Hapjeong Night Stroller · 85 stories

Seoul & Incheon Notes

I write about beauty and restaurants in Seoul and Incheon. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Shopping · Cafés · Bars

PlaceHanam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Hanam baby octopus restaurant by Gogol Reservoir: Christmas-lit garden

Jigueseo On Jjukkumi (지구에서 온 쭈꾸미) is a perilla oil baby octopus (jjukkumi) set-meal restaurant near Gogol Reservoir on Seohanam-ro 390beon-gil in Hanam, Gyeonggi. After a walk in Olympic Park, the writer drove 15 minutes to Jigueseo On Jjukkumi for dinner and had the 13,000 won per person perilla oil jjukkumi set, mixing the pot rice with perilla oil, pollock roe and baby octopus, then finished with ice cream in the lit-up garden. For a meal and a change of scene in Hanam, close to Songpa, Jigueseo On Jjukkumi is a good pick.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoseong, GangwonRestaurants

Goseong pork galbi & pollock cold noodles: Yongchon Gogi-jip

Yongchon Gogi-jip (용촌고기집) is a pork galbi restaurant in Yongchon-ri, Toseong-myeon, Goseong, Gangwon, right on the border with Sokcho. At Yongchon Gogi-jip the owner hand-cuts and marinates bone-in pork galbi (250g for 18,000 won), which is grilled over charcoal and eaten with pickled raw cabbage, a bowl of Goseong rice and a 6,000 won mul-naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth) piled with myeongtae-hoe (seasoned raw pollock). With a marinade that is neither too salty nor too sweet and great value for money, Yongchon Gogi-jip earned a full five stars from the writer.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho tofu restaurant for an autumn foliage breakfast: Kongbatteul

Kongbatteul Sokcho Branch (콩밭뜰 속초점) is a sundubu (soft tofu) restaurant chain outlet in Haksapyeong Kongkkot Village (Sokcho Sundubu Village), Sokcho, Gangwon. The writer had the 10,000 won per person tofu set for breakfast with chodang sundubu (soft tofu from Chodang) and a beef-broth cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew), and was impressed by tofu side dishes like sweet and sour tofu and tofu kimchi and by the attentive staff. Close to Sokcho IC, Kongbatteul Sokcho Branch is an easy, affordable breakfast or lunch stop on a Seoraksan autumn foliage trip.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho market chicken shop: Gate 1 parking & garlic pick, Seomin Gapbu

Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip (속초시장닭강정) is a dakgangjeong (sweet glazed fried chicken) shop with a main branch and a branch 2 in Sokcho Jungang Market, also known as Sokcho Tourist & Fish Market, in Sokcho, Gangwon. On a weekday evening the writer asked the owner at branch 2 for a grown-up flavor, took home the garlic dakgangjeong, and was struck by its thin coating, a glaze that doesn't stick to your teeth and heaps of fried garlic. The verdict: Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip's garlic dakgangjeong ranks in the writer's top two ever and earns five stars.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Late-night Mapo sashimi restaurant, 10 p.m. live squid: Mapo Bamdada

Mapo Bamdada is a sashimi restaurant on Woldeukeop-ro in Mapo, Seoul, near Exit 4 of Mapo-gu Office Station, open until 1 a.m. On a weeknight at 10 p.m., the writer and a companion ordered live squid sashimi, served with free side dishes including clam soup, soy-marinated raw shrimp and a taster portion of mulhoe (cold raw fish soup), and finished every bite while watching more than 15 delivery orders go out. Mapo Bamdada suits a late-night craving near Mapo-gu Office Station: dine in for the lively mood, or order delivery for a quiet meal at home.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceEunpyeong, SeoulRestaurants

Yeonsinnae tonkatsu: owner-trimmed loin set for two, Katsu Monster

Katsu Monster Yeonsinnae Branch is a Japanese-style tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant near Exits 4 and 5 of Yeonsinnae Station in Eunpyeong, Seoul. Visiting around 4 pm, the writer ordered the set for two at the kiosk: two portions of loin tonkatsu and one cold soba (chilled buckwheat noodles). The thick pork had no gamey smell even without sauce, and the batter was crispy. After watching the owner trim the meat himself during break time, the writer gives Katsu Monster Yeonsinnae Branch five stars as a go-to Yeonsinnae tonkatsu spot.

Written Jul 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

IFC Mall snack bar lunch in Yeouido: medium broth set, Hyeonseonine

Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch is a Korean snack bar inside IFC Mall in Yeouido, Seoul, serving old-style broth tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) from a business that began as a street stall in Yongsan. The Hyeonseonine set (tteokbokki, chewy sundae, mini gimbap and fried snacks), ordered at medium spice, delivered a satisfying broth, thin crispy fritters and mini gimbap rich with sesame oil, with plenty of food for two. Hyeonseonine Premium is a solid Yeouido IFC lunch spot for childhood-style tteokbokki with a draft beer on the side.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGeomdan, IncheonRestaurants

Geomdan briquette BBQ, owner's grilling order: Euljiro Yeontan Gui

Euljiro Yeontan Gui Majeon Branch (을지로연탄구이 마전점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant specialising in briquette-grilled pork in Majeon-dong, Geomdan-gu, Incheon, near Geomdan Sageori Station. The 600g pork set (₩35,900) was grilled in the order the owner recommended, starting with pork belly, alongside a ₩2,000 doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and pork skin dipped in roasted soybean powder. For good-quality, good-value briquette BBQ, Euljiro Yeontan Gui Majeon Branch is a recommended stop.

Written Oct 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro 1-ga snack bar, old-school tteokbokki for three: Hyeonseoni-ne

Hyeonseoni-ne Cheonggye Instant Branch is an old-school Korean snack bar (bunsik) a one-minute walk from Euljiro 1-ga Station Exit 3 in Jung-gu, Seoul. The writer ordered the ₩25,000 Hyeonseoni-ne Combo Set at medium spice, which comes with tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), sundae (Korean blood sausage), gimbap, fritters and fish cake. The writer rediscovered the old-fashioned tteokbokki taste of their childhood, served in retro bowls that look 40–50 years old. With generous portions, Hyeonseoni-ne is a Cheonggyecheon snack bar where three people can share the combo over a beer each.

Written Jul 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Ikseon-dong bakery after a 30°C queue: oven-fresh onion bagel, Munhwa

Munhwa Bakery (문화제빵) is a hanok-style bakery with a tiled roof in Ikseon-dong, near Jongno 3-ga in Seoul, known for donating to Save the Children. After queuing outside the door in 30°C heat, the writer watched an onion bagel and garlic bread come fresh out of the oven and bought both for about 13,000 won. Verdict: the Munhwa Bakery onion bagel is good, but the garlic bread is just so-so.

Written Jul 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Late Korean lunch in Jonggak: fiery octopus, giant cutlet, Bonghyejane

Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch (봉혜자네주방 종로타워점) is an octopus-focused Korean restaurant on the B2 level of Jongno Tower, connected to Jonggak Station in Seoul. Around 1:30 pm, a late lunch there meant the octopus stir-fry set (nakji bokkeum jeongsik) and the Hyeja Wang Donkkaseu (giant pork cutlet): the octopus was very spicy for someone with a low spice tolerance, and the pork cutlet was bigger than a face. For office workers who need a quick lunch, the octopus stir-fry set is the pick, and adding the Hyeja giant pork cutlet is the move if the heat is a worry.

Written Oct 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Whole chicken stew with kalguksu in Hongdae, Seoul: Hongik Dakhanmari

Hongik Dakhanmari Hongdae Main Branch is a dakhanmari (whole chicken stew) restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building on Wausan-ro 29ra-gil in Mapo, Seoul, near Exit 8 of Hongik Univ. Station. The 2-person set boils a whole chicken with mushroom, potato, rice cake and green onion add-ons, which you dip in a sauce you mix yourself, and once the chicken is cooked you add kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) to the richer broth. Hongik Dakhanmari Hongdae Main Branch has a deep, hearty broth that makes it satisfying right through to the final kalguksu.

Written Oct 8, 2026Sponsored