Gwanghwamun Korean restaurant with 2-hr parking, perilla oil

I'd been searching for a nice, well-put-together Korean restaurant near Gwanghwamun, and found one tucked into the basement of the D-Palace building.

Modam Dining Gwanghwamun

So I went and checked it out.

Can you actually park in the middle of Gwanghwamun?

For anyone driving, parking is the first thing that matters, and this place passed with flying colors. The building's basement garage is well-run, and they support up to 2 hours of parking when you eat there, so I didn't have to stress about it at all. Parking in central Gwanghwamun is normally a headache, so having a garage right in the building was a great start. Being inside a large office building, the exterior and entrance interior were spotlessly clean too.

Atmosphere and seating

Once you step inside, the lighting, furniture and every little detail are put together with such taste that the whole place feels genuinely luxurious.

The tables are spaced generously apart and the whole space feels calm and orderly — perfect for a family gathering with the elders, or even a formal meeting like a wedding-match dinner.

What's on the menu, and how much?

The menu splits broadly into Modam Charimsang (set meals) and Modam Special (course meals). Here's the set-meal lineup and pricing.

Modam Charimsang

• Charcoal-grilled deodeok pork set ₩32,000
• Jindo scallion & crispy bulgogi set ₩34,000
• Dried yellow corvina (bori-gulbi) set ₩37,000
• Grade 1++ Korean beef bulgogi hot pot set (2+ people) ₩39,000
• Grade 1++ Korean beef tripe hot pot set ₩39,000
• Abalone tteokgalbi set ₩40,000
• Abalone shrimp jang & butter rice set ₩40,000

Modam Special

• Modam Sura table ₩64,000
• Modam Korean beef grill table ₩88,000

At first I thought the prices were a bit high, but once I saw how the dishes actually arrived — the setup and quality — I found myself going "okay, this is actually a pretty solid deal for the price!" After some deliberation, we went with the grade 1++ Korean beef bulgogi hot pot set.

The appetizer course

Not long after we ordered, a whole spread of neatly plated appetizers filled the table.

It started with a warm, soft mung bean porridge to ease into the meal,

followed by a spicy-yet-refreshing cheongyang chili water kimchi that was fantastic,

then a seasonal salad with yuzu dressing to perk up the palate,

and pine-nut sauce mustard greens (jatsosogyeotchae), where the sharp mustard aroma and nutty pine-nut sauce came together perfectly.

Next came a bright ceviche of fresh seasonal raw fish paired with pickles,

and finally crispy-outside, moist-inside mushroom fritters — every single dish was stunning in both looks and taste.

The one that stuck with me most: perilla oil cappellini

Out of everything, the clear standout was the perilla oil cappellini!

Thin, bouncy cappellini noodles were coated generously in deep, fragrant, nutty perilla oil — one bite and my mouth was flooded with umami. The texture of the noodles was flawless too, and even though I was already full, my chopsticks kept going back for more. Best bite of the meal, hands down.

The main event: grade 1++ Korean beef bulgogi hot pot

Right around the time we finished off the first round of dishes, the main course arrived — the grade 1++ Korean beef bulgogi hot pot, along with neat side dishes and hot rice.

Being grade 1++ Korean beef, the meat was unbelievably tender, and the sweet-savory, deep hot pot broth had soaked all the way through the meat and vegetables — an absolute rice thief. The combination of vegetables and meat in the pot was perfect, and it kept disappearing along with the side dishes.

Dessert and final thoughts

After the meal, they bring out a clean, refreshing plum tea for dessert, which washes away any lingering oiliness and wraps up the meal nicely.

From how well-crafted the food was, to the upscale atmosphere, the friendly service and the easy parking — everything about this place was satisfying. My mom, who came with me, kept complimenting the food the whole time, and we ended up promising to come back as a whole family for her upcoming birthday.

If you're looking for a Gwanghwamun Korean restaurant for a group gathering, a wedding-match dinner, or a proper family meal, I'd strongly recommend checking out Modam Dining Gwanghwamun.