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.

Crispy rice pasta broth in Yangji, Yongin: Ttukbaegi-e Dameun Italia

Ttukbaegi-e Dameun Italia is a wood-fired pizza and ttukbaegi (stone pot) pasta restaurant on Nampyeong-ro in Yangji-eup, Yongin, Gyeonggi. The writer came with a husband who prefers Korean food and a picky-eater child, and ordered the ppesce hangover pasta (24,000 won) and the margherita wood-fired pizza (21,000 won); the shallow tomato-seafood broth with nurungji (crispy scorched rice) was the real kick. Ttukbaegi-e Dameun Italia is a Yangji, Yongin restaurant that even Korean-food purists in the family will enjoy.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored

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Haeundae, BusanRestaurants

Yacht-view Chinese in Marine City: spicy octopus rice bowl, Bueokgan

Bueokgan Chinese Marine City Branch is a Chinese restaurant on Marine City 3-ro in Haeundae, Busan, with a panoramic ocean view of Dongbaekseom. Visiting with a nephew, the writer ordered extra-large poached-egg ganjajang (black bean noodles), beef brisket jjamppong rice, a spicy poached-egg octopus rice bowl and black vinegar tangsuyuk (medium), and the yachts passing by kept the child so absorbed that the meal stayed relaxed. Bueokgan Chinese Marine City Branch is recommended as a Chinese restaurant that nails both the food and the view.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Jongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun KT Tower sushi: A and B sets compared, Elephant Sushi

Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun is a sushi restaurant in the basement-1 food court of KT Tower, right in front of Exit 2 of Gwanghwamun Station in Jongno, Seoul. This visit lines up the 19,000 won Elephant Sushi A set next to the 28,000 won Elephant Sushi B set to compare what each one includes, and adds the 23,000 won kaisendon (raw fish rice bowl) eaten with tamago (rolled egg omelet) on top. The monkfish liver and the smoky flame-seared sushi were the best bites at Elephant Sushi, and while the futomaki and squid sushi fell flat, everything else was excellent.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Seongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu-dong lunch-only kimchi fried rice restaurant: Out of Order

Out of Order is a fusion Korean dining spot on the second floor of an alley near Seongsu Station in Seoul's Seongdong district. The order was the three-color crispy lasagna at 24,000 won, the lunch-only snow-white kimchi fried rice at 16,000 won and the grilled baby napa cabbage (albaechu) at 14,000 won, peeling the lasagna apart layer by layer and breaking the yolk into the kimchi fried rice, plus a chestnut tiramisu given for writing a Naver receipt review. Out of Order is a good pick when you want familiar Korean flavors served in a new way in Seongsu-dong.

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

Hongdae hair and makeup salon for profile photos: Moi Hair Makeup

Moi Hair Makeup is a hair and makeup studio one minute from Exit 3 of Hongik University Station in Mapo, Seoul. Before a profile photo shoot, the writer booked the Daily Hair Makeup service for 143,000 won, ending up with a bright base that holds up under studio lighting and natural waves with volume at the roots. It was a repeat visit, and the tailored consultation and finish at Moi Hair Makeup made it worth returning.

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

Hannam-dong scalp clinic for postpartum thinning hair: ONLY FOR YOU

ONLY FOR YOU Hannam Main Branch is a hair clinic salon on the 3rd floor at 70 Doksadang-ro in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, near Hannam Station. The visit was booked for a perm, but designer Youngseo saw how much the hair had thinned after childbirth and advised putting the perm off, so a 3-step scalp clinic followed instead: scalp cleansing, a scalp pack and an ampoule. A simple blow-dry gave the clean style she wanted with no perm at all, and she decided to return to ONLY FOR YOU for a scalp clinic once a month.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Geomdan, IncheonRestaurants

