Noon and Balm · 45 stories

Lunch and Lip Balm

I write about food I’ve eaten and beauty products I’ve tried. · Writes about: Food & snacks · Beauty products · Restaurants · Bars · Cafés · Things to do · Shopping

PlaceSeo-gu, GwangjuCafés

Gwangju café: Sweet Carnival lounge & black sesame bingsu, Maekmundong

Maekmundong is a large restaurant and café on Mareuk-ro in Mareuk-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, whose 2nd-floor lounge was decorated with a 'Sweet Carnival' pop-up theme. On a hot weekday afternoon at Maekmundong, the order was black sesame bingsu (shaved ice) for 15,500 won, kiwi yogurt cake for 8,000 won and a black Americano for 5,200 won, and the nutty bingsu, tangy cake and bitter coffee paired well. The 2nd-floor stairs are steep and peak hours bring waits and noise, but for the space and dessert quality Maekmundong is well worth a return visit.

Written Jul 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDamyang, GwangjuCafés

Damyang rainy-day café with window seats and crookie: Frank Coffin Bar

Frank Coffin Bar Damyang is a dark-wood espresso bar and bakery café at Meta Provence in Damyang. On a rainy afternoon drive, the writer sat by the big window with Frank Coffee, an iced Americano, a crookie and a Mont Blanc. The creamy Frank Coffee was well balanced and the crookie was crisp outside and soft inside, though the pastries scatter a lot of crumbs. Frank Coffin Bar Damyang is a good rainy-day café in Damyang for unwinding to the sound of rain.

Written Jul 11, 2026Sponsored
ProductYunoaBeauty products

Repair cream for red, sensitive summer skin: Yunoa EGF Repair Cream

Yunoa EGF Repair Cream is a 50ml tube-type functional repair cream from Korea with four growth factors including EGF, plus dexpanthenol and Cicasome. The writer applied Yunoa EGF Repair Cream for more than a week on a face left stinging and red by summer sunscreen reapplication and double cleansing, and felt skin texture smooth out and redness calm down. Verdict: it hydrates deeply without stickiness, but in midsummer the key is a small amount spread thinly.

Written Jul 12, 2026Product provided
PlaceDong-gu, GwangjuRestaurants

Mother-daughter butter-grilled lobster in Gwangju: Tams Badaetgaja

Tams Badaetgaja (탐스바닷가재) is a lobster course restaurant in Jisan-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju. The writer took her mother, who had lost her appetite, to a window-side private room for the lunch special "Tams Half Course": salad, janchi guksu (banquet noodles) and cream soup, followed by butter-grilled lobster and lobster tomalley fried rice. Her mother enjoyed it, saying the lobster wasn't tough and simply melted in her mouth. Book 2-3 days ahead and come by car, and Tams Badaetgaja is a quiet private-room spot for treating your parents.

Written Oct 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDong-gu, GwangjuRestaurants

Gwangju octopus eatery, udon tossed in spicy sauce: Jjukkumi Sinnara

Jjukkumi Sinnara (쭈꾸미신나라) is a restaurant on Mudeung-ro in Gyerim-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, specializing in fire-grilled baby octopus stir-fried on a hot plate. On a Monday evening the writer had the spicy baby octopus and pork belly hot plate, tossed the noodles from a 5,000-won udon in the leftover sauce, and finished with 2,000-won self-serve flying fish roe fried rice. Parking at Jjukkumi Sinnara is inconvenient, but the food, service and kid-friendly facilities all satisfied.

Written Jul 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangsan, GwangjuCafés

Gwangju mugwort bakery for a grandma palate: Ssukseu Choco Pie

Ssukseu Choco Pie (쑥스초코파이) is a mugwort dessert bakery inside 1913 Songjeong Station Market in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. A blogger with a self-described 'grandma palate' who loves the scent of mugwort drove to Ssukseu Choco Pie on a weekday and tasted a 6-piece set: a Geomundo sea-breeze mugwort choco pie, sea-breeze mugwort injeolmi (rice cake with roasted soybean powder), a sea-breeze mugwort salt cookie and a mugwort cheesecake. Ssukseu Choco Pie cuts back on sweetness to let the mugwort shine, making it a good fit for anyone looking for less sugary desserts.

