Pocket Map Walker · 13 stories

Folded Map, Daejeon and Gyeonggi

Writes about restaurants, cafes, bars, and small beauty spots found while wandering Daejeon, Chungcheong, Seoul, and Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Things to do · Hair & beauty salons · Bars · Cafés

PlaceMapo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Hongdae hair salon no-bleach ash brown and mid-length layers: Obeumua

Obeumua Hongdae Branch is a reservation-only hair salon about a 5-minute walk from Exits 1 and 2 of Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. After a consultation, the writer's long hair, left untended with damaged ends, was lightened with an ash brown tone-up dye without bleach and reshaped into a mid-length layered cut, which took about 1 hour 30 minutes. Thanks to the subtly brighter color and cleaner lines, the writer says they are 100% going back to Obeumua Hongdae Branch.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulBars

Sinnonhyeon bar for groups with flaming diavola pizza: Beer Room

Beer Room is a draft beer bar on Gangnam-daero 98-gil in Gangnam, Seoul, about a 5-minute walk from both Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station. At Beer Room the writer ordered a diavola pizza that is set on fire at the table, crispy squid bites and breaded onion rings, along with 2 draft Budweisers. With group seating, private rental and a mood that isn't too loud, Beer Room is a solid choice for a group get-together in Gangnam.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Yeonnam-dong bar for Bambamba makgeolli & jeon: Yeonnam Jumak 1987

Yeonnam Jumak 1987 is a jeon (Korean savory pancake) and makgeolli bar in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul, near Hongik Univ. On a rainy day, a group of friends ordered half-and-half jeon (pork belly kimchi jeon plus seafood scallion jeon), muksabal (acorn jelly in cold broth) and Bambamba makgeolli. The jeon were well filled, the muksabal portion was generous and the Bambamba makgeolli was sweet and smooth. Yeonnam Jumak 1987 is an easy Yeonnam-dong bar for a casual drink with friends who are new to makgeolli.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Yangjae Korean fine dining baekban lunch, ox-foot starter: MUSEO

MUSEO is a Korean fine dining restaurant on Gangnam-daero 47-gil near Yangjae Station in Seocho, Seoul, serving Korean course meals built on seasonal ingredients and regional specialties. The writer had MUSEO's premium baekban (set meal) lunch course: steamed egg, mulhoe (cold raw seafood soup) and ox-foot starters, a banga leaf mint sorbet, a choice of Hanwoo beef tartare namul bibimbap or MUSEO boyang gukbap (nourishing rice soup), and makgeolli ice cream. The ox-foot starter was the writer's favorite. MUSEO's premium baekban lunch suits anyone in Yangjae who wants a more carefully made lunch than usual.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Gongdeok Station dessert café: financier gift sets, Fluffy Bake Shop

Fluffy Bake Shop is a financier and madeleine dessert café near Gongdeok Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer dropped in while passing by and tried butter and chocolate financiers and madeleines, which had the classic texture of a lightly crisp outside and a moist inside, and the shop offers individually wrapped pieces and gift sets in several sizes. If you want a dessert gift instead of a coffee coupon, Fluffy Bake Shop's financier sets are a good choice.

Written Jun 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulThings to do

Teamwork escape room for a rainy indoor date in Hongdae: Cube Escape

Cube Escape Hongdae Branch is an escape room café in Hongdae, Mapo, Seoul, running 7 themes. On a muggy day with light rain, the writer played the medium-difficulty Towering theme at Cube Escape Hongdae Branch and found that the clues and answers connected naturally, keeping the team immersed and working together. Cube Escape Hongdae Branch is a safe pick for an indoor date in Hongdae during monsoon season or hot weather.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Daechi Korean BBQ for a team dinner: 4-cut galbi platter at Uno

Uno is a hanwoo (Korean beef) restaurant between Seolleung Station and Daechi in Gangnam, Seoul, serving both lunch and evening team dinners. The writer, an office worker, ordered the Uno galbi platter with four cuts (diced short rib, beef tongue, LA galbi and marinated galbi meat) and also tried the seonji haejangguk (ox blood hangover soup) served at every table, doenjang rice and old-style bingsu. For a team dinner in Daechi, Uno's galbi platter is a good way to compare several beef cuts on one board.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Gongdeok Korean beef course with the best 1++ tteokgalbi ever: Usu

Usu (우수) is a Hanu (Korean beef) course restaurant in Gongdeok, Mapo, Seoul, with only private rooms, on the second basement floor of Lotte Castle President and directly connected to Exit 2 of Gongdeok Station. The writer ate the full Usu course, from woogye jinjuk porridge and Hanu beef tartare with gamtae seaweed to Jeju grilled tilefish, 1++ Hanu tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patty), abalone gardenia noodles, Hanu grilled on a personal brazier and Seongju melon ice cream, and called the 1++ Hanu tteokgalbi by far the best tteokgalbi of their life. Verdict: Usu Gongdeok offers flavor, atmosphere and privacy for formal occasions like family meetings and anniversaries.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYuseong, DaejeonRestaurants

Eel buffet in Jijok-dong, Daejeon for tired office workers: Songrimbok

Songrimbok Jangeo Unlimited Eel Daejeon Direct Store is an all-you-can-eat restaurant for eel, pork belly and chicken/duck neck in Jijok-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. Worn out from work, the writer went with one other adult at ₩29,900 per adult and paired thick eel, nutty and free of any fishy taste when grilled crisp, with white kimchi. Songrimbok's Daejeon Direct Store serves good-quality eel for an unlimited buffet, making it a satisfying, good-value stamina meal.

Written Jul 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Ttukseom Korean BBQ for two: skirt steak, doenjang rice, Marblejeong

Marblejeong is a premium 1++ hanwoo (Korean beef) restaurant on Seongsuil-ro in Seongdong, Seoul, between Seongsu Station and Ttukseom Station. Two diners ordered the 400g 1++ hanwoo platter (ribeye, skirt steak and brisket) and brisket doenjang sul-bap (soybean paste stew with rice), and Marblejeong staff grilled the meat so the pair could focus on talking. The meal was satisfying enough that the writer wants to add extra skirt steak on the next visit.

Written Jul 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, DaejeonHair & beauty salons

Mokwon Univ. hair salon root dye blending 3-tone hair: La Bridge Doan

La Bridge Doan is a hair salon in Seo-gu, Daejeon, in front of Mokwon University and across from Gimbap Heaven Doan. The blogger's dyed hair looked patchy in three layers, with black roots, overly bright mid-lengths and dark ends. A root dye at La Bridge Doan blended it back into the natural hair color, and the visit included YouTube on the mirror screen during the treatment, a scalp-massage shampoo and hair care advice. For anyone wanting to even out patchy dyed hair naturally, the root dye at La Bridge Doan was a satisfying choice.

Written Oct 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Lunch-peak corn-pepperoni pizza in Haenggung-dong, Suwon: Low Five

Low Five Sinpung is a pizza and pasta restaurant tucked into an alley in Haenggung-dong, Suwon, Gyeonggi. At lunch peak, a window seat at Low Five Sinpung came with a half-and-half pizza of corn and pepperoni, vongole pasta, orange juice and lemonade, and every dish arrived quickly even with a full room. Between the European-style plates and the relaxed room, Low Five Sinpung makes an easy stop on a Haenggung-dong date course.

Written Aug 20, 2026Sponsored