Geomdan, Incheon katsu restaurant: gabrisal sirloin and cheese katsu

Gyeomson Donkatsu Geomdan Branch is a pork cutlet (katsu) restaurant in Geomdan, Incheon, a 3-minute walk from Majeon Station Exit 1. On a weekday visit at 18:00, the order was the special sirloin katsu at 17,000 won, cut from gabrisal (pork neck-end skirt) and noticeably juicy, plus the cheese katsu at 15,000 won served in 6 pieces. With sauce, pink salt, wasabi and curry all on the table, Gyeomson Donkatsu Geomdan Branch works well as a family dinner spot where you can keep changing the combination.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Seongnam, GyeonggiCafés

Pangyo brunch café earl grey lemon bingsu and snacks: Meolmeol Pangyo

Meolmeol Pangyo is a terrace brunch café on the Baekhyeon-dong café street in Pangyo, Seongnam. On a weekend early evening booked through Naver, the visit was a light one — endive salad 19,000 won, truffle baby potato fries 10,000 won, a dujjonku chewy cookie 3,200 won and drinks, plus an earl grey lemon bingsu (shaved ice) given for a review event. With a children's park right in front, Meolmeol Pangyo works especially well as a snack stop with kids.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Suwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Solo dining at a Suwon chicken restaurant: hot stone herbal chicken

Haenggung Jangjak Hanbang Tongdak is an oak-fired whole chicken restaurant on Suwon Chicken Street in Haenggung-dong, Suwon. After a walk on Gwanggyosan, the writer visited alone, took a two-seat table and ordered the herbal oak-fired whole chicken (23,000 won) with a zero-sugar cola, eating the chicken off a sizzling stone plate along with the glutinous rice stuffed inside and the crisp scorched rice left on the bottom. Haenggung Jangjak Hanbang Tongdak suits solo diners who want something lighter and cleaner-tasting than fried chicken.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae lunch: shiitake tempura and unagi chazuke at Ochaya Yeonnam

Ochaya Yeonnam is a Japanese ochazuke restaurant on the second floor of a building on Donggyo-ro 38-gil, between Hongik Univ. Station and Yeonnam-dong in Seoul. On a weekday lunch visit with no wait, the order was unagi chazuke (eel over rice), shiitake tempura and a zero-sugar cider, eaten the proper way: half the bowl plain, then broth poured over and seaweed piled on top. With a whole eel, nutritious rice and free refills of rice, seaweed, side dishes and broth, Ochaya Yeonnam is an easy pick for a solo lunch or a meal with coworkers.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Jongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno sushi restaurant with cooked sushi options: Choe Uyeong

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch is an aged-fish sushi and sashimi restaurant in a basement space on Jongno 5-gil, near Jongak Station in Seoul. Unable to eat raw food that day, the writer ordered 5 pieces of egg sushi, beef brisket fire sushi, tempura and udon, while her companion had the 17-piece premium deluxe sushi, where the fish was cut thick rather than thin. With a separate cooked sushi menu and in-building parking, Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch works well for a Jongno sushi meal with someone who can't eat anything raw.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Yeongdeungpo, SeoulCafés

Two ube lattes and Hong Kong egg tarts: Yeongdeungpo café BYWAY BAKERS

BYWAY BAKERS Yeongdeungpo Branch is a bakery café on Dangsan-ro 27-gil near Yeongdeungpogu Office Station in Seoul, run only as directly operated branches. We ordered an ube latte and an a-shot-chu (iced tea with an espresso shot) with a peach yogurt wakppu salt bread and a Hong Kong Tai Cheong-style egg tart, and my boyfriend went back for a second ube latte. With baby chairs, small goods and gift sets, BYWAY BAKERS is saved as a date spot we will return to.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Cheonan, ChungnamCafés

Cheonan café for a first crème brûlée flan tasting: Brewers Coffee

Brewers Coffee Cheonan Sinbu Branch is a dessert café in Sinbu-dong, Cheonan, serving baked treats alongside coffee. On this return visit the order was a cream brûlée flan for 6,000 won, a Dubai chocolate financier for 4,000 won, a flat peach iced tea for 6,000 won and an americano for 4,500 won, and the flan — a first taste ever — came across like an egg tart. Brewers Coffee Cheonan Sinbu Branch is a good Sinbu-dong café both for trying flan for the first time and for pretty photos.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored

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