# Jongno Korean restaurant for a friend's celebration lunch: Modam - By Jiwon P. (https://superchart.com/en/@night-order-seoul/) - Written Sep 8, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Jongno, Seoul - Sponsored: This post was written as part of a paid visit sponsorship. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@night-order-seoul/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@night-order-seoul/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/index.md) ## In short Modam Dining Gwanghwamun is a Korean course-dining restaurant on the basement floor of Deoksugung D Palace in Jongno, Seoul. Visiting to celebrate a friend's good news, the writer ordered the bori-gulbi (dried yellow corvina) set and the abalone tteokgalbi (grilled beef patty) set, served as a full course from green bean porridge to perilla oil capellini. The tteokgalbi texture and the initial rice portion fell a bit short, but the service and atmosphere were satisfying enough to want to return for another special occasion. ## Good to know - **Address**: Basement 1F, Deoksugung D Palace, Jongno-gu, Seoul (near Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5) - **Hours**: Daily 11:00–22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00, except weekends) - **Reservations**: Naver Reservations; hall and room seats bookable from 4 people - **Parking**: Free 2 hours at Deoksugung D Palace underground lot (Concordian Building lot if full) - **Ordered**: Bori-gulbi set meal, abalone tteokgalbi set meal *as written by the visitor on Sep 8, 2026* ![Korean set-meal table setting at Modam Dining Gwanghwamun](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-01-1rbtw-1200.webp) My close friend had some really happy news to celebrate, so I booked a restaurant with a great atmosphere — Modam Dining Gwanghwamun, famous around Gwanghwamun as a go-to spot for wedding meetings! Modam Dining has such good reviews that I went in with high expectations, and honestly, the food, service, and atmosphere all met them haha ![Entrance of Modam Dining Gwanghwamun](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-02-gdnsd-736.webp) ![Directory for the basement 1F restaurant at Deoksugung D Palace](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-03-j61u7-900.webp) ## Modam Dining Gwanghwamun basics - Address: Basement 1F, Deoksugung D Palace, Jongno-gu, Seoul (near Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5) - Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00, except weekends) - Reservations: Naver Reservations (hall and room seats bookable from 4 people) - Parking: Free 2 hours at Deoksugung D Palace underground lot (Concordian Building lot if full) ## What's the atmosphere like? ![Calm and quiet restaurant interior](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-04-966ek-900.webp) ![Hall seating divided by partitions](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-05-jaymv-900.webp) The interior was quiet and calm, exactly my style. The space is well divided by partitions, so it was great for intimate conversation. So clean and put-together! ![Room seating bookable for groups of 4 or more](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-06-16fot-861.webp) ![Interior of a room seat suited for hosting parents](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-07-j9sxn-900.webp) Room seating is bookable for groups of 4 or more, which makes it a perfect spot for taking parents or older relatives too. ## The bori-gulbi & abalone tteokgalbi set course ![Set meal menu board at Modam Dining](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-08-1j8rl-677.webp) We ordered the bori-gulbi set and the abalone tteokgalbi set. When you order a set, it's not just one plate — it comes as a full course starting with an elegant appetizer spread, and the plating was pretty enough for photos too. ![Neatly arranged appetizer table](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-09-1k2ef-900.webp) ### ① Green bean porridge (nokdujuk) ![Green bean porridge served as the first course](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-10-2u5u9-900.webp) A very smooth and nutty porridge for the first bite. It wasn't fully ground, so there was still some texture left, and I liked that the natural flavor of the green beans really came through. ### ② Sweet pumpkin and yuzu salad ![Sweet pumpkin salad with yuzu dressing](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-11-ofkl7-900.webp) A vivid yellow salad from the sweet pumpkin, lightly drizzled with a tangy yuzu dressing — the classic sweet-and-sour salad, but great as a way to wake up the appetite. ### ③ Mustard vegetables with pine nut sauce ![Mustard vegetables with pine nut sauce and nuts on top](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-12-1qekt-814.webp) Crisp cucumber piled with plenty of nutty pine nut sauce and almond-like nuts on top — the nuttiness was intense with every bite. There was mustard in it, but the sharp bite wasn't too strong, so it was a flavor anyone could enjoy. ### ④ Cheongyang chili water kimchi A refreshing water kimchi with finely chopped cheongyang chili. Rather than a sharp spice hit, it had a subtle tingle running through the cool broth — not overpowering at all and easy to keep sipping. Perfect palate cleanser between the richer dishes. ### ⑤ Halibut sashimi & aged kimchi ![A plate of aged halibut sashimi with aged kimchi](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-13-19cm6-900.webp) The thinly sliced halibut was aged sashimi, so it was really tender, and eaten with the aged kimchi plus a touch of doenjang sauce, it was such a harmonious bite! ### ⑥ Fried shiitake mushroom ![Plate of whole fried shiitake mushrooms](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-14-13hvk-900.webp) ![Sauce-coated fried shiitake mushroom](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-15-btvi9-900.webp) Whole chewy shiitake mushrooms inside a crispy fried coating. The mushroom's natural savoriness soaked lightly into the frying oil, giving it a nutty, clean flavor. I'm honestly not usually a fan of shiitake, but this was moist and paired so well with the sauce on top that I really enjoyed it. ### ⑦ Perilla oil capellini ![Perilla oil capellini noodles](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-16-vnbnn-900.webp) Thin capellini noodles tossed with perilla oil, egg garnish, perilla leaf, seaweed, and sesame seeds — the nutty aroma really soaked into the noodles. ![Perilla oil capellini topped with raw shrimp meat](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-17-1q0s8-809.webp) It felt like a cold pasta, and with raw shrimp meat piled on top, the nuttiness was maximized. ### ⑧ Four side dishes ![Four side dishes including napa cabbage kimchi](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-18-4w9mj-900.webp) True to a Korean dining restaurant, you get napa cabbage kimchi, stir-fried seaweed stem, seasoned eggplant, and stir-fried shiitake. