Checkout Collector · 20 stories

Across the Counter

I write about places I’ve eaten in Korea and how the food tasted. · Writes about: Food & snacks · Restaurants · Bars · Books & stationery · Hair & beauty salons · Fashion · Shopping · Beauty products · Cafés · Kids & baby

PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Korean restaurant: yukhoe & chicken galbi bowls, 1992 Deopbap

1992 Deopbap & Jjageuli Gangnam Main Branch is a Korean restaurant near Gangnam Station in Seoul with a hanok-eave facade, specialising in Jeolla-style rice bowls (deopbap) and jjageuli (thick Korean stew). Before a trip, the writer and her husband had a chicken galbi rice bowl and a Jeolla-style yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) rice bowl with extra yukhoe on the side, served with steamed egg, side dishes and mini yakgwa (honey cookies) for dessert. For a good-value Jeolla-style meal near Gangnam Station, 1992 Deopbap & Jjageuli Gangnam Main Branch is a safe choice.

Written May 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceWonju, GangwonRestaurants

Wonju 24-hour restaurant on a golf trip: spicy rib stew, Yukdaejang

Yukdaejang Dangye Musil-jeom (육대장 단계무실점) is a 24-hour yukgaejang (spicy beef soup) restaurant on the 2nd floor of 8 Roanokeu-ro, near City Hall in Wonju, Gangwon. During a golf trip, the writer and her husband came to Yukdaejang Dangye Musil-jeom late at night after screen golf. They ordered the spicy beef short rib stew (2–3 servings) at the basic spicy level and two kinds of dumplings, and found the broth cleanly spicy with no gamey smell and the ribs coming easily off the bone. Verdict: with a large private parking lot and a spacious dining room, Yukdaejang Dangye Musil-jeom is a relaxed place for a late dinner in Wonju.

Written May 28, 2026Sponsored
ProductMMLGFashion

Ivory logo tee with a roomy fit even in size S: MMLG HF-T Natural Soap

The MMLG HF-T Natural Soap is a short-sleeve T-shirt from the fashion brand MMLG (MMLG), with a large mint green oval logo printed on an ivory-toned base. The writer received a size S (49,000 won), washed and dried the MMLG HF-T several times, and wore it to screen golf with her husband. The logo print stayed sharp, and the relaxed cut made even size S roomy. The MMLG HF-T Natural Soap is worth recommending to anyone looking for a simple summer tee with one standout detail.

Written May 31, 2026Product provided
PlaceGangdong, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Cheonho-dong hair salon A Course clinic for stiff home-dyed hair: Juno

Juno Hair Cheonho Rodeo is a two-floor hair salon on Cheonho Rodeo street in Gangdong, Seoul. After dyeing her hairline at home left her hair stiff and lacking moisture, the blogger had designer Yeondu's Care A Course clinic (custom shampoo, moisture, protein, oil, steamer and coating), which left her hair much softer and more hydrated, and she also got home-care advice. For anyone struggling with dry or damaged hair, the Juno Hair Cheonho Rodeo clinic was a satisfying choice.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Sinnonhyeon bakery café: eye-topped cream croissant, Bakerist Brown

Bakerist Brown is a bakery café that fills an entire building on Gangnam-daero 102-gil, near Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul. After a visit to a nearby hair salon, the writer had Bakerist Brown's cream croissant with eye decorations and the signature salt cream coffee, then took home a Gangnam Sand gift set. The cream croissant was filled to overflowing and the salt cream coffee is quite bitter, but both are worth trying at least once.

