Old Capital Brush · 15 stories

Warm Brush, Seoul and Gangwon Counters

Writes about restaurants, bars, and beauty spots across Gyeonggi, Seoul, Gangwon, Busan/Gyeongnam, and Daegu/Gyeongbuk. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceGuri, GyeonggiRestaurants

Perilla-leaf chicken stew near Guri Station: Gangnam Dakhansang

Gangnam Dakhansang Guri Dolidari branch (강남닭한상 구리돌다리점) is a Korean restaurant inside Guri Traditional Market near Guri Station in Guri, Gyeonggi, specializing in dakdoritang (spicy braised chicken stew) cooked on a giant pot lid. We ordered one whole chicken stew with ramen and glass noodle add-ons; the perilla-scented broth was rich and savory without being sweet, and the ramen noodles were the MVP of the meal. If you want a chicken stew to go with drinks in Guri, go to Gangnam Dakhansang Guri Dolidari branch and be sure to add the ramen noodles.

Written Jun 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceWonju, GangwonRestaurants

Wonju noodle restaurant after High1: extra-large naengmyeon, jjusam

Singi Arrowroot Naengmyeon & Jjukkumi (신기칡냉면&쭈꾸미) is a Korean restaurant near Munmak IC in Wonju, Gangwon, specializing in arrowroot naengmyeon (cold noodles) and stir-fried jjukkumi (baby octopus). On the drive home from High1 in Jeongseon, the writer stopped at Singi Arrowroot Naengmyeon & Jjukkumi for lunch and had a free muk bowl, an extra-large arrowroot mul naengmyeon and jjusam (baby octopus with pork belly), finding the noodle portion generous and the jjusam smoky with a sweet-spicy sauce. Singi Arrowroot Naengmyeon & Jjukkumi is a good one-stop lunch for cold noodles and hearty jjusam on a hot day heading home from a Gangwon trip.

Written Jun 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Gopchang spot by Wangsimni Exit 6 with free sides: Hyewon Sogopchang

Hyewon Sogopchang (혜원소곱창) is a beef gopchang (grilled small intestine) restaurant in the Wangsimni food alley near Exit 6 of Wangsimni Station in Seongdong, Seoul. The writer ordered the mixed grill of gopchang, daechang (large intestine), heart, potato and rice cake, added an extra portion of beef gopchang, and found the included sides of seasoned tripe salad, bean sprout ramen and roasted sweet pumpkin generous. Given the portions and quality, Hyewon Sogopchang is great value and a Wangsimni gopchang spot the writer would 100% revisit.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulBars

Retro pocha bar in Wangsimni with DIY tuna rice balls: Rainbow Pocha

Rainbow Pocha (레인보우포차) is a retro-style pocha (Korean pub) near Wangsimni Station in Seongdong, Seoul. On a weekday evening, the writer went to Rainbow Pocha for a second round, ordering the boneless chicken feet and corn cheese set plus tuna rice balls you shape yourself. An order of cone ice cream turned out to be a packaged World Cone, which made the whole table laugh. Spicy boneless chicken feet with savory corn cheese and tuna rice balls made a perfect pairing at this Wangsimni bar.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Sashimi omakase for two under ₩80,000 in Jamsilsaenae: Namhae Fish

Namhae Fish Jamsilsaenae Branch (남해물고기 잠실새내점) is an aged-sashimi omakase restaurant near Jamsilsaenae Station in Songpa, Seoul. After enjoying the yellowtail on an earlier visit, the writer returned and ordered the Hansang Set, served course by course: porridge and mulhoe (cold raw fish soup), 9 kinds of sashimi, sushi, yuringi, seafood pasta, steamed stingray and spicy fish stew. Two people paid under ₩80,000, making Namhae Fish a strong value pick for aged-sashimi omakase in Seoul.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Sangsu Station solo bar with hospital-note peated whisky: Woo Woo

Woo Woo (우우) is a solo-drinking bar in Hongdae, near Sangsu Station in Mapo, Seoul, where guests fill in a profile on entry and can show interest in other guests by seat number. The writer, who knows little about whisky, got a taste consultation at Woo Woo and was recommended a peated whisky with a hospital-like note, and also found Woo Woo's Long Island iced tea lemony and well balanced. For anyone who wants to drink alone without getting bored, Woo Woo is an easy bar to try.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Burger lunch with a friend near Jonggak Station: El Taco, Reel Burger

Reel Burger Gwanghwamun (릴버거 광화문점) is a casual handmade burger restaurant on Sambong-ro in Jongno, Seoul, between Jonggak Station and Gwanghwamun. Over lunch with a friend, the blogger shared an egg Benedict burger, an El Taco burger, onion rings, black pepper Cajun fries and two Coke Zeros; the juicy patties paired well with the sauces, and the staff even provided lids for the cola cups. For a different kind of handmade burger lunch, the El Taco burger with Cajun fries at Reel Burger Gwanghwamun is worth recommending.

Written Jul 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulBars

Konkuk Univ. solo bar with a non-alcoholic Earl Grey highball: Yahwa

Yahwa Solo Drinking Bar Konkuk University Branch is a solo drinking bar on basement level 1 near Konkuk Univ. Station in Gwangjin, Seoul. The writer arrived with a friend right at opening time and ordered a non-alcoholic whisky highball, a non-alcoholic Earl Grey highball and Balvenie DoubleWood 14. Of the non-alcoholic drinks, the Earl Grey highball stood out for its strong black tea aroma. For a quiet drink and an unhurried conversation, Yahwa Konkuk University Branch is at its best in the early evening.

Written Jul 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae chicken feet bar with a set too big for two: Cheongnyeon 1987

Cheongnyeon Dakbal 1987 Hongdae Branch is a pojangmacha-style (street tent bar) chicken feet bar on Donggyo-ro in Mapo, Seoul. Two people ordered the Cheongnyeon Dakbal Set with boneless chicken feet at Shin Ramyun spice level, plus jjagyechi (black bean instant noodles with egg and cheese) and pineapple soju. The set of chicken feet, rice balls, kalguksu, fried chicken skin and chilled muk soup was far too much for two. Verdict: for the Cheongnyeon Dakbal 1987 set, a group of women should come with at least 3 people.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamyangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Byeollae daechang grill, tripe fried rice and doenjang: Chodaechang

Chodaechang Byeollae Branch (초대창 별내점) is a charcoal-grilled beef tripe and intestine restaurant on Byeollae 5-ro 5beon-gil in Namyangju, Gyeonggi. The writer had the 510g Mixed Grill Set B of daechang (large intestine), makchang (abomasum) and teukyang (premium tripe) for 57,000 won, yang bokkeumbap (beef tripe fried rice) for 13,000 won, doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) for 5,000 won and kimchi-mari noodles from a review event, and kept going back to the tripe fried rice even when full. For a clean daechang restaurant in Byeollae where the staff grill for you, Chodaechang Byeollae Branch is a good fit.

Written Oct 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamyangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Korean BBQ birthday meal near Jinjeop Station, Namyangju: Galbi Yechan

Galbi Yechan Namyangju Jinjeop Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Jinjeop Station in Namyangju, Gyeonggi, serving both beef and marinated pork galbi. For an uncle's birthday, the family reserved a room-style space shared by about 3 parties and ate nunkkot bonsal (snowflake-marbled beef), beef rib meat, kkotsal (marbled beef cut) and marinated pork galbi, then finished with dessert naengmyeon (cold noodles). The self-serve bar and wide table spacing made Galbi Yechan an easy choice for birthdays and family gatherings.

Written Aug 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

After-work Hapjeong Korean BBQ: draft beer and sauced ribs, Champpoppo

Champpoppo Jjokgalbi Hapjeong Branch is a jjokgalbi (grilled pork rib) restaurant within walking distance of Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. After work, two of us ordered draft beer, 2 servings (300g) of sauced ribs and 1 serving (300g) of soy sauce ribs, enjoyed the free potato, honeycomb pork skin, chicken porridge and corn cheese sides, then added 2 more servings of sauced ribs. The soy sauce ribs at Champpoppo Jjokgalbi were good, but the mildly spicy 'jjomaep' sauced ribs were my clear winner.

Written Aug 3, 2026Sponsored