Drop Taster · 37 stories

A Few Drops

I write about beauty products I try in my everyday routine. · Writes about: Beauty products · Restaurants · Home & living · Hair & beauty salons · Bars · Cafés · Stays

PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station Japanese dinner: aburi-don + tuna and salmon, Ilpum

Ilpum Gangnam Branch is a basement Japanese restaurant near Gangnam Station in Seocho, Seoul, specializing in kaisendon (seafood rice bowls) and eel rice bowls. For a solo dinner at the bar, the writer added 1 piece each of aged tuna and aged salmon sashimi to a torch-seared aburi-don and also tried salmon sushi and fatty tuna sushi. To get smoky aburi flavor and chewy aged sashimi in one bowl, the topping add-on combo at Ilpum Gangnam Branch is worth trying.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Yeoksam café with window blankets & peanut almond financier: Mini Male

Mini Male Coffee Roaster Yeoksam Branch is a specialty coffee café near Yeoksam Station and Gangnam Finance Center in Gangnam, Seoul. At Mini Male the writer had the signature Helsinki latte, peanut/almond and apple crumble cold financiers, and a palm-sized handmade levain cookie, and stayed cozy at a slightly chilly window seat thanks to the café's blankets. Mini Male Yeoksam is a good fit if you want a rich, milky latte with sweet, dense desserts.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Seolleung Station eel restaurant for takeout office lunches: Manmok

Manmok is a Japanese restaurant near Seolleung Station in Gangnam, Seoul, serving Kanto-style eel rice bowls (hitsumabushi) made with freshwater eel from Gochang. The writer came alone for a late lunch after the noon rush, ate a whole-eel bowl at a corner window seat, and asked the Manmok staff whether the bowl could be packed for office lunches. Verdict: Manmok's eel rice bowl, free of greasiness and fishy smell, completely changed the mind of a writer who never cared for eel bowls.

Written Oct 23, 2026Partially sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Saturday Korean BBQ in Gyodae: kkodeulsal, spicy doenjang, Galgol

Galgol Yeontanjip Seocho Gyodae Branch is a briquette-grilled Korean BBQ restaurant near Gyodae Station in Seocho, Seoul. To skip the weekday wait, the writer went on a Saturday evening and ordered the limited Seolhwa kkodeulsal (a chewy special pork cut), gochujang bulgogi, fresh pork belly, doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) and flat bibim noodles; the fresh pork belly and the rich, spicy doenjang stew were the most satisfying. At Galgol Yeontanjip Seocho Gyodae Branch, fresh pork belly with doenjang stew and a bowl of rice is the surest order.

Written Oct 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulBars

Gangnam jazz bar: striploin steak course, ₩11,000 parking, Flat Nine

Flat Nine (플랫나인, FLATNINE) is a live jazz bar and contemporary Italian course restaurant on the 5th floor on Gangnam-daero 65-gil, between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station in Seoul. The writer swapped the main of Flat Nine's two-person basic course for striploin steak (₩40,000 extra), watched an electric guitar, cello and drum trio over a non-alcoholic highball and a fig highball, and parked all day for ₩11,000 at a nearby officetel lot. Verdict: Flat Nine is a Gangnam Station course dinner for anniversary dates or business dinners when you want atmosphere, and it stays easy even if you drive.

Written Oct 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gomtang spot in Uijeongbu: family dinner with beef tendon set, Hagane

Hagane Hanwoo Gomtang Uijeongbu Main Branch (하가네한우곰탕 의정부본점) is a hanwoo beef gomtang (beef bone soup) and gukbap restaurant across from Eulji University Hospital in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi. Over a dinner with their parents, the writer shared the Hagane gomtang + seuji muchim (seasoned beef tendon) set, a heaped ttukbaegi bulgogi and spicy beef offal gukbap, and especially liked the geotjeori and seokbakji kimchi made in-house with highland cabbage plus the self-bar with unlimited somyeon noodles. Hagane Hanwoo Gomtang is a family-friendly spot where a bowl of hanwoo gomtang costs under 10,000 won, though the spicy beef offal gukbap is quite hot for anyone who can't handle spice.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiRestaurants

