Giant shrimp jang set at a Gwanghwamun Korean restaurant: Modam Dining

Every now and then I crave a neat, proper hanjeongsik (Korean set-meal course)... and I happened to find a place with great vibes and a set menu that looked delicious, so I went and checked it out. This is Modam Dining Gwanghwamun, a go-to spot for gatherings, located roughly halfway between Seodaemun and Gwanghwamun stations.

Where is Modam Dining Gwanghwamun, and what is it like inside?

Modam Dining Gwanghwamun sits in the basement level of the Deoksugung D-Palace building, right between Seodaemun and Gwanghwamun stations. The entrance already has an upscale feel — I could tell right away this would suit gatherings or matchmaking meals around Gwanghwamun.

Even on a weekday visit, there were plenty of people dining.

The staff were kind, and once seated I noticed the tables were spaced generously apart — the whole place felt comfortable overall.

The walk to the table already gives off a strong hanjeongsik-restaurant mood.

The two set meals we ordered and what they cost

Modam Dining Gwanghwamun has a fairly wide menu. I love shrimp jang (soy-marinated raw shrimp), so I picked the abalone shrimp jang and butter rice set, and my friend loves tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties), so she went with the abalone tteokgalbi set. Both sets even come with a whole abalone!

You can also add à la carte dishes separately.

• Abalone shrimp jang & butter rice set ₩40,000
• Abalone tteokgalbi set ₩40,000
• Total ₩80,000

How does the appetizer course arrive?

After ordering, we waited a bit and the first course of appetizers arrived. Here, you eat the appetizers first, and once you're done, the staff clear them before bringing out the mains and side dishes. Even the appetizers came in generous portions, and every single one was delicious.

Seasonal porridge

That day it was mung bean porridge. Mild and smooth with a soothing taste that was easy on the stomach — I liked it a lot.

Seasonal salad with yuja dressing

A salad with fragrant yuzu dressing! The yuzu was tangy-sweet and aromatic, giving the whole dish a fresh, clean taste I really enjoyed.

Cheongyang chili water kimchi

This had cheongyang chili in it, so it carried a gentle spiciness that I actually loved. The crunch was great too, and with radish and napa cabbage in the mix, it wasn't too sweet, making it easy to eat cleanly.

Mustard greens salad with pine nut sauce

The savory pine nut sauce with a gentle kick of mustard wasn't heavy at all — smooth and really delicious. It seemed to have cucumber, lotus root, chicken, and sliced almonds, plus broccoli and bell pepper. Savory, tender, with crunchy bits throughout — exactly my type, the kind of thing I'd want to make at home all the time.

Modam tempura

That day it was mushroom tempura, and since I'm not great with mushrooms, I gave mine to my friend. She said the texture was great and the mushroom flavor really came through — delicious! I tasted the sauce too, and it had a slightly spicy sriracha-mayo vibe that was quite appealing.

Seasonal sashimi and pickled vegetable ceviche

The raw fish was tender and fresh. The sauce was tasty too, with a sweet-and-sour mustard-like feel! It came with a side salad, and the texture of the fish made it easy to eat and clean-tasting.

Perilla oil capellini

You could taste the distinctive savory aroma of perilla oil along with a gentle sweet-and-sour note — a refreshing pasta that kept me reaching for more.

The noodles were thin but had great texture, topped with rich sweet shrimp. Savory yet light, never heavy — this, along with the pine nut mustard salad, was totally my type.

The main spread, plus rice and side dish refills

The hearty mains have arrived~

Rice and side dishes are refillable. The seasoning overall wasn't too strong — just right.

The rice served with the shrimp jang is meant to be mixed well with the butter. Rice with butter is surprisingly delicious... and it's a perfect match with the savory, salty shrimp jang.

The beef mukguk (acorn jelly soup) served alongside was refreshing and spicy-savory — delicious.

Abalone tteokgalbi set

I also tried the abalone that came with it, and it had that distinctive chewy-yet-tender abalone texture I love. Not tough at all — springy and soft to bite into, really tasty.

And the tteokgalbi was, as expected, juicy and perfectly grilled. There was a nice subtle char flavor too. Not overly salty — I think anyone would enjoy this.

Abalone shrimp jang with butter rice set

It wasn't just shrimp jang on its own — it came with everything from a giant shrimp to small shrimp, octopus, abalone, sliced boiled meat, garlic scapes, and white wood ear mushroom, so the composition was really full. I personally loved it so much.

The photo on the right is the large shrimp jang, and it was on a completely different level from the small-shrimp jang I'm used to. Truly rich and savory, with a hint of ganjang-gejang (soy-marinated crab) flavor, while the distinctive richness of shrimp still came through clearly.

The abalone was nice and springy, and the sliced boiled meat was tender and tasty too. Since it's a jang (soy-marinated preparation), the seasoning is on the strong side, which makes it total rice-thief territory... it was so good with rice that I added a second bowl.

Dessert and the verdict on Modam Dining Gwanghwamun

For dessert, plum tea was served. Sweet yet clean, a nice way to wrap things up.

So clean~

Modam Dining Gwanghwamun, a go-to spot for gatherings near Gwanghwamun! From appetizers to mains, the lineup was varied enough that it was fun trying each dish one by one, and the mains like the shrimp jang and tteokgalbi were seriously high quality. The atmosphere was great too, so if you're looking for a clean, upscale Korean meal around Gwanghwamun, this is a solid choice. If you're hunting for a good hanjeongsik restaurant in Gwanghwamun, I'd recommend this one~!