico pork neck at 23,000 won were ordered side by side, and one piece of pork neck was cut into saljichisal, kkodeulsal and deolmisal so the differences in flavor were easy to taste. The full grilling service, covering the minari, mushrooms and whole garlic as well as the meat, is what makes Dwaeji Mansion worth the visit.

Written Sep 25, 2026Sponsored
Jeonju, JeonbukHair & beauty salons

5-step hair clinic and layered cut at a Jeonju hair salon: Aurum Hair

Aurum Hair Jeonju Hyoja is a hair salon on the 3rd floor of the Yunseon Building in Jeonju's Sinsigaji district. The writer had the 5-step BASIC hair clinic together with a layered cut, with the shampooing done in a separate SPA room and a choice between the Basic and Rich third solution depending on how damaged the hair is. Tangled, split ends combed through easily afterwards, and the layered cut kept the length while adding natural layers.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
Hwaseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Dongtan knife-cut noodle spot: doenjang mixed kalguksu at Chunsik

Chunsik Kalguksu Dongtan Main Branch (춘식칼국수 동탄본점) is a kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) restaurant on Dongtangongwon-ro 3-gil near Dongtan Central Park in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. This lunch was two orders of stir-fried doenjang mixed kalguksu, 12,000 won each, tossed with plenty of chives and thick noodles, plus a small pollack roe cheese egg roll for 6,000 won. If you want something other than a soupy noodle bowl, the stir-fried doenjang mixed kalguksu at Chunsik Kalguksu is a memorable choice.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored

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