Balsan Korean restaurant with Pororo kids' tableware: Mikodam

We stopped by Baby House Magok branch on the weekend to check out a kickboard for our second kid, and lunchtime rolled around, so we went looking for a nearby restaurant. For a meal out with young kids, Korean food beats anything spicy or heavy. The location was close, and it served both seaweed soup and grilled fish, so we headed to Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch, a Korean restaurant near Balsan Station.

Where is Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch, and where do you park?

Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch is about a 3-minute walk from Exit 4 of Balsan Station on Line 5, making it an easy Korean restaurant to reach by public transit near Balsan Station. Hours are 11:00–22:00.

🕚 Hours: 11:00 – 22:00 / 🅿️ Parking: Dmaru private parking lot (3 hours) / 📍 Location: 3-minute walk from Exit 4, Balsan Station

If you're driving, you can use the Dmaru private parking lot right next to the restaurant.

Walking from the parking lot to the building, there's a banner pointing the way to Mikodam.

Hall seating and private room reservation terms at Mikodam

Naver Place bookings are available for parties of 4 or more,

and room reservations are available for 6 or more adults.

They also said the restaurant will be open with no closures during the upcoming Chuseok holiday, worth noting if you're planning a family gathering.

Ordering by tablet: how to choose a set menu

You order by checking the menu on the tablet installed at each table.

Instructions for ordering the set menu are laid out in detail on a notice sitting on the table. We ordered the 3-person set.

Pororo kids' tableware and the basic side-dish spread

Right after we ordered, the staff brought out cute Pororo kids' tableware along with small spoons and forks for the children first — as a parent, that was really appreciated.

The adults' cutlery also came neatly wrapped in individual hygienic paper packets. This was a Korean restaurant near Balsan Station that paid attention to every small detail.

Next came a generous spread of basic side dishes: japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), stir-fried pork, jellyfish salad, dressed chicory, three kinds of namul (seasoned vegetables), kimchi, pickled onion, and roasted seaweed.

The japchae was seasoned just right, and the kids ate it happily.

The stir-fried pork came topped with shredded scallions, which made it even tastier.

The namul had a lively, crisp texture, good for snacking between bites. The roasted seaweed with soy sauce was tasty too.

What comes with the 3-person set: Norwegian grilled mackerel

Then all the dishes from the 3-person set came out onto the table at once — a big grilled mackerel, two bowls of cockle bibim, golden beef jeon, and a stone-pot seaweed soup. The portions were so much we wondered if we could finish it all. My husband and I traded looks, thinking the 2-person set alone would have been enough.

We started with the Norwegian mackerel flesh — the size alone was impressive, and it was crisp outside with savory, fishy-smell-free flesh inside. There was plenty of meat for both adults and kids to share.

Soy-sauce vs. vinegared cockle bibim: what's the difference?

The dish we were most looking forward to was the cockle bibim. We ordered it in both the soy-sauce style and the vinegar-sauce style.

The soy-sauce cockle bibim had us worried it might be too salty, but it was loaded with fresh chives, and even eaten without mixing into rice, the cockles alone weren't salty at all — just right.

The vibrant red vinegar-sauce cockles were spicy with a pleasant tang that woke up the appetite from the first bite. The crunchy cabbage and onion mixed with the chewy cockles for a varied texture. Personally, I kept reaching for the vinegar version more.

Beef jeon and stone-pot beef seaweed soup

The beef jeon we picked as a side came out thin and golden, pan-fried, tender rather than chewy. Topped with fragrant seasoned chives and onion, it cut through the richness nicely.

The beef seaweed soup came in a stone pot with a generous portion for a single serving. It had plenty of thinly sliced beef, so it was perfect for feeding the kids over rice without needing to cut it up with scissors.

It was a truly generous Korean set-menu spread near Balsan Station for two adults and kids to share.

Self-serve dessert corner: plum tea, sikhye and rice-cooker popped corn

After eating our fill, we checked out the dessert corner set up in one corner of the restaurant. There was cool plum tea, sikhye (sweet rice punch), and a mix-coffee machine so you could pick something to your taste.

Next to the drinks was popped corn kept in a rice cooker to stay warm.

It wasn't soggy at all and had a gentle sweetness, so the kids scooped it into little cups and happily munched on it.

Parking stamp and the birthday beef jeon service

At checkout, showing your parking ticket gets you a free 3-hour parking stamp — and even without a ticket, you can get one stamped on your payment receipt. There's also an ongoing event: visit within a week before or after your birthday with ID or a cake, order for 4 or more, and get a free large-size beef jeon. Worth a visit for a birthday gathering.

Final verdict on Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch

• Amenities and service: close to Exit 4 of Balsan Station with 3 hours of parking support, a family-friendly restaurant good for family gatherings or visits with young children.
• Menu and taste: the mild soy-sauce cockles and the spicy-tangy vinegar cockles are both well made, along with quality, neatly prepared side dishes. 👍