Omurice and pork steak for three near Seongsu Station: Seongsu Darak

It had been a while since I met up with friends in Seongsu, so we went to eat at Seongsu Darak. Lately whenever I visit Seongsu I really feel how many foreign tourists there are now. When we walked into Seongsu Darak, there were a lot of foreign customers too, and I just thought, well, Seongsu is hot right now. But I later found out this place was known to overseas fans for a whole other reason.

Why so many international diners come to Seongsu Darak: the "Hyunjae set"

At Seongsu Darak, the combination of dishes that Hyunjae from the idol group THE BOYZ once ordered when he visited alone became known among fans, and it's now unofficially called the "Hyunjae set." There's a corner in the restaurant with related goods and info, and you can spot visitors ordering the Hyunjae set combo — chap-mokssal pork steak + spicy crab risotto + cream onion fries. I had no idea about any of this when I went, and only found out afterward, thinking "ah, so that's why there were so many foreign customers?" haha.

Seongsu Darak location, hours and seating

• 📍 Address: 20 Ttukseom-ro 9-gil, 2nd floor, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• 🚇 Location: About 7 minutes on foot from Exit 3 of Seongsu Station
• ⏰ Hours: Mon–Fri 11:30–21:15 / Sat–Sun 11:00–21:15
• ⏰ Last order: 20:30
• 🚗 Parking: No dedicated parking lot
• 🪑 Seating: 2nd and 3rd floors
• 👶 High chair: Available
• 📅 Reservations: Available

The dining space is split between the 2nd and 3rd floors. There's no dedicated parking lot. I visited on a weekday evening and luckily got seated right away with no wait, but from recent reviews I've seen, there can be a wait even on weekdays, and long lines on weekends, so it might depend on when you go.

No waiting on a weekday evening, but Seongsu Darak was nearly full

We got lucky and were seated right away. But customers kept coming in the whole time we were eating and most tables were full, which really made it clear why this is such a famous Seongsu spot. Both the 2nd and 3rd floors have seating, and the overall vibe is cute and warm. True to Seongsu style, it's decorated to be photogenic, and it was a comfortable atmosphere for chatting over pasta or omurice.

The staff were also kind. Even with the place busy, the service felt relaxed, so we had a pleasant time throughout the meal.

Best menu combination for three people at Seongsu Darak

There were three of us, so we ordered the Darak omurice (17,000 won), Darak rosé pasta (19,000 won), and chap-mokssal pork steak (24,000 won). All three are dishes that stay steadily popular at Seongsu Darak. At first I wasn't sure three dishes would be enough, but in the end the portions were just right for three people to share. With one pasta, one rice dish, and one meat dish, the combination worked well and we got to try a bit of everything.

To order, you just shake this bell to call the staff over, haha.

Darak omurice, the signature dish at Seongsu Darak

The Darak omurice really is the signature dish at Seongsu Darak. It's the style where you split open the round, soft omelet on top and spread it over the rice, so they tell you to take a photo as soon as it arrives, haha. The Darak omurice is fried rice topped with a soft omelet and a house-made sauce.

It's described as a combination of European-style fried rice, a Japanese-style omelet, and Darak's own house-made sauce. The egg wasn't dry at all and mixed well with the rice, and the sauce added enough seasoning that it wasn't bland.

I wondered if it was famous just for the visuals, but once I actually tried it, it was genuinely tasty too, so I got why it's the signature dish. If you're going with a group, it's a good one to order once and share :)

Darak rose pasta: better than expected

I also enjoyed the Darak rosé pasta. Rosé pasta can sometimes turn heavy after just a few bites if it's not done right, but here the sauce has a slight kick of spice, so I kept reaching for more than I expected.

It's a house-made meat sauce with cream and Grana Padano cheese added. Tasting the sauce alone, I wasn't sure it was really rosé, but once mixed with the cream it had that rosé flavor, which was interesting. It had plenty of creaminess without being simply sweet and heavy, so it didn't clash too much even eaten alongside the omurice.

Was the 24,000 won chop pork-neck steak worth ordering?

Third was the chap-mokssal pork steak. Personally, if three people are going, I'd recommend ordering one meat dish along with everything else. If we'd only ordered the omurice and pasta, the meal would have felt a bit too similar across dishes, but having the steak made the whole lineup much better.

It comes with a thick cut of pork shoulder along with grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes, and the meat wasn't tough at all, so it was good for the three of us to share. Eating it with the soft mashed potatoes made it work much better than the pork alone. Turns out this is also the dish that's part of the Hyunjae set I mentioned earlier, haha.

Is Seongsu Darak good for a date or a meal with friends?

Seongsu Darak was a great spot for a good meal with friends. The space is also nicely decorated, so it would work well as a Seongsu date spot too. It'd also fit nicely into a plan before or after checking out Seoul Forest or the pop-up stores in Seongsu. I'd love to visit Seongsu Darak again — next time, I'll try the Hyunjae set, haha.