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Worn Notebook, Busan/Gyeongnam and Seoul/Gyeonggi Restaurants and Things to Do

Writes about restaurants and things to do around Busan/Gyeongnam, Seoul, and Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Things to do

PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

AK Plaza Suwon café for low-acid latte by the window: Jeong Ji-young

Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters AK Plaza Suwon is a local Suwon-brand café on the 3rd floor of AK Plaza in Suwon, Gyeonggi, right in front of the escalator. As the last stop of a Suwon tour, the writer ordered an iced Americano (5,500 won), an iced café latte (6,500 won) and a salt bread (4,000 won) at the big-window bar seats, and found the coffee low in acidity, full-bodied and nutty. With easy department-store parking, a rich latte and big-window views, Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters AK Plaza Suwon is a good place to take a break while shopping.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Homaesil fish restaurant, live mackerel sashimi set for 2: Godeungeo

Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch is a mackerel sashimi and grilled fish restaurant on Seobu-ro in Tap-dong, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, where live mackerel from an in-store tank is sliced to order. Two diners ordered the Myeongpum (premium) set for 2 at ₩32,000 per person and finished every plate of mackerel sashimi, grilled mackerel, grilled Spanish mackerel and bulgogi, noting no fishy taste in the sashimi at all. For fresh mackerel sashimi in west Suwon without a trip to the coast, the Myeongpum set at Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch is the answer.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Sunday sushi lunch in Gwanghwamun, toro & soy abalone: Elephant Sushi

Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun is a sushi restaurant on basement level 1 of the KT Gwanghwamun building, connected to Gwanghwamun Station in Jongno, Seoul. Two diners walked in around 1 p.m. on a Sunday with no wait and ordered two Elephant Sushi B sets at 28,000 won each. Each set came with 12 pieces, from white fish and toro to monkfish liver and soy-marinated abalone, and the toro won over a diner who had disliked tuna. Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun is worth seeking out in Gwanghwamun on days you want plenty of fresh, well-textured sushi.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Minari shabu-shabu office lunch at Dongdaemun Station: Cheongdo Minari

Cheongdo Minari Sikdang Dongdaemun is a minari (Korean water parsley) shabu-shabu restaurant in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the B1 floor near Exit 13 of Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station. Three coworkers had the weekday lunch special minari shabu-shabu (₩12,000 per person, clear broth), working through a mountain of minari and beef, then kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) and a porridge finish. Cheongdo Minari Sikdang Dongdaemun is a worthwhile office lunch spot that delivers both value and flavor.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Seoul Korean restaurant in Insa-dong: rainy Friday gomtang, Wolhadong

Wolhadong is a Korean gomtang (clear meat soup) restaurant near Ssamzigil in Insa-dong, Jongno, Seoul. On a Friday of heavy rain, the writer ordered two bowls of Wolhagomtang at 12,000 won each plus a bowl of rice at 1,000 won. The clear broth in white porcelain-style bowls, the generous meat and cheonggeunjang, a fermented radish sauce, made a memorable combination. Wolhadong's Wolhagomtang is recommended for any day you want a clean, warming bowl of soup.

Written Jun 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

Seoul Station café, sugar-free vanilla bean oat latte to go: Dance

Dance Dance Dance Seoul Station is a sandwich and brunch café on basement level 3 of Grand Central near Seoul Station, in Jung-gu, Seoul. Before shopping for jade rings in Namdaemun, the writer took away a sugar-free vanilla bean oat latte and an oat latte and bought two Dance drip bags, paying 18,900 won in total. The sugar-free vanilla bean oat latte at Dance Dance Dance was nutty, smooth and an instant wake-up, a latte worth coming back for.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno Korean restaurant lunch: tofu mushroom hotpot for two, Goshine

Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch (고씨네동해막국수 종로직영점) is a makguksu (buckwheat noodle) and Korean restaurant in an alley beside Ssamziegil in Insa-dong, Seoul. Missing the avocado buckwheat gimbap they had tried at the Donghae flagship, two diners came for a Friday lunch and paid 48,000 won for the tofu mushroom hotpot, avocado buckwheat gimbap and sikhye (sweet rice drink). The tofu mushroom hotpot at Goshine, sold as 2–3 servings, is genuinely huge and not spicy, and two vegetable lovers finished every last bit.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu Korean restaurant, ₩39,000 gomtang for two: Dwaeji Gomtang

Dwaeji Gomtang House Musinsa Mega Store Branch is a Korean pork gomtang (clear pork soup) restaurant in the Special Pop-up Zone of the Food Garden on the 4th floor of Musinsa Mega Store in Seongsu, Seoul. Two people visited around 5:30 pm on a Saturday, ordered two clear gomtang sets and the minari and hijiki giant mandu (dumplings) for ₩39,000, and finished every bit: the clean, nutty broth, the moist pork, the herring roe with dried radish and the big mandu. Dwaeji Gomtang House is an easy place to head straight up to the 4th floor when shopping at Musinsa Mega Store makes you hungry.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDong-gu, UlsanRestaurants

Ulsan pork galbi house: Saturday dinner wait, Taewangam Deungdae Galbi

Taewangam Deungdae Galbi Main Branch (대왕암등대갈비 본점) is a charcoal-grill restaurant serving handmade pork galbi (marinated pork ribs) in Dong-gu, Ulsan, near Daewangam Park and Ilsan Beach. Two diners put their names on the waiting list at 6 pm on a Saturday, explored Ilsan Beach during the roughly 30-minute wait, then shared 4 servings of pork galbi at 9,800 won per 180g serving, plus doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) and rice. Verdict: Taewangam Deungdae Galbi is packed because the food is delicious, not because it is cheap.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulThings to do

Perfume workshop date near Seosunra-gil, Seoul: 48 scents at Muhwawon

Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop (무화원, 霧花園) is a perfume-making studio in Jongno, Seoul, between Anguk Station and Seosunra-gil. The writer spent about 1 hour 30 minutes at Muhwawon on a pre-assessment, a 7-minute theory video, smelling 48 raw materials, and choosing 6 to 9 ingredients for a 1st, 2nd and 3rd blend. Muhwawon is a recommended thing to do near Seosunra-gil for couples tired of movie-and-café dates or for anyone bringing a foreign friend.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro 3-ga dumpling hot pot in dried pollack broth: Jongga Mandu

Jongga Mandu (종가만두) is a handmade dumpling and hot pot restaurant on Supyo-ro in Jongno, Seoul, between Jongno 3-ga and Euljiro 3-ga stations. After a June spent seeking out hot pot and shabu-shabu, the writer ordered Jongga Mandu's clear hot pot for 2 (13,000 won per person) and enjoyed its refreshing secret-recipe hwangtae (dried pollack) broth, 8 kimchi and meat dumplings, and kalguksu noodles to finish. Jongga Mandu's clear dumpling hot pot suits anyone after a gentle, soothing broth and hefty handmade dumplings.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno 3-ga Korean BBQ, pork belly in naengmyeon and a self-bar: Cham

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch (참돼짓간 종로본점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant serving Boseong black pork on the ground floor of the CGV Piccadilly 1958 building at Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul. Two servings of black pork belly, Jirisan kudzu mul naengmyeon (cold noodles) and steamed egg came to 50,000 won, and the best part was wrapping the staff-grilled pork belly in the cold noodles. At Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch, order the naengmyeon together with the meat from the start, not as dessert.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored