Chopstick Journaler · 5 stories

Thin Chopstick, Seoul Diners

Writes about small restaurants around Seoul, one visit at a time. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Bars

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Holiday brunch café in Hongdae with a coworker: salmon Benedict, MELA

MELA Hongdae is an Italian home-style brunch café in an alley near Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. On a holiday, two coworkers shared salmon Eggs Benedict (₩22,000), minari (Korean water parsley) vongole pasta (₩23,000), homemade grapefruit ade and an Americano, and the writer found MELA's salmon Eggs Benedict better than one eaten in New York. MELA Hongdae is recommended for a two-person catch-up when you want both good atmosphere and good food.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Hapjeong hair salon: bob volume magic + Ayunche clinic, Recteur Seoul

Recteur Seoul is a hair salon between Hapjeong and Hongdae in Mapo, Seoul, about a 5-minute walk from Hapjeong Station Exit 2. The writer's curl had started coming back and a bad thinning cut had left her damaged hair puffy, so after a 1:1 consultation with designer Idam she had a clinic-perm volume magic (a Korean straightening perm) for 240,000 won at bob length plus an Ayunche clinic treatment for 50,000 won, 290,000 won in total. With no pushy upselling and an explanation at every step, Recteur Seoul is worth recommending to anyone dealing with curly or damaged hair.

Written Oct 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Daeheung Station group izakaya: chicken neck karaage at Mulgogijip

Mulgogijip (물고기집) is an izakaya in Mapo, Seoul, facing the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail near Daeheung Station on Line 6. A group of four added one extra portion to Mulgogijip's dry-aged sashimi moriawase (7 kinds of the day's fish) and also ordered seseri karaage (fried chicken neck), sake-steamed butter clams and a 4-skewer yakitori course, loving both the floor-to-ceiling Forest Trail view and the food. Mulgogijip is a strong pick for group gatherings near Sogang University and Daeheung Station when you want a view and good food together.

Written Oct 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Friday-night Hapjeong rib BBQ for 3: mild spicy ribs at Champpoppo

Champpoppo Jjokgalbi Hapjeong Branch (참뽀뽀쪽갈비 합정점) is a pork rib BBQ restaurant on Yanghwa-ro 6-gil in Mapo, Seoul. On a Friday night, three friends took the last free table at Champpoppo Jjokgalbi, ordered the Chiletan set plus 1 extra serving of seasoned ribs, and finished with yeolmu kimchi noodles (noodles in icy young-radish kimchi broth). The soy-glazed ribs were a clean, classic version with no gamey smell, and the 'mild spicy' seasoned ribs were addictive with draft beer.

Written Oct 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Yeoksam eel rice bowl before a musical, hitsumabushi for two: Unagiwa

Unagiwa is an eel rice bowl restaurant in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, a 2-minute walk from GS Arts Center. On Malbok, the last of Korea's three hottest days of summer, the writer ordered two Hitsumabushi Sang sets before seeing the musical Hell's Kitchen, and ate the whole eel over rice the three ways staff suggested: plain, with wasabi and scallion, and as ochazuke. The short walk to the theater and the generous portions made Unagiwa a satisfying summer restorative meal before the show.

Written Aug 17, 2026Sponsored
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