Written Jun 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangdong, SeoulRestaurants

Tonkatsu lunch with Mom in Gangdong, Seoul: a Crunky dessert at Tonka

Tonka is a Japanese-style tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant near Amsa Station in Gangdong, Seoul. On a lunch date with Mom, the blogger sat at the counter bar facing Tonka's open kitchen and had two plates of tonkatsu, crispy outside and moist inside. With friendly service and a Crunky chocolate for dessert, Tonka felt like the right place to bring Mom.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Sinnonhyeon hair salon: ribbon clinic 2 months after magic, Park Jun

Park Jun Beauty Lab Gangnam Branch (박준뷰티랩 강남점) is a second-floor hair salon on Gangnam-daero 110-gil, between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station in Seoul. The blogger's hair had turned stiff and damaged from regular magic perms (Korean straightening) and hairline root dye, so she got the ribbon clinic at Park Jun Beauty Lab, and its final flat-iron setting step even smoothed her curly two-month-old roots into silky hair. Two weeks later, every shampoo still feels good, making the ribbon clinic the best hair clinic she has had recently.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceWonju, GangwonRestaurants

Wonju naengmyeon restaurant after Baegunsan: kodari bibim, jjusamsae

Singi Arrowroot Naengmyeon & Jjukkumi (신기칡냉면&쭈꾸미) is an arrowroot cold noodle and webfoot octopus restaurant in Munmak-eup, Wonju, Gangwon, 1 minute from Munmak IC and open since 2010. On the way home from Baegunsan, the writer ordered the 2-person jjusamsae (webfoot octopus, pork belly and shrimp, mild) and the arrowroot-noodle kodari bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles with half-dried pollock), and the rice mixed with pollock roe powder, seaweed and mayo sauce, plus the mayo wraps, stood out. Singi Arrowroot Naengmyeon & Jjukkumi is a filling, good-value last meal of a Wonju trip.

Written May 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonBars

First-night Sokcho pub: tomato mulhoe and chicken feet at Seo Jubang

Seo Jubang is a Korean gastropub (yori-jujeom) on a corner one or two blocks inside the pojangmacha (street-tent bar) strip at Yeongnang Beach in Sokcho, Gangwon. A couple stopped by Seo Jubang on their first evening in Sokcho for tomato mulhoe (cold raw fish soup in a tomato sauce base) and boneless spicy chicken feet served on an iron plate with Chungha rice wine, and finished both dishes to the last bite. For a clean, comfortable evening drink near the Yeongnang Beach pojangmacha street, Seo Jubang is a good fit.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
ProductGimjeongnam jeoBooks & stationery

Investing book on KOSPI, AI and crypto: Post-War Investment Strategy

Post-War Investment Strategy by 9 Investment Masters (투자 대가 9인의 포스트-워 투자 전략) is an economics and investing book co-written by nine Korean economics and investment experts, including Park Se-ik and Kim Young-ik. The blogger received a copy of Post-War Investment Strategy and read its 9 chapters on stock market scenarios after the US-Iran war, the AI bubble debate, growth industries and the crypto outlook, and found the growth industry section the easiest read for investing beginners. Post-War Investment Strategy suits readers who want nine expert views on a turbulent turning point gathered in one volume.

Written Jun 12, 2026Product provided
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho restaurant after checkout, octopus and cutlet: Deungdae Gotgan

Deungdae Gotgan (등대곳간) is a Korean restaurant serving jjageul nakji (braised spicy octopus) and pork cutlet at 109 Yeongnanghaean-gil, right in front of Deungdae Beach in Yeongnang-dong, Sokcho. On day two of a Sokcho trip, after checking out of a pension, the blogger ate jjageul nakji and pork cutlet by a 2nd-floor window overlooking the sea and found the neat side dishes and mild seasoning as comforting as home cooking. For a sea view and a filling meal near Deungdae Beach, Deungdae Gotgan is a good fit.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho market fry shop for almond shrimp gangjeong: Masibuja Twigim

Masibuja Twigim (맛이부자튀김맛집) is a fried food and seafood ramen snack bar in Sokcho Jungang Market in Sokcho, Gangwon, newly opened by the owner who built Hwangbuja Twigim. On the last stop of a Sokcho trip, the writer ate in at Masibuja Twigim, ordering shrimp gangjeong (sweet-glazed fried shrimp) topped with almonds and pumpkin seeds and ramen made with dried pollack broth; most fried items are ₩10,000, and ramen runs from ₩13,000 to ₩20,000. The verdict: a Sokcho market spot that works for fried snacks and a filling seafood ramen to finish.

Written May 18, 2026Sponsored