Sharing two Korean set menus at Modam Itaewon, an Itaewon restaurant

If you're looking for a good-vibes Korean restaurant in Itaewon or a special place for a gathering, I want to recommend Modam Heritage Itaewon. A friend of mine went there recently for sangyeonrye (the formal meeting between two families before a wedding) and raved about the food, the atmosphere, and the service, so I was curious to try it myself. After visiting, I get why so many people pick this place for Itaewon Korean restaurant gatherings and sangyeonrye.

Where is Modam Itaewon, and what are its hours?

Modam Itaewon is on the 1st floor of the Mondrian Seoul Itaewon, at 23 Jangmun-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It's open daily from 11:00 to 21:30, with a break time from 15:00 to 17:00.

Since it's right on the ground floor of the hotel, it's easy to find, and the moment you walk in you get a calm, upscale feel.

Is there parking at Modam Itaewon?

One thing I personally liked was that parking is available at Modam Itaewon. Itaewon can be a headache for parking if you're driving, but being able to use the hotel's parking made it much more convenient, especially visiting with family or in a bigger group.

Is Modam Itaewon right for sangyeonrye and family gatherings?

Modam Itaewon isn't a stiff or overly formal-feeling Korean restaurant, but it has a neatness that suits important meals. It felt like a great fit for a meal with parents, a family gathering, or a sangyeonrye. Knowing they even run a dedicated sangyeonrye menu made me trust the place even more.

There are private rooms too :)

The bathrooms were clean, hotel-quality — nice touch.

What we ordered: two different set menus at Modam Itaewon

This time we ordered the mixed seafood jang (soy-marinated seafood) with gimtae butter rice set, and the deodeok (mountain herb root) with charcoal-grilled tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties) set.

We wanted to try both, so we ordered different menus — and in the end, it was the right call.

Ordering two different set menus instead of just one meant we got to try a wider range, so I'd recommend this combo to anyone looking for an Itaewon Korean food gathering spot.

Mixed seafood jang with gimtae butter rice set

The mixed seafood jang and gimtae butter rice set was a great combo — savory, umami-rich seafood jang paired with fragrant, nutty gimtae (seaweed) butter rice. Being able to pick and choose among several kinds of seafood made it fun, and I kept going back for more with the rice. The gimtae's distinctive aroma plus the butter's nuttiness gave it a different kind of appeal from a typical Korean set meal.

The dishes served through the course

There was also sashimi with amberjack,

and a soybean milk soup that went surprisingly well with tomato.

The salad was pretty in color too 🩵

The fried eggplant was delicious as well.

Do I even need to say how good the buckwheat soba was~ it was excellent,

and the bugak (fried seaweed/vegetable chips) paired with fruit was refreshingly bright.

Eating it bite by bite, it was so good :)

Why sharing was easy: extra bowls and chopsticks at Modam Itaewon

Above all, what stood out was how thoughtfully Modam Itaewon set us up to share multiple dishes. When you order different set menus, you naturally end up saying "try this too" and passing food around. For that, they gave us separate bowls to portion things out with ease, and even brought extra chopsticks — it made the whole meal so comfortable. It's a small thing, but that kind of care really stands out when a group is dining together.

They set the gimtae rice and soup out neatly for us too.

The seafood jang with glass noodles added in was so good,

and the tteokgalbi was so nutty and delicious.

And to finish, basil pesto ice cream 🩵

So it's a great spot to visit with friends and share a variety of dishes, and it also suits more special occasions like a meal with parents or a family gathering. My friend's satisfaction with holding her sangyeonrye here makes total sense — the food is refined and the space is calm and upscale, so it's an easy choice for an important occasion.

If you're looking for an atmospheric Itaewon Korean restaurant for a sangyeonrye or a family gathering, I recommend Modam Heritage Itaewon. From the menu setup that made sharing two different set menus so easy, to the thoughtful service of separate bowls and chopsticks, it was a genuinely pleasant meal from start to finish. Whether it's a special day, a meal with parents, a family gathering, or a nice meal with friends, it's a good Itaewon Korean gathering spot to keep in mind :)