Sejong Center museum lunch at a Gwanghwamun Korean restaurant: Modam
In short
Modam Dining Gwanghwamun is a hanjeongsik (Korean set-menu) restaurant on the basement level of Deoksugung D Palace near Gwanghwamun Station in Jongno, Seoul. On the way to an exhibition at the Sejong Center, two friends had the weekday lunch bori-gulbi (salt-dried yellow corvina) set for 32,000 won and the abalone tteokgalbi set for 35,000 won, each switched to sotbap (rice cooked in a stone pot) for 3,000 won more per person. With gallery-like corridors, private rooms and weekday lunch courses in the 20,000–30,000 won range, Modam Dining suits both family gatherings and formal in-law meetings.
Good to know
- Location
- B102–B103, basement level 1, Deoksugung D Palace, 171 Sinmunno 2-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul (near Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5)
- Hours
- Daily 11:00–22:00, break 15:00–17:00 (no break on Saturdays and Sundays)
- Reservations
- Catch Table, Naver Reservation
- Parking
- 2 hours free in D Palace basement level 3
- Weekday lunch menu
- Modam sotbap set 19,900 won / bori-gulbi set 32,000 won / abalone tteokgalbi set 35,000 won
- Sotbap upgrade
- 3,000 won extra per person
- Seating
- Hall tables, 5-person room, in-law meeting room, group room / high chairs available
- Other
- Corkage-free banner at the entrance
- Price reference
- ₩19,900 ≈ $14.5 · ₩32,000 ≈ $23 · ₩35,000 ≈ $25 (2026-09-19)
as written by the visitor on Sep 18, 2026
A few days ago, my senior friend and I stopped by Modam Dining, a Korean restaurant near Gwanghwamun, for lunch on our way to the Sejong Center art museum. Modam Dining Gwanghwamun is well known for its food quality and upscale atmosphere as a spot for family gatherings and matchmaking meetings in Gwanghwamun — let's get into the review!
Modam Dining Gwanghwamun: location, parking and hours
Modam Dining, a Korean restaurant near Gwanghwamun, is in the D Palace building near Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5. Parking is free for 2 hours at D Palace basement level 3.
The entrance itself already felt upscale. A banner reading 'corkage free' at the entrance caught my eye.
- Location: 171 Sinmunno 2-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul, basement level B102, 103, Deoksugung D Palace
- Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00 / no break time on weekends)
- Reservations: Catch Table, Naver Reservation
- Parking: Free for 2 hours at D Palace basement level 3
Gallery-like corridors and private rooms at Modam Dining
This is the entrance corridor of Modam Dining Gwanghwamun. The neat interior landscaping using gravel and stones, along with sleek art-wall frames and soft pendant lighting, made it feel like strolling through a well-curated gallery.
Inside, there's a variety of rooms — from a cozy 5-person room perfect for small family meals, to an elegant matchmaking room suitable for the first meeting of two families, to a group room that easily handles staff dinners or reunions. (Baby chairs are thoughtfully provided too — the cherry on top!)
There was also hall seating, which was nice because of the spacious layout. I used the hall seating myself — this was where I sat.
Weekday lunch menu and prices at Modam Dining Gwanghwamun
Modam Dining, a Korean restaurant near Gwanghwamun, had weekday lunch options like the Modam sotbap jeongsik for ₩19,900, the bori-gulbi jeongsik for ₩32,000, and the abalone tteokgalbi jeongsik for ₩35,000. There were also menus suitable for gatherings and matchmaking meetings, like the 1++ Korean beef bulgogi hot pot jeongsik. Since we visited on a weekday for lunch, we chose from the weekday lunch menu! The two of us ordered different dishes.
- Bori-gulbi jeongsik (1 person, +sotbap upgrade)
- Abalone tteokgalbi jeongsik (1 person, +sotbap upgrade)
(Only the main dish differed — everything else served was the same.) The meal comes with white rice, a soup, and 4 side dishes. For an extra ₩3,000 per person, you can upgrade the rice to sotbap. I ordered the sotbap upgrade.
What comes in the Modam Dining lunch course, dish by dish
First course: seasonal mung bean porridge
First came the seasonal porridge, which was mung bean porridge. Warm, smooth, and nutty ♥️
Seasonal salad
Next up was the seasonal salad! It was a yuzu salad with a refreshing yuzu dressing that really woke up my appetite.
Mustard greens salad with pine nut sauce
A mix of cucumber, almonds, and other ingredients, drizzled with pine nut sauce for a nutty flavor.
Cheongyang chili water kimchi
Clean-tasting cheongyang chili water kimchi! This was the highlight of today's side dishes. I wanted to bring it home with me haha
Seasonal raw fish and pickled-vegetable ceviche
The seasonal raw fish was salmon sashimi, which paired wonderfully with the pickles served alongside it — even better eaten together 🤩
Perilla oil cappellini
A perilla oil pasta made with cappellini noodles. So good! It looked pretty, but tasted even better. The perilla oil was incredibly nutty 👍👍👍 I wanted to eat it as a main dish.
Modam tempura
The Modam tempura was shiitake mushroom tempura. I'm not usually a fan of shiitake, but this tempura was delicious.
The mains: bori-gulbi and abalone tteokgalbi
Next came the main dish and four side dishes!
The abalone tteokgalbi! Since it's made with beef, it was tender and not overly seasoned, so I could enjoy it fully.
The bori-gulbi was large and hearty, and since it came deboned, it was easy to eat.
Finally, the sotbap suited my taste perfectly. Definitely pay the extra ₩3,000 and get the upgrade!
Who is Modam Dining Gwanghwamun best for?
Modam Dining is great for matchmaking meetings, anniversaries, and other special occasions, as well as dates and family gatherings. Especially for weekday lunch, it's a place where you can enjoy refined food in the ₩20,000–30,000 range.
Where it is
171 Sinmunno 2-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul, basement level B102, B103, Deoksugung D Palace, South Korea서울특별시 종로구 새문안로2길 10 덕수궁디팰리스 지하 1층 B102호, B103호
