Anniversary date with non-alcoholic melon pop: Sugar Hill, Yongsan

Sugar Hill 99-15 Sinheung-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea Wed/Thu/Fri 18:00 - 23:00 Sat/Sun 16:00 - 23:00 Closed every Monday and Tuesday House rule: one dish and one drink per person (drink order required, but waived if ordering bottled wine or whiskey)

A wine bar in Haebangchon's Sinheung Market for our first wedding anniversary

Let me introduce a special, mood-filled space my husband and I visited for our first wedding anniversary! It's a small restaurant, bar, and culture space tucked into Sinheung Market in Haebangchon — 📍Sugar Hill. It had been a while since we'd gone on a date in Itaewon, and thanks to the fresh, exciting atmosphere that felt like we'd traveled abroad, we had such a happy time.

It's a place that serves house-made dishes alongside carefully chosen wines, whiskeys, and signature cocktails. With music curated by a musician-chef, the flavors, atmosphere, and stories all blend together naturally — such a charming space.

The interior was so tasteful, and every little decor piece had such sense that it made us even more comfortable on our date! Both the owner and staff were incredibly kind, so my mind stayed at ease throughout the whole meal.

We took a seat at an indoor table on the 1st floor 🤎

How to order: you conveniently order from your seat via a QR code, then pay at the 1st-floor counter on your way out!

What is the special BTS Meal set?

We ordered Sugar Hill's special BTS Meal set! Here, BTS stands for... Bites (great food), Tunes (good music), and Spirits (a drink and good conversation)! It's a menu that carries the wish for good food, music, and stories with people to come together — and it felt even more special knowing it was reinterpreted in Sugar Hill's own way, based on the owner's real experience as a producer for the global McDonald's BTS Meal campaign.

An outdoor table

Don't drink? No problem — swapped for a non-alcoholic melon pop

The set normally lets you choose between (House wine or Obok) white/red wine or the Obok cocktail, but since we don't drink, we asked to swap it for the non-alcoholic 'melon pop' menu item instead, and enjoyed it a lot!

Melon soda with ice cream and a cherry

1. Bodeumi shell pasta

Inside big shell-shaped pasta shells

...is a generous ricotta-cheese-centered filling, topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese and baked in the oven — an Italian dish.

The tangy tomato sauce and rich, savory cheese struck a perfect balance, and the combination of chewy pasta and soft cheese was really appealing!

2. Juju's steak strips

A signature dish combining chef Juju's special oregano signature sauce with sous-vide searing technique!

Because the meat is sous-vide aged for a long time at a precise temperature, the inside was really tender with moisture and juices perfectly preserved. The surface was seared golden brown over high heat, giving it a rich, savory flavor. The oregano sauce was tangy and refreshing, cutting through any greasiness in the meat, so I enjoyed it thoroughly from start to finish!

3. Mini cheese plate

Made up of savory cheese, shine muscat grapes, and cute Haribo jelly — perfect for cleansing the palate!

The cheese was arranged to evoke the BTS logo, with the purple representing ARMY fans and the Haribo representing the members 💜 (they explained this to us)

One of the cheeses had a jalapeño finish, and all three were savory cheeses that would go even better with wine!!

What are the 2nd and 3rd floors like?

Time to take a look around Sugar Hill after finishing our meal

2nd floor

On the 2nd floor, the kitchen is hidden behind a curtain, and there were 2 tables set up!

3rd floor

On Sugar Hill's 3rd floor, there's a gorgeous terrace space that lifts your mood, along with a private room hidden away inside Sinheung Market!

It's a space where you can feel the exotic vibe of Sinheung Market while spending precious time privately, at your own pace. It even has its own dedicated terrace and private bathroom, so it must be even more comfortable!!

In particular, every little decor piece on the 3rd floor held the owner couple's memories and life in a tasteful way! Items the owner brought directly from Africa, his instruments as a musician, even a single poster — he briefly explained each one, which made looking around feel even more meaningful. 💜 It was a meaningful time that made my husband and I resolve to live even more charmingly going forward💜

Private room conditions

• How it works: reservation-only (available for 4 to 7 people)
• Cost: ₩200,000 on weekdays / ₩250,000 on weekends and holidays
• Great for dinners with loved ones, birthdays, small gatherings, book clubs, creative meetings, author meetups, brand events, and more
• 8+ people should inquire separately / renting the entire 1st–3rd floor is also possible

The terrace space you find beyond the pink door

How was it as an anniversary date course?

It was the best space to enjoy delicate, excellent dishes amid tasteful music and an exotic atmosphere. With the warmth and care of the friendly owner couple and their stories added on top, it made our anniversary even more special — a perfect Haebangchon date course ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