Written Jul 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDamyang, GwangjuCafés

Damyang café for kids with parasols and free parking: Frank Coffin Bar

Frank Coffin Bar Damyang is an espresso bar and bakery café in Meta Provence, Damyang, styled like a European open-air café. On a weekend visit with her husband and two sons, the writer sat at an outdoor parasol table with an iced Americano (5,000 won), Frank Coffee (6,000 won), lemon sherbet ade (7,000 won) and four kinds of bread including tissue bread, and her husband, who is picky about coffee, raved about the Americano. Outdoor seats at Frank Coffin Bar Damyang are hard to get at weekend peak times, but the free parking lot at the Meta Provence entrance makes it an easy, relaxed stop with kids.

Written Oct 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeonju, JeonbukCafés

Jeonju Station private-room café with kids and honey bread: Caundry

Caundry is a converted-house café in a residential alley in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, about a 3–5 minute drive from Jeonju Station. On a weekend trip to Jeonju with two young kids, the writer used Caundry's private room and baby chairs and ordered an iced Americano and honey bread. For parents looking for a café near Jeonju Station where they can rest with little ones without feeling self-conscious, Caundry is a good fit.

Written Jul 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeonju, JeonbukRestaurants

Kid-friendly Korean BBQ in Jeonju with free yukhoe: Gimhyeongje

Gimhyeongje Gogi-ui Cheolhak Jeonju Hyoja Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Hyoja-dong, Wansan-gu, Jeonju, where staff grill the meat from start to finish. On a family trip to Jeonju with a child, the writer ordered 3 servings of aged Iberico kkotmoksal (prime pork neck) and mul naengmyeon (cold noodles) for dessert, and received a square flying fish roe rice ball and 100g of yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) free through a receipt review event. The parking entrance is narrow and evening peak hours can mean a wait, but Gimhyeongje Gogi-ui Cheolhak Jeonju Hyoja Branch is an easy, relaxed Korean BBQ spot for families with kids.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangsan, GwangjuRestaurants

Toryeom pork soup at Gwangju Songjeong Station: Gaeryeong Gukbap

Gaeryeong Gukbap (개령국밥) is a pork soup (dwaeji gukbap) restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Gwangju Songjeong Station building in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. Straight off the train from a Seoul business trip, the writer ordered the toryeom pork soup for 12,000 won and the Gaeryeong bossam set for 17,000 won, and the clear, mild broth served at a ready-to-eat temperature and the thick bossam pork eased the day's fatigue. Gaeryeong Gukbap is a good in-station stop when your train time is tight or you need a filling, easy meal after a long journey.

Written Jul 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBuk-gu, GwangjuRestaurants

Gwangju hot pot restaurant with a perilla dip for families: Gujeon

Gujeon Gukbap Yongbong Main Branch (구전국밥 용봉본점) is a gukbap and hot pot restaurant near Jeoncheolwoo in Yongbong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. On a family meal out, the writer ordered the sundae makchang hot pot (blood sausage and pork intestine stew) and enjoyed a free kids' meal, a black rice multigrain sticky rice set, and a seasonal bibimbap and pressed juice from the review event, and recommends dipping the sundae and makchang in chili sauce mixed with perilla powder. Gujeon Gukbap Yongbong Main Branch suits families who want a spicy hot pot with their kids and no parking worries.

Written Jul 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeonju, JeonbukCafés

Family foot bath café in Jeonju where a restless kid sat calm: Manjok

Anma Jogyok Cafe Manjok (안마족욕카페만족) is a foot bath café on the 2nd floor of a building on Eunhaeng-ro in Jeonju Hanok Village, Jeonju. The 15,000 won basic course includes a 30-minute aroma foot bath, a shoulder massage and a drink; on a sweltering summer day, the writer's family each picked peppermint, rose or lavender bath salts, and the writer's usually fidgety child sat calmly for all 30 minutes with a peach iced tea. Anma Jogyok Cafe Manjok is a good cool indoor stop for families tired from walking around Jeonju Hanok Village.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored