Tint Drawer Tester · 23 stories

The Tint Drawer, Busan

Writes about beauty spots and everyday finds in Busan and Gyeongnam. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Cafés

PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Seongsu dessert café: mini cakes for my parents' anniversary, Notldun

Notldun (노틀던) is a dessert café in Seongsu, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on Seoulsup 2-gil about a 10-minute walk from Ttukseom Station, selling premium cakes, madeleines and financiers. For the writer's parents' wedding anniversary, the writer took home Notldun's Maska Berry and Pistachio Festival mini cakes plus an Earl Grey madeleine, and a cold bag and ice packs kept the cakes in perfect shape on the subway ride home. For an elegant mini cake to celebrate an anniversary, Notldun takeout was a satisfying choice.

Written Oct 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Yangjae Station pie shop, all but pecan for my parents: Hodu Kkakki

Hodu Kkakki Brothers (호두까끼형제) is a handmade walnut pie shop near Exit 4 of Yangjae Station in Gangnam, Seoul. As a gift for their parents, the writer bought one of every pie except the pecan pie, plus 2 matcha cream walnut pies, for 35,900 won in total; the pies were gently sweet and generous with nuts, and Mom especially loved the kabocha (sweet pumpkin) pie. For a not-too-sweet gift dessert near Yangjae Station, the handmade pies at Hodu Kkakki Brothers are a solid choice.

Written Jun 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Daehangno Indian curry lunch with parents, rooms & free parking: Meono

Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch is an Indian-Nepali restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building on Changgyeonggung-ro, near Hyehwa Station in Jongno, Seoul. Over lunch for three with parents, the table shared Set B for two (butter chicken curry, garlic naan, chicken tikka and green salad), a shrimp curry pasta and lassi, plus momo from a receipt-review event. With private rooms and 1 hour of free parking, Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch is a safe choice for a family lunch.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceChangwon, GyeongnamRestaurants

Sashimi restaurant in Changwon: platter for two and fish stew at

Haegak Bonggok (해각 봉곡점) is a live-fish sashimi restaurant in Bonggok-dong, Uichang-gu, Changwon, with free underground parking and a grilled fish set lunch special for 13,000 won. Two diners ordered a small assorted sashimi platter, ankimo (monkfish liver) rice wraps and spicy fish stew, added an extra bowl of rice and finished every bite. Haegak Bonggok is a satisfying pick when you crave fresh sashimi, with rich monkfish liver and a spicy fish stew full of fish.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Post-concert family chicken in Seocho: garlic vs chili soy, Kkanbu

Kkanbu Chicken Nambu Terminal Branch is a chicken restaurant near Nambu Bus Terminal Station in Seocho, Seoul, known for its outdoor patio seating. After a Seoul Arts Center concert, our family sat outside on a Sunday evening and ordered three chickens: crispy curry chicken (Ppasak Curry-ne), garlic soy boneless chicken and chili soy boneless chicken. The garlic soy chicken was spicier than expected and the chili soy milder. The favorite was the crispy curry chicken served with coconut yogurt sauce.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Seolleung Station eel rice bowl with parents & E-Mart parking: Manmok

Manmok is a Japanese eel rice bowl restaurant on Seolleung-ro 82-gil in Gangnam, Seoul, near Seolleung Station and Daechi-dong. The writer visited Manmok with their parents, ordered two half-eel rice bowls and one whole-eel rice bowl, and enjoyed salad, shrimp chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard), wasabi on the side and homemade black tea ice cream like a full course. With its calm atmosphere and satisfying eel, Manmok is a Gangnam eel rice bowl spot worth returning to.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jonggak Station gyukatsu, weekend dinner for a family of 5: Ichigyu

Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch is a Japanese gyukatsu (beef cutlet) restaurant on B1 of Le Meilleur Jongno Town, between Jonggak Station and Gwanghwamun in Seoul. A family of five shared 2 steki striploin steaks, a striploin gyukatsu, curry and mentaiko cream udon on a weekend evening, and 2 hours of free parking in the building's underground car park made driving easy. Verdict: Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch is the place to return to whenever a gyukatsu craving hits.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceChangwon, GyeongnamRestaurants

Jinhae-gu Western restaurant: brisket cream risotto at Jinhae Siktak

Jinhae Siktak (진해식탁) is a Western restaurant on Naengcheonbuk-ro at the edge of Jinhae-gu, Changwon, about a 10-minute drive from Seongsan-gu. After booking ahead, the writer had lunch at Jinhae Siktak and ordered a flap steak, finished to taste on an iron plate, and a thick beef brisket cream risotto that wasn't greasy. With large windows showing a glimpse of the sea and a white-wood interior, Jinhae Siktak suits a date or a mood-lifting meal out.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Western course restaurant in Mangwon: Mom's first fine dining, Noju

Noju is a Western-style course restaurant on the second floor of a building on Donggyo-ro 9-gil in Mangwon-dong, Mapo, Seoul, about a 5-minute walk from Mangwon Station Exit 2. A mother and daughter who had never been to fine dining shared Noju's ₩55,000-per-person lunch course, which ran from yuja (Korean citron) ricotta focaccia through arancini with sesame oil powder, truffle gnocchi and Iberico steak with jalapeño sauce to lemon sorbet. Noju's lunch course is a good choice for trying fine dining for the first time at an approachable price.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun sushi restaurant: salmon sake don with parents, Ilpum

Ilpum Gwanghwamun (일품 광화문점) is a kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) and sushi restaurant on basement level 2 of 19 Jongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul, about a 5-minute walk from Jonggak Station. Before heading down to Changwon, the writer visited Ilpum Gwanghwamun with their parents around 1:30 p.m. on a weekday without a reservation and ordered kaisendon, salmon sake don (salmon rice bowl) and the sushi of the day, with chawanmushi, cold udon and panna cotta served alongside like a course meal. For a special family meal, Ilpum Gwanghwamun satisfies on taste, variety and service.

Written Jun 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceChangwon, GyeongnamHair & beauty salons

Changwon hair salon magic setting perm + first scalp scaling: VOG HAIR

VOG HAIR Changwon City Seven Branch is a large hair salon on the 3rd floor of The City Seven Skycon on Woni-daero in Seongsan-gu, Changwon. To fix semi-curly hair damaged by a flat iron, the visit combined Noblesse Magic and a Basic Setting Perm into a magic setting C-curl perm, plus a Nano Heal repair clinic and a ₩30,000-course scalp scaling. For semi-curly hair that is hard to manage, the VOG HAIR City Seven magic setting perm is worth considering, with careful service from the consultation through to the aroma massage.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceChangwon, GyeongnamCafés

Changwon café for brunch with mom: apple mango latte, Teuwaetmoa

Teuwaetmoa Changwon Branch (트와엣모아 창원점) is a small, plant-filled brunch café on Cheonju-ro 12beon-gil in Uichang-gu, Changwon. On a visit with her mom to lift their spirits, the writer ordered corn bacon French toast, fig Aussie toast and an apple mango latte. The sweet-and-salty French toast, the toast packed with fig and the not-too-sweet latte with a mango yogurt flavor all satisfied. The French toast takes about 15 minutes to prepare, which makes Teuwaetmoa a good quiet neighborhood café for an unhurried visit.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored