Bench Opposite Sitter · 13 stories

Across the Café Bench

Writes about cafés visited around Daegu and Gyeongbuk. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceJinju, GyeongnamRestaurants

Jinju anglerfish restaurant: kid-friendly lunch with udon, Yangpohang

Yangpohang Jinju Pyeonggeo Branch is an anglerfish (agu) restaurant near a park in Pyeonggeo-dong, Jinju, serving anglerfish bulgogi, braised agu-jjim, fried anglerfish and anglerfish stew. The writer ordered the flame-grilled anglerfish bulgogi for lunch with a child; anglerfish stew and udon noodles came included, and the fresh, never-frozen anglerfish was soft and tender. Yangpohang Jinju Pyeonggeo Branch suits anyone who loves a smoky, flame-kissed sauce and families who need private rooms or partitioned tables.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaman, GyeongnamRestaurants

Haman Korean restaurant, pot rice vs regular set: Jogane Sotbap

Jogane Sotbap (조가네솥밥) is a Korean set-meal restaurant specializing in sotbap (rice cooked in an individual stone pot) in Beopsu-myeon, Haman, Gyeongnam. It is close to Haman Agyang Ecological Park, so it works well before or after a park outing. The writer came for an early lunch with a child and ordered the pot rice set meal (14,000 won). Staff brought the child's tableware first, and the table came with spicy stir-fried pork, boiled pork (suyuk), grilled fish, doenjang (soybean paste) stew and neat side dishes. The regular set (12,000 won) comes with a bowl of plain rice instead, so for 2,000 won more, the Jogane Sotbap pot rice set with nurungji (scorched rice) is the one to order on a first visit.

Written Jun 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceChangwon, GyeongnamHair & beauty salons

Changwon hair salon heavy hair to a bob, neutral botox perm: VOG HAIR

VOG HAIR Changwon City Seven Branch is a hair salon on the 3rd floor of The City Seven Skycon in Daewon-dong, Seongsan-gu, Changwon. The writer had heavy, overgrown hair cut into a bob and got a low-damage neutral-formula botox perm with a Nano Heal repair clinic, in a careful process that ran from a scalp check through the cut and clinic to a finishing cut, with no extra charge for bob length. For anyone worried about damage who still wants a perm and hair care together, the botox perm and Nano Heal combination at VOG HAIR Changwon City Seven Branch was a good fit.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJinju, GyeongnamRestaurants

Jinju naengmyeon restaurant, Sunjo 1800 bowl + kid's ujeon: Song Giwon

Song Giwon Jinju Naengmyeon Main Branch is a restaurant on Modeok-ro in Jinju, Gyeongnam, that specializes in Jinju-style naengmyeon (cold noodles) and yukjeon (pan-fried beef) and has won a Blue Ribbon three years in a row. On a late lunch visit with a child, the writer ordered the Sunjo 1800 water naengmyeon (13,000 won) and the hanu beef yukjeon called ujeon (25,000 won), and the child ate the ujeon with rice. The food came out fast despite the crowd and even the self-serve warm broth was delicious, making Song Giwon a satisfying Jinju naengmyeon meal with a kid.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJinju, GyeongnamRestaurants

Jinju hanwoo BBQ with kids: shrimp tempura sides at Sabong Hanwoochon

Sabong Hanwoochon Sikyuk Sikdang Jinju Branch is an aged hanwoo (Korean beef) restaurant on a country road in Sabong-myeon, Jinju. The writer's family ate the dry-aged hanwoo fermented ribeye (89,000 won) and hanwoo jjageuli (beef stew) with their child, and the private rooms, the kids' playroom, the side dishes served like a sashimi restaurant's starter spread and the shrimp tempura the child ordered again stood out. Sabong Hanwoochon Sikyuk Sikdang Jinju Branch is a good fit for family meals with kids or a hanwoo dinner with parents.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJinju, GyeongnamRestaurants

Jinju mul-naengmyeon in from-scratch broth: Chamjinju Myeonok

Chamjinju Myeonok Main Branch (참진주면옥) is a Jinju naengmyeon (cold noodle) restaurant on Chobuk-ro in Jinju, Gyeongnam, that opened in 2021 with a mission to rebuild the Jinju naengmyeon tradition. The writer tried mul-naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth) made with a broth boiled from raw ingredients, Hanwoo (Korean beef) yukjeon (pan-fried beef slices), Hanwoo galbitang (short rib soup) and side dishes served in brassware; the deep beefy broth and melt-in-your-mouth yukjeon stood out most. Chamjinju Myeonok is a Jinju naengmyeon spot worth recommending to Jinju travelers and anyone looking for proper cold noodles in a from-scratch broth.

Written Jul 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimhae, GyeongnamRestaurants

Korean BBQ with a baby in Jangyu, Gimhae: galbi set at Baengnyeon

Baengnyeon Galbi Jangyu (백년갈비 장유본점) is a charcoal-grilled pork galbi restaurant in Jangyu, Gimhae, Gyeongnam. Three adults and one baby shared the 2-3 person galbi set, then finished with doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and mul naengmyeon (cold noodles), and the character high chairs, entrance sink and self-serve bar at Baengnyeon Galbi Jangyu made eating with a baby easy. For portions, flavor and price, Baengnyeon Galbi Jangyu is a safe pick for a family meal out in Jangyu.

Written Jul 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJinju, GyeongnamRestaurants

Chicken stew for 2–3 & potato bibimbap in Hadae-dong, Jinju: Tongkeun

Smope Yangnyeom Tongdak & Tongkeun Sotddukkeong Dakbokkeumtang Jinju Hadae branch (통큰솥뚜껑닭볶음탕 진주하대점) is a Korean restaurant in Hadae-dong, Jinju, where dakbokkeumtang (spicy braised chicken stew) simmers down on a cast-iron pot lid set over an oil drum. The writer ordered the pot-lid set with chicken stew for 2–3 people, shredded potato pancake and a perilla oil fried egg; the spicy fish cake skewers and the bowl of rice mixed with mashed potato at the end were the highlights. Tongkeun's Hadae branch is a good fit for family dinners or get-togethers with friends who want a meal that is fun to watch as well as to eat.

Written Jul 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimhae, GyeongnamCafés

Night-view café in Gimhae: Ddalbabo juice and cheesecake at Yu Yu Yu

Yu Yu Yu is a two-floor café on Inje-ro in Gimhae, Gyeongnam. On a night visit, the writer took in the night view through glass walls on all sides over an Americano, cold brew, Ddalbabo juice (strawberry-banana) and cheesecake, and especially liked the large parking lot and the kid-friendly touches: high chairs, an outdoor water-play area and blankets. For a café in Gimhae that combines a night-time mood with family convenience, Yu Yu Yu is well worth recommending.

Written Jul 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceChangwon, GyeongnamRestaurants

Masan BBQ with a mountain-view terrace and heart photo zone: Shashlik

Shashlik Masan Branch is a charcoal-grilled shashlik restaurant on Deokdongnam 1-gil in Masanhappo-gu, Changwon. After touring the heart photo zone at the entrance and the terrace overlooking the mountain ridges, the writer ate a truffle plate, charcoal-grilled chicken thigh shashlik, pork belly and neck shashlik, and cheese fried rice, with all the meat served already grilled. Shashlik Masan Branch is dog-friendly and has its own parking lot, making it an easy choice for a meal out with a dog or with family.

Written Aug 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceChangwon, GyeongnamHair & beauty salons

Changwon hair salon thinning cut and new fringe: Vivienne Hair

Vivienne Hair, Changwon Sangnam branch is a women's hair salon on Danjeong-ro in Sangnam-dong, Changwon. The cut kept the full length and only thinned out the heavy sections, added a fresh fringe, and finished with an Ahyunche clinic treatment that put protein and nourishment back into split ends. The result was hair that moved lightly and combed through without snagging, making it a visit worth repeating.

Written Aug 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJinju, GyeongnamRestaurants

Gajwa-dong seafood stew restaurant with parking, Jinju: Jjimgoeul

Jjimgoeul Gajwa Branch is a monkfish and seafood stew restaurant on Gaeyang-ro in Gajwa-dong, Jinju, Gyeongnam. Craving something spicy at lunch, the writer ordered the haemul-jjim (spicy seafood stew) piled with bean sprouts and minari water dropwort, added an extra noodle sari, and found the parking lot in front of the restaurant easy for a group arriving by car. Jjimgoeul Gajwa Branch is a good Gajwa-dong lunch spot for sharing one big stew with rice.

Written Aug 16, 2026Sponsored