Small Pocket Shopper · 10 stories

Small Pocket, Seoul Shops and Cafes

Writes about cafes, beauty spots, restaurants, bars and shopping around Seoul. · Writes about: Shopping · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons · Restaurants · Bars

PlaceJung-gu, SeoulShopping

Dongdaemun vintage shop: flawed polo shirt on discount, Viva Trade

Viva Trade Eulji Dundaun Dongdaemun Branch is Seoul's largest warehouse-style vintage shop, filling the entire 5th floor of the Dundaun building at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. On a day off, the writer browsed Viva Trade's category-sorted clothes, accessories and fitting rooms, bought a thin polo shirt marked down in the ₩40,000s for a slight flaw, and washed the stain out at home. For comfortable, no-haggling vintage shopping, Viva Trade Eulji Dundaun Dongdaemun Branch is a good alternative to Dongmyo.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulCafés

Konkuk Univ. café: crème brûlée latte & financiers at Café Ohkam

Café Ohkam is a three-floor dessert café (floors 1–3) in an alley near Konkuk Univ. Station in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. After dinner with a friend near Konkuk Univ., the writer ordered a fresh plum ade, an iced crème brûlée latte, a choco chip financier and a plain financier, and the big chocolate chips and the crème brûlée latte you crack with a spoon stood out most. Café Ohkam is a cozy hangout for anyone looking for a Konkuk Univ. dessert café open until 10 p.m.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam lunch rice bowls: pork neck and roe perilla soba, Gogigadeuk

Gogigadeuk Deopbap Gangnam-gu Office Station branch is a rice bowl (deopbap) restaurant near the Gangnam-gu Health Center in Gangnam, Seoul. Two people had a weekend lunch at Gogigadeuk Deopbap: a solo rice bowl set (pork neck rice bowl, cold soba and karaage), buckwheat noodles with pollock roe and perilla oil, and 4 buffalo wings. Portions were generous and the food came out fast. Verdict: Gogigadeuk Deopbap is a good spot for a solo lunch, and the pollock roe perilla oil buckwheat noodles are the dish to order in summer.

Written Jun 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulShopping

Vintage knit shopping in Sinsa: sky-blue Burberry Golf knit at Balbal

Balbal Vintage Sinsa is a luxury vintage shop on Garosu-gil in Gangnam, Seoul, right next to the Apple Store, spread across basement floors 1 to 3. At Balbal Vintage Sinsa the writer browsed Chanel, Celine, Prada and Hermès vintage, weighed up a lilac Burberry knit, and bought a sky-blue Burberry Golf knit and a Polo check handkerchief. Verdict: Balbal Vintage Sinsa is a satisfying Sinsa vintage shop for designer knits at reasonable prices.

Written Jul 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulBars

Sejong Univ. bar for watching baseball: mungtigi set, Yukhoe Gongjakso

Yukhoe Gongjakso Sejong University branch is a yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) and beef yakiniku bar on Gunja-ro in Gwangjin, Seoul, near Exit 4 of Children's Grand Park Station, open daily from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. While watching a Doosan vs. Kia baseball game with a friend, the writer worked through the ₩35,000 mungtigi (fresh-cut raw beef) sashimi set, beef ramen, beef rice balls, ice pineapple and ₩9,900 yukhoe. Yukhoe Gongjakso Sejong University branch suits a late-night night out when you want plenty of beef at a good price.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Bossam spot by Children's Grand Park with 8-seat tables: Sosa Myeonok

Sosa Myeonok is a Korean restaurant specializing in bossam (boiled pork wraps) and naengmyeon (cold noodles) on Neungdong-ro in Gwangjin, Seoul, between Gunja Station and Children's Grand Park. On a weekday visit around 2 p.m. with no wait, a medium bossam, one mul naengmyeon and one bibim naengmyeon were ordered, and the tender bossam, radish kimchi and Hamheung-style mul naengmyeon were all satisfying. With wide parking, a separate waiting area and plenty of 8-person tables, Sosa Myeonok is a solid pick for a family gathering near Children's Grand Park.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulShopping

Jamsil Station piercing shop: snowflake silver earrings, Simkung

Simkung Piercing Jamsil (심쿵피어싱 잠실점) is a piercing and accessory shop in the Jamsil Underground Shopping Center in Songpa, Seoul, carrying silver, surgical steel and 14K gold pieces along with bracelets, necklaces and rings. The writer stopped by on the way home from work, browsed the color-sorted displays and chose snowflake silver-post earrings for 39,000 won. For anyone hunting for summer statement earrings, Simkung Piercing Jamsil's wide range of designs is a welcome find.

Written Jun 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangdong, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Cheonho hair salon: S-curl layered perm for long hair, Yume's Hair

Yume's Hair Cheonho Branch (유메즈헤어 천호점) is a hair salon on Cheonho-daero in Gangdong, Seoul, about 5 minutes on foot from Cheonho Station and also close to Gangdong Station. The writer came after work because a setting perm from late February had gone limp, and after a consultation with designer Eunha, who does the perm first and decides the cut afterward, the long-hair layered perm was finished in 2 hours 30 minutes. The bouncy S-curls left the writer 100% sure of a return visit to Yume's Hair Cheonho Branch.

Written Jul 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulCafés

Guui Station café: extra butter on a chocolate scone at Center Coffee

Center Coffee Guui East Pole is a spacious dessert café on the B1 floor of East Pole at Guui Station in Gwangjin, Seoul. During a shopping trip to NC Department Store, the blogger ordered a chamoe (Korean melon) yogurt smoothie, a strawberry latte and a chocolate scone served with strawberry jam, adding extra butter, which the blogger called the highlight of the visit. With kids' menu items, high chairs and NC Department Store parking support, Center Coffee Guui East Pole is a good café for a break while shopping near Guui Station.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulShopping

First-birthday gift set outfit at Apple Smile, a Namdaemun kids' shop

Apple Smile is a children's clothing shop at Bureudeng Kids' Clothing No. 12 in Namdaemun Market, Jung-gu, Seoul, selling its own in-house designed, made-in-Korea kidswear. The writer stopped by with a friend to find a gift for a niece who had just turned one, browsing the new fall arrivals for girls before choosing a pink two-piece set with a dotted top and frilled jogger pants. Apple Smile's ready-matched sets made picking a first-birthday gift simple.

Written Sep 26, 2026Sponsored
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