Evening Banchan Fan · 27 stories

After Work Banchan

I write about restaurant meals found around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Stays · Shopping · Hair & beauty salons · Cafés · Things to do

PlaceGwangmyeong, GyeonggiHair & beauty salons

Gwangmyeong salon men's shadow perm for semi-curly hair: Maple Hair

Maple Hair Gwangmyeong Sageori Station Branch is a hair salon in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi, a 3-minute walk from Exit 3 of Gwangmyeong Sageori Station on Line 7. The writer, a man with semi-curly hair, got a shadow perm at Maple Hair, where the deputy director personally handled everything from the consultation and cut to the perm and at-home styling tips, finishing in about 2 hours. For men with semi-curly hair who have no idea how to dry it after a perm, Maple Hair's styling guidance is especially helpful.

Written Nov 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGuro, SeoulBars

Sindorim Korean pub: walnut cheese persimmon rolls at Dongnae Sanjang

Dongnae Sanjang Sindorim Branch is an antique-style Korean pub on the 2nd floor of a building on the Sindorim International Food Culture Street in Guro, Seoul, above the restaurant Ganggogi. On a night out with a university friend, the writer ordered the Urihansang set (soy-marinated pork ribs plus gopchang-daechang tripe hot pot), added walnut cheese dried persimmon rolls (gotgam-mari) and tried the new Seonyang Oak soju; the tripe hot pot had no gamey smell and the persimmon rolls felt upscale. For a friendly Sindorim pub with good drinking food, the hot pots at Dongnae Sanjang Sindorim Branch are well worth ordering.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Hongdae hair salon: fall black-ash tone-down + head spa, Juno Hair

Juno Hair Hongdae Entrance Branch is a hair salon on the 2nd floor of Magellan 21 Officetel, right by Exit 2 of Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. Grown-out light brown hair with messy roots was toned down to black and ash for fall and winter, followed by a water punch hair spa in a shampoo room with massage chairs. For careful coloring and a refreshing head spa in one visit, Juno Hair Hongdae Entrance Branch is worth going back to.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hapjeong hand-drip café, Ombligon on whisky-style ice: Central Site

Central Site Hapjeong is a hand-drip coffee shop with its own roasting space, about a 3-minute walk from Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. After dinner, the writer smelled the beans before ordering an iced Colombia Gesha Washed "Peach Punch" (12,000 won), an iced Anaya Ombligon Washed ASD (11,000 won) and a classic tiramisu (8,500 won), and both coffees arrived over big whisky-style ice cubes and tasted worth their price. Central Site Hapjeong is a solid pick for anyone in Hapjeong who wants proper hand-drip coffee with a good tiramisu.

Written Oct 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magok sushi restaurant, chewy flounder sushi and yellow rice: Ilpum

Ilpum Magok is a kaisendon (sashimi rice bowl) and sushi restaurant at 228 Gonghang-daero, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. The writer ordered a kaisendon and a white-fish sushi set that arrived like a course, from miso soup, white kimchi and steamed egg to cold udon and mango panna cotta. The chewy giant flounder and the yellow-tinged rice kept every bite clean with no fishy smell. Ilpum Magok is a solid pick for a Magok work lunch or a light drink after work.

Written Jul 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNam-gu, UlsanRestaurants

Nam-gu, Ulsan gyukatsu restaurant that tastes like Japan: Izawa

Izawa Ulsan The Terrace Garden branch is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant on the 2nd floor of The Terrace Garden building on Samsan-ro in Nam-gu, Ulsan. Looking for the gyukatsu she ate on a trip to Japan, the writer grilled it herself on a mini grill, dipped it in fresh wasabi and the house sauce, and ordered cold soba to cut the richness. As long as you watch the strong flame, which can burn the meat quickly, Izawa serves gyukatsu that tastes just like it does in Japan.

Written Jul 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Sangam noodle shop for silky, non-chalky kongguksu: Sangam Hoegwan

Sangam Hoegwan is a Korean restaurant specializing in kongguksu (chilled soy milk noodle soup) in the basement-level food court of Sangam IT Tower in Mapo, Seoul. A regular who has eaten at Sangam Hoegwan more than 10 times tried the smooth kongguksu, a kimchi pancake that stays crisp, perilla oil milmyeon (wheat noodles) and the side kimchi, and shares a trick: stirring sugar into the leftover soy broth to drink like a dessert. Sangam Hoegwan is a solid kongguksu lunch spot for Sangam office workers, even for anyone put off by chalky soy broth.

Written Aug 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanCafés

European-style Haeundae bakery: mocha & churros salt bread, Zoblack

Zoblack is a salt bread bakery on the ground floor of the Marine City Xi shopping arcade in Haeundae, Busan. The writer, who usually prefers croissants and scones, tried four salt breads at Zoblack (plain, cream, mocha and churros), priced in the ₩3,000s to ₩4,000s each, and found each one distinct while keeping the classic appeal of salt bread. For salt bread lovers, Zoblack is a bakery worth stopping by on any visit to Marine City.

Written Jul 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Ilsan Lake Park sushi bar: per-piece price of 10p vs VIP 12p, Hwangje

Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch (황제초밥 일산본점) is an aged-fish sushi restaurant in SK M City, across from Ilsan Lake Park in Goyang. At the bar-style counter, the writer ordered Today's Sushi (10 pieces, 16,000 won) and VIP Sushi (12 pieces, 25,000 won) side by side, comparing the starters of black sesame porridge, cucumber-seaweed cold salad and grilled flounder plus the mini udon. Today's Sushi suits a light meal, while VIP Sushi is the right pick for large aged sea bream and toppings like abalone and eel.

Written Oct 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, BusanRestaurants

Busan Station sashimi restaurant for client dinners: Ppong Sashimi

Ppong Sashimi is a sashimi restaurant in Jung-gu, Busan, between Jungangdong Station and Nampo, with a partition at every 4-person table and several group rooms. The writer ordered the Assorted Sashimi B Course for two (₩120,000), which brought sashimi and seafood, four grilled dishes and fried shrimp, then cod soup, bulgogi hot pot and fish roe rice. Ppong Sashimi is a solid choice near Busan Station for a company dinner or for hosting clients from start to finish without changing venues.

Written Jul 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanRestaurants

Haeundae Chinese restaurant, black vinegar tangsuyuk trio: Bueokgan

Bueokgan Chinese (부엌간 차이니즈) Haeundae Branch is an upscale, dining-style Chinese restaurant on Dalmaji-gil in Haeundae, Busan. On a Busan trip, the writer ordered the classic trio at Bueokgan Chinese: poached-egg pork belly ganjjajang (dry-fried black bean noodles), beef brisket jjamppong rice (spicy noodle-soup broth served with rice) and black vinegar pork loin tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork). The ganjjajang was so good that half the rice from the jjamppong rice went into the ganjjajang sauce. Bueokgan Chinese broke the writer's low expectations of neighborhood delivery Chinese food and is a meal worth recommending for a date or a family dinner.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanCafés

Songjeong ocean-view tea café with piano K-pop covers: Suwolgyeonghwa

Suwolgyeonghwa (수월경화) is an ocean-view tea café on the 4th floor of a building at the entrance to Gudeokpo, right in front of Songjeong Beach in Haeundae, Busan. The writer, who usually judges a café by its drinks, tried two teas, Melomance and Ruiwolju, plus the Dalbodeure Box dessert while taking in the sea view, Korean pop songs arranged for piano and the Beach Train passing outside the window. Suwolgyeonghwa is a Songjeong tea house for anyone who wants both a great view and good tea.

Written Jul 31, 2026Sponsored