Uijeongbu ramen shop, sold-out hiyashi ramen day: Aori's Whereabouts

Aori's Whereabouts Unknown Uijeongbu Branch is a Japanese ramen restaurant on the 2nd floor of 536 Pyeonghwa-ro near Uijeongbu Station, with kiosk ordering and partitioned solo seats. The hiyashi ramen (cold ramen), limited to 30 bowls a day, was sold out at dinner, so the writer ordered Aori ramen with extra soft-boiled egg, chashu and bean sprouts, plus a side of mazemen rice, and shared it all with a friend. Aori ramen's rich pork-bone broth, finished with chili oil and minced garlic, tastes like it would also make a good hangover meal.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Jayang-dong ramen shop: seaweed wraps, chashu mazemen at Sonoki Ramen

Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch is a Japanese ramen shop near Exit 6 of Konkuk Univ. Station, in Jayang-dong, Seoul. The writer's companion had the signature Sonoki Ramen with extra ajitamago (marinated soft-boiled egg) and seaweed, and the writer had mazemen (brothless ramen) with extra chashu. The pork bone broth was rich with no gamey smell, and the mazemen was mild and easy to eat. Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch is a good Konkuk Univ. ramen shop for a quick solo meal, with no break time.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulCafés

Bakery café near Seoul St. Mary's for hospital-visit gifts: Remangdore

Remangdore Seorae Village Branch (레망도레 서래마을점) is a premium bakery café in Seocho, Seoul, between Express Bus Terminal Station and Sinbanpo Station, across from Paris 15 Arrondissement Park. The writer tried Remangdore's lemon yuzu madeleine, chocolate madeleine, Maldon salt chocolate financier and chocolate egg tart, and ate five pastries in one sitting after planning on just two. Remangdore is on the pricey side, but for a premium dessert box to bring on a Seoul St. Mary's Hospital visit or to a housewarming, the Remangdore madeleines are the top recommendation.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonRestaurants

Gangneung burger shop for a Gyeongpo Beach car picnic: Fisherman Works

Fisherman Works is a handmade burger shop on Imyeong-ro in Gangneung, Gangwon, that has a growing reputation among locals. The writer ordered a chipotle skirt burger, an original cheeseburger with extra bacon and a potato + mushroom combo to go, then ate them in the car at Gyeongpo Beach as a typhoon rolled in, and was especially impressed by the thick patties and the fried songhwa mushrooms. If you want something in Gangneung other than jang-kalguksu or sundubu to take to the sea, Fisherman Works is a good choice.

Written Jun 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonRestaurants

Sashimi takeout vs Pungmul market stalls in Jumunjin: Minja Hoetjip

Minja Hoetjip (민자횟집), also called Minja Susan, is a sashimi restaurant inside Jumunjin Fish Market in Gangneung, Gangwon, offering both takeout and dine-in. Instead of the Jumunjin Pungmul Jwapan Market stalls used on a previous trip, the writer took a medium seasonal mixed sashimi platter (60,000 won) from Minja Hoetjip back to the lodging for a barbecue; the platter included sekkosi (bone-in thinly sliced fish) and butterfish, and came with free sea squirt, abalone sashimi and spicy fish stew ingredients. Verdict: Minja Hoetjip takeout is a good choice for enjoying Jumunjin sashimi easily, with no hassle.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonCafés

Gangneung dessert café in a typhoon: mini digger zone—Gangneung Sand

Gangneung Sand Main Branch is a Santorini-style dessert café and the original Gangneung Sand shop on Seonggokgoyang-gil in Gangneung, Gangwon. On a day of typhoon wind and rain, the writer toured the third-floor mini construction zone and the photo gallery at Gangneung Sand Main Branch, then bought Chodang corn and strawberry sand cookies (16,000 won per box of 10) and froze them before eating. Gangneung Sand Main Branch is a good one-stop pick for a rainy-day indoor outing and travel gifts in Gangneung.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored