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PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam dakgalbi restaurant for 40-person group hire: Dakgalbijeon

Dakgalbijeon Gangnam Branch is a dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken) restaurant on the 2nd floor of Gangnam Dioville, Seocho-daero 73-gil, between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station in Seocho, Seoul. At lunch, the writer ordered the basic dakgalbi with a generous amount of chicken, added cheese rice cakes and jjolmyeon (chewy spicy noodles), and finished with the set's potato pancake and fried rice. With 1 hour of free parking and private hire for a minimum of 40 people, Dakgalbijeon Gangnam Branch is worth considering for a group gathering near Gangnam Station.

Written Oct 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulCafés

Cozy Sinnonhyeon café for classic egg tart and patbingsu: Cafe Ssum

Cafe Ssum (카페썸) is an independent café in an alley near Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 1 in Seocho, Seoul, serving egg tarts, snow ice bingsu, butter tteok (buttery rice cake) and Dubai chewy cookies. The writer ordered a classic egg tart (3,500 won), a small snow ice red bean bingsu (15,000 won) and an Americano, and was pleased with the egg tart, which even came with a plastic glove, and the red bean bingsu topped with condensed milk and roasted soybean powder. For back-to-basics red bean bingsu and egg tarts near Sinnonhyeon Station, Cafe Ssum is a good choice.

Written Jul 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongjak, SeoulRestaurants

Octopus restaurant by Isu Station for lunch with Mom: Isu Jjukkumi

Isu Jjukkumi Main Branch is a jjukkumi (baby octopus) restaurant in the Isu Station food alley in Dongjak, Seoul, open for nearly 10 years. The writer and her mom had lunch there: the signature hot plate baby octopus (15,000 won), perilla leaf wraps topped with flying fish roe and sliced garlic, and cheese fried rice finished with a torch for a smoky flavor. From the free bean sprout soup to the portions and taste, Isu Jjukkumi Main Branch left mother and daughter completely satisfied with their Isu Station lunch.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Seocho soba restaurant with parking: lunch with 2 kids, Baek Sojeong

Baek Sojeong Nambu Bus Terminal is a soba and tonkatsu Japanese restaurant chain branch near Nambu Bus Terminal in Seocho, Seoul. The writer drove to Baek Sojeong with two kids, parked right in front of the restaurant, and ordered cold soba (₩9,900), a mixed tonkatsu plate and a mini cheese hamburg steak for lunch. With a spacious dining room, high chairs, and generous portions and good flavor for the price, Baek Sojeong is a good-value, kid-friendly lunch spot near Nambu Bus Terminal.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station Japanese date spot: salmon bowl, shrimp sushi, Ilpum

Ilpum Gangnam Branch is a kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) and sushi restaurant in a building basement near Gangnam Station, Seoul. The writer sat at the bar and ordered the basic kaisendon (₩26,000) and salmon sake-don (₩26,000), added crab cream croquettes, and also tried shrimp sushi, karaage cold udon and dessert. With silky aged salmon and a shrimp sushi worthy of being called a life-best, Ilpum Gangnam Branch is an easy recommendation for a Japanese date night near Gangnam Station.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gukbap and galbi lunch with a kid in Yeoksam: Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap

Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap (남도창평국밥) is a Korean gukbap (rice soup) restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul, a 4-minute walk from Yeoksam Station Exit 7, with 4 free parking spaces out front. On a visit with a child, the writer ordered Changpyeong Market Gukbap (₩12,000), which tastes clear and mild at first and turns spicy once dadaegi (chili seasoning paste) is stirred in, plus Damyang stone-grilled galbi (₩16,000 per serving), sweet and not spicy, which the child happily ate. Verdict: Namdo Changpyeong Gukbap is an easy lunch near Yeoksam with parking, though it has no high chairs or children's spoons.

Written Aug 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiCafés

Air-fryer reheat test for salt bread: Goyang bakery Boulangerie Tan

Boulangerie Tan, Hyundai Department Store KINTEX is a sandwich and salt bread bakery inside the basement-level food hall of Hyundai Department Store KINTEX at 817 Hosu-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang. During a salt bread 3+1 promotion, the writer took home a vanilla cornet pie, choco salt bread and chapssaltteok salt bread (filled with glutinous rice cake), then reheated the two leftover breads in an air fryer at home. They turned crisp again as if freshly baked, making Boulangerie Tan a good bakery for takeout.

Written Aug 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Nonhyeon Korean BBQ lunch special for two, 24,000 won: Daepae Market

Daepae Market Gangnam Nonhyeon Branch is a 24-hour Korean BBQ restaurant three minutes on foot from Exit 3 of Nonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul. The writer ordered chewy cross-cut pork belly (jjol-samgyeop) and 100% hanwoo cross-cut beef brisket, sliced to order on a meat slicer and grilled with self-serve bean sprouts, bracken and green onion kimchi, and the restaurant also runs a 24,000-won lunch special for two from 11am to 2pm. With a wide hall and outdoor tables, Daepae Market is an easy choice for a late-night meal or a group dinner.

Written Aug 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Seocho snack restaurant with cheese ramyeon and gimbap: Deokjane

Deokjane Bangatgan is a garaetteok (thick cylindrical rice cake) tteokbokki restaurant between Sinnonhyeon and Gangnam stations in Seocho, Seoul. The signature garaetteok tteokbokki came with gimbap (seaweed rice roll), cheese ramyeon at 6,000 won and a boiled egg, plus an order of plain garaetteok for dipping in jocheong (rice syrup). The rice cakes at Deokjane Bangatgan are chewy without being tough, and the spread works just as well for a solo meal as for a full set.

Written Aug 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAnseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Kids' shrimp fried rice, mini tangsuyuk at Starfield Anseong: Chibao

Chibao Starfield Anseong Branch is a Chinese restaurant on the 2nd floor of Starfield Anseong in Gyeonggi. Visiting with a 7-year-old and a 2-year-old, the kids ate jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles), shrimp fried rice, and mini tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) while the adults shared a smoky jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup). It turned out to be a lunch combo where nobody had to argue over kid food versus adult food.

Written Sep 7, 2026Sponsored
Product비티냐Tech & gadgets

Foldable 360° MagSafe car mount with vacuum suction dial: 비티냐

비티냐 is a 360-degree rotating, foldable vacuum-suction MagSafe phone mount for use in cars and on smooth surfaces in Korea. I installed the matte white model in my car with the included suction pad and found its dial-operated attachment wonderfully simple. Verdict: the easy dial attachment was my favorite feature.

Written Dec 13, 2025Product provided
ProductHEEDABeauty products

Charcoal foam hydrating skin cleanser: HEEDA Jirisan Cleansing Foam

HEEDA Jirisan Moist Charcoal Hydrating Cleansing Foam is a 150ml charcoal face wash made in Korea, with 5,000ppm charcoal extract as labeled. The black formula turns into white foam the moment it meets water, and the writer used it morning and evening. The lather was rich and the skin still felt moist after rinsing.

Written Apr 30, 2025Product provided