Balsan Korean restaurant: couple's 10th visit & free egg roll, Mikodam

Revisiting my favorite Balsan Station restaurant for the Nth time! Clean seaweed soup and cockle set meals at Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch

Today I'm introducing Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch, a regulars' spot that my husband and I love so much we've visited more times than we can count, and the go-to Korean restaurant near Balsan Station. Whenever we crave clean, neat Korean food, our feet just carry us here, and when I stopped to think, it was already almost our 10th visit! Let me spill all the charms of a place we never get tired of. :)

Where is Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch? Hours and parking

Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch is at 1F Unit 2, 42 Gangseo-ro 54-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, about a 3-minute walk (261 m) from Exit 4 of Balsan Station on Subway Line 5. It's open daily 11:00–22:00, and you get 3 hours of free parking when dining at Mikodam or Ihwajeong. (Don't forget to bring your parking ticket after the meal!)

It's close to Exit 4 of Balsan Station, so it's very easy to reach by public transport, and if you drive, the generous 3 hours of parking makes the visit stress-free.

What is the seating like at Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch?

Tables are spaced widely and some seats are separated like partitions, so it's perfect for two people to chat comfortably over a meal. True to its reputation among office workers and locals as a Korean restaurant near Balsan Station, the inside is very pleasant.

Baby chairs are available too, just so you know :)

The couple's usual order: Hansang Gadeuk set for 2 at 46,000 won

This time again we ordered our usual hearty combo, the Hansang Gadeuk (full table) set for 2 (₩46,000)! It comes with flounder seaweed soup + seasoned cockles (vinegar-chili style) + Jeju yellow crab (medium) + side dishes and grilled fish.

Once you order, a table so loaded it looks ready to break its legs is set in front of you. My husband and I marvel at this generous spread every single time.

Unlimited side dish refills, and stir-fried pork refills too

The variety of side dishes here is unlimited refill, no less!

I think we refill the stir-fried pork at least twice whenever we come! Even the pork is refillable, so great!

Grilling fish at home is such a hassle, right? Here a plump mackerel comes out grilled whole, and

Flounder seaweed soup with a rich, deep broth

The flounder seaweed soup arrives bubbling in an earthenware pot, and the Wando seaweed gives it a wonderfully deep, rich flavor.

The tender flounder meat melts into the broth, which tastes really clean and full-bodied. Put a bowl of rice in it and eat hearty, and you feel soothed all the way down.

Spicy, tangy cockle bibim that whets your appetite

Cockles tossed generously with crunchy vegetables and a spicy-tangy sauce are a true rice thief (a side so good it makes you eat more rice). The chewy cockles and the sweet-sour seasoning go together amazingly, and mixed into rice they wake up your appetite.

Salty-sweet, umami-packed Jeju yellow crab in soy sauce

The Jeju yellow crab (ganjang gejang, soy-marinated crab), with no fishy taste and a soft shell, is included in the Hansang Gadeuk set for 2 too!

It's packed with meat, so squeezing it out is fun, and put on rice, a bowl of rice vanishes in no time. Seeing the lineup from mains to sides, you can tell why this is such a popular Korean restaurant near Balsan Station, right? haha

Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch receipt review and birthday events

At Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch, write a photo review with your receipt and you get a free egg roll, and during your birthday week, ordering for 4 or more gets you a free large beef jeon (pan-fried beef). Handy tips to know before you visit!

• Receipt review event: call a staff member, get your receipt and write a photo review, and you get a savory, thick egg roll for free! (once per table)
• Standing birthday event: visit within a week of your birthday, bring ID or a cake and order for 4 or more, and a large beef jeon is served free, so it's a great place for celebrations, right?

Verdict after a couple's 10th visit to Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch

Every dish at Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch is neat and not overly seasoned, so it's great as a date spot and there's no better place for a healthy meal with people you care about.

Thanks to the carefully prepared table, we leave satisfied every time; it's my husband's and my favorite Korean set-meal spot near Balsan Station. Our 10th revisit alone proves how consistently good it is, right? If you're looking for a comforting, filling Korean meal near Balsan Station, or a polished yet generous Korean set meal, I strongly recommend stopping by Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch! ❤️