Yeoju Zipper Fan · 27 stories

After the Zipper

I write about clothes and the small fashion details I notice. · Writes about: Restaurants · Fashion · Food & snacks · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons · Shopping

PlaceGwacheon, GyeonggiCafés

Gwacheon café on the way to Seoul Land: dark s'more cookie, Minimale

Minimale Coffee Roaster Gwacheon Knowledge Information Town Branch is a specialty roastery café on Gwacheon-daero 7-gil in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, and an easy stop on the way to Seoul Land. The writer tried the Americano, the signature Helsinki Latte, a dark s'more cookie and an O'Chocolat babka, and liked the Americano's balance of acidity and nuttiness, the rich Helsinki Latte and how quickly the drinks came out. If you want a Gwacheon café where the coffee is as good as the atmosphere, Minimale is a solid choice.

Written Jun 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seoul Korean BBQ in Gangdong: Angus short rib & beef tartare, Kkamchon

Kkamchon is a charcoal-grill Korean BBQ restaurant on Seongnae-ro near Gangdong-gu Office Station in Gangdong, Seoul, specializing in black pork and special cuts of hanwoo (Korean beef). Ordering the 400g Black Angus emperor short rib came with 1 abalone and 2 scallops on the house, alongside 1++ hanwoo yukhoe (beef tartare), mul memil guksu (cold buckwheat noodles) and soy-marinated crab as a side dish. With roomy seating, private rooms and friendly grilling tips, Kkamchon is a great pick for short rib at a team dinner or on a date.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Burger takeout near Seokchon Station: grilled shrimp patty at Maple

Maple Burger is a drive-through and takeout-only handmade burger shop on the first floor of the Hyundai self-service gas station in Songpa, Seoul, near Seokchon Station. The blogger pre-ordered through Naver and took home the beef Maple Burger and the Maple Whole Shrimp Burger; the juicy beef patty and the thick shrimp patty, grilled rather than fried, both tasted clean and not greasy. Maple Burger is worth considering when you want a light handmade burger to go around Jamsil and Seokchon.

Written Jul 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Jamsilsaenae hair salon patchy gray coverage toned down: Only For You

Only For You Jamsilsaenae Branch is a hair salon on the 3rd floor in the McDonald's alley by Jamsilsaenae Station in Songpa, Seoul, open until 10 pm with parking available. Two months after her last gray coverage dye, the writer's regrown grays and faded, patchy color were redone one tone darker on designer Harin's advice, and with scalp protectant and careful face protection, not a drop of dye got on her face. For an after-work gray coverage dye in Jamsilsaenae, Only For You Jamsilsaenae Branch is a dependable choice.

Written Jul 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangdong, SeoulRestaurants

Terrace restaurant in Gangdong, Seoul: shrimp Toowoomba pasta at Feast

Feast Olympic Park is a Western-style restaurant in the JYP alley of Seongnae-dong, Gangdong, Seoul, known for its terrace and outdoor evening seating. The writer ordered draft beer, cheonhyehyang (Korean citrus) juice, a classic salad, skin-on fries, gambas Toowoomba pasta (₩25,000) and an arugula pizza (₩23,000), and especially liked the gambas Toowoomba pasta, which seemed to hold about 10 shrimp, and the freshly fried fries. Feast Olympic Park suits anyone looking for a date spot, a group dinner or a meal with their dog.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Munjeong Station Japanese meal for two: eel pot rice & roe, Gome Mui

Gome Mui Songpa Munjeong is a Japanese pot rice, tonkatsu and udon restaurant on basement level 1 of Terra Tower at Munjeong Station in Songpa, Seoul. The writer and her husband shared a cold soba and tonkatsu set and the eel pot rice, and eel pot rice topped with salted pollock roe (myeongranjeot) became her husband's favorite pairing. Gome Mui Songpa Munjeong satisfies through solid basics in its rice, broth and ingredients rather than flash.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHanam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Hanam baby octopus restaurant on a cold day: seaweed soup and ramyeon

Jigueseo On Jjukkumi Hanam Main Branch is a stir-fried baby octopus (jjukkumi) and pot rice restaurant in Chungung-dong, Hanam, Gyeonggi. On a suddenly cold day, the blogger had warm seaweed soup, jjukkumi stir-fry with pieces as big as small octopus, the standard pot rice with nurungji (scorched rice), and self-serve ice cream; writing a receipt review also unlocks Hangang ramyeon (Ansungtangmyun only). Jigueseo On Jjukkumi is a good Hanam stop for a spicy meal rounded off with dessert.

Written Oct 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangju, GyeonggiCafés

Gonjiam bakery café for a couple's healthy breakfast breads: La Cuesta

La Cuesta Gwangju is a bakery café with a large garden near Hwadam Forest in Gonjiam-eup, Gwangju, Gyeonggi. A married couple browsed healthy breads for breakfast, such as sweet pumpkin campagne and meju bread (made with fermented soybean), tried the white roll, a La Cuesta Latte and a café latte, and checked out the kids' cookie kits, picnic gear and discount events. La Cuesta Gwangju is a relaxed coffee-and-big-bread stop on a Hwadam Forest outing.

Written Jul 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Sinnonhyeon financier café, Nuneddine & einspänner: Upper and Under

Upper and Under is a specialty coffee café on the Gangnam café street between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station in Seoul. An iced Americano and an einspänner (cream-topped coffee) came with a Nuneddine financier and a sweet potato mattang (candied sweet potato) financier, and the wide range of cakes, financiers, cheese pies and canelés made choosing half the fun. For a calm coffee break in busy Gangnam, Upper and Under is a good fit.

Written Oct 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Bangi-dong Chinese restaurant: mini tangsuyuk & jjajang, Jjambbongwan

Jjambbongwan Seoul Bangi Branch (짬뽕관 서울방이점) is a Chinese restaurant specializing in jjambbong (spicy seafood noodle soup) on Yangjae-daero 71-gil in Bangi-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul. The blogger shared tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork), which comes in sizes starting from mini, a seafood tray jjajang swapped into a set, and a spicy jjambbong, with a self-serve side bar and unlimited rice and drinks from a dispenser. Jjambbongwan Seoul Bangi Branch is a good stop in Bangi-dong for jjajangmyeon, jjambbong and tangsuyuk in one meal.

Written Oct 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ dinner in Haengdang-dong, Seoul: free potatoes, Pujutgan

Pujutgan Saenggogi-jeom (푸줏간생고기점) is a cauldron-lid pork belly restaurant near Haengdang Market in Seongdong, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Wangsimni Station Exit 10. Over a dinner meetup, the blogger had 2 servings of fresh domestic pork belly plus extra pork neck, grilled by staff. Kimchi, potatoes and onions cooked in the lid's pork fat, and the meal came with complimentary kimchi jjigae and naengmyeon. Free extra potatoes and a grill wiped clean with pork fat were the details that made Pujutgan Saenggogi-jeom memorable.

Written Aug 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Jokbal restaurant with chive pancake in Bundang, Seongnam: Wangchang

Wangchang Jokbal is a jokbal (braised pig's trotters) restaurant on the first floor of the Daedeok Glory Building near Bundang Jungang Park in Seongnam, a short walk from Sunae Station. The order was a small half-and-half jokbal plus buchujeon (chive pancake) for 10,000 won, with the original portion dipped in salted shrimp and the spicy portion wrapped in pickled radish and perilla leaves, served alongside salted oyster banchan, ugeoji-guk (cabbage soup) and a complimentary steamed egg. The jokbal had no gamey smell and just the right chew, so even diners sensitive to pork odor can eat it comfortably.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored