Third Cup Drifter · 11 stories

Third Cup, Seoul and Busan/Gyeongnam

Writes about cafes, restaurants, and bars found while moving between Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Busan/Gyeongnam. · Writes about: Bars · Restaurants · Cafés

PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Seomyeon pub on a Busan trip: boneless gizzard and stew set, Yetnal

Yetnal Tongdak & Tang Seomyeon Branch is a chicken pub in the Seomyeon Station food alley in Busanjin, Busan, specializing in dakdoritang (spicy braised chicken stew), old-style fried chicken and fried chicken gizzards. On a Busan trip, the writer and a friend ordered the gizzard and stew set, switched to boneless for ₩2,000 extra, and found the fried gizzards stayed crispy over time while the spicy stew was packed with glass noodles and rice cakes. Yetnal Tongdak & Tang Seomyeon Branch is a good-value pub for drinks with hearty bar food in Seomyeon.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiCafés

24-hour café in Seohyeon with teddy chocolate cake: Slowway Coffee

Slowway Coffee Bundang Seohyeon branch is a 24-hour café in Seohyeon, Seongnam, open every day of the year and about a 10-minute walk from Seohyeon Station on the Suin-Bundang Line. On a Saturday stop in Bundang for a wedding, the blogger ordered an iced Americano, a decaf hot Americano and a bear-shaped teddy chocolate cake, finding the 1st floor good for conversation and the 2nd floor calm and full of people studying. For a spacious café near Seohyeon Station with easy parking where you can stay at any hour, Slowway Coffee is a good fit.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanRestaurants

Songjeong Beach jjamppong restaurant, octopus set: Songjeong Dol

Songjeong Dol Jjamppong (송정돌짬뽕) is a Chinese restaurant specializing in stone-plate jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) at the far end of Songjeong Beach in Haeundae, Busan. Back in Songjeong for a summer holiday, the writer walked the deck path beside the Beach Train and, at 12pm on a weekday, ordered the dol jjamppong and glutinous rice tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) set with one whole octopus added. On this second visit, Songjeong Dol Jjamppong's spicy stone-plate broth, scorched rice and crispy tangsuyuk still beat expectations.

Written Jul 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido Station gyukatsu restaurant where the breading stays on: Izawa

Izawa Yeouido Direct Store is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Yeouido General Shopping Complex, right by Exit 5 of Yeouido Station in Seoul. On a day spent running errands in Yeouido, two diners ordered the gyukatsu set and grilled the beef on a mini brazier with wasabi and an onion-flavored special sauce; the breading stayed on while grilling, and the beef's quality and portion beat expectations. Izawa Yeouido Direct Store is a good Yeouido Station pick when you miss the gyukatsu you ate in Japan.

Written Jul 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Kkachisan Station Japanese diner: summer noodle lunch with Mom, Hekbap

Hekbap Kkachisan Branch is a Japanese rice bowl and noodle restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Lotteria building near Kkachisan Station in Gangseo, Seoul. On a hot summer day, the writer had lunch there with her mom: the summer-menu zaru soba (cold dipping soba) tonkatsu set and bukkake udon tonkatsu set, plus a potato croquette side. She enjoyed the springy noodles, the wasabi-topped tonkatsu and the fluffy croquette. Verdict: with its roomy, well-spaced tables, Hekbap Kkachisan Branch is an easy lunch spot by Kkachisan Station for family meals and solo diners alike.

Written Jul 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae ramen lunch: spicy Shin Ieke and gyokai tonkotsu, Ramen Truck

Ramen Truck Sangsu Main Branch (라멘트럭 상수본점) is a Japanese ramen restaurant in Mapo, Seoul, one minute from Sangsu Station Exit 4, and began as a food truck in 2013. Two friends had lunch at Ramen Truck: Shin Ieke Ramen, Gyokai Tonkotsu Ramen with an extra soft-boiled egg, and yaki gyoza (pan-fried dumplings). Mixing in the spicy sauce made the Shin Ieke Ramen broth hot and hearty but still easy for someone who can't handle much heat. With bouncy house-made noodles and a savory seafood broth, Ramen Truck delivered a satisfying lunch.

Written Jul 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Hongdae speakeasy with a lawyer's-office entrance: Gamjeon at Bitters

Bitters is a speakeasy-style cocktail bar in the basement (B1) of the Hongdae Mulgalbi building on Hongik-ro in Mapo, Seoul. The writer and a friend entered Bitters through a bookshelf door and had the signature cocktails Pereco No.2, Fox's Grapes and Gamjeon (all signatures 22,000 won) plus the classic Second Serve with a melon jamón plate, then left through a second entrance disguised as a lawyer's office. With its secret entrances and quiet atmosphere, Bitters is an easy pick among Hongdae bars for both solo drinks and dates.

Written Jul 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hapjeong Exit 2 café for light drip and mild tiramisu: Central Site

Central Site Hapjeong is a specialty roastery café on Yanghwa-ro 7-gil in Mapo, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Hapjeong Station Exit 2. The writer already had good memories of the Yeonnam branch and stopped by Central Site Hapjeong for the first time after dinner in Hapjeong, trying a Guatemala and an Ethiopia drip coffee with the classic tiramisu. Verdict: the light, clean drip coffee paired well with the plain, not-too-sweet tiramisu.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae burger restaurant chicken cheeseburger set: Deombeogeo Bonjeom

Deombeogeo Bonjeom is a handmade burger restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, a 6-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik University Station and on the second floor of a building on Donggyo-ro. A brother and sister ordered one chicken cheeseburger set (12,900 won) and one Dumb Burger set (18,900 won), tasting the chicken thigh patty and the thick handmade beef patty, with set drinks poured from a dispenser offering four choices. Deombeogeo Bonjeom stays open until 4 a.m. and has bar seats, so it also works well for eating alone in Yeonnam-dong.

Written Sep 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongjak, SeoulBars

Sadang izakaya lunch day drinking: yeonban-yukhoe at Susan Sadang

Susan Sadang Main Branch is an aged sashimi izakaya in an alley a 6-minute walk from exits 8 and 9 of Sadang Station in Dongjak, Seoul. Craving salmon, the writer came with a friend for a late lunch and ordered the signature yeonban-yukhoe (half aged salmon, half beef tartare) and ankimo maki topped with monkfish liver, and the free sake starter that arrives even without an alcohol order was the highlight. Thick aged salmon with tangy beef tartare made Susan Sadang a satisfying spot for day drinking.

Written Aug 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulCafés

Melon cream bingsu and a ₩1,900 venti americano in Songpa: Young

Young Coffee Jamsil Trizium is a café and dessert shop in Songpa, Seoul, sitting between Jamsilsaenae Station (Line 2) and Samjeon Station (Line 9). On a hot day, one melon cream bingsu and two coffees — a venti americano at 1,900 won and an iced latte at 3,400 won — added up to excellent value, and the bingsu tasted just like a Melona bar. With a long bingsu list and doors open until 23:00, Young Coffee Jamsil Trizium is an easy place to escape the heat and stay a while.

Written Aug 12, 2026Sponsored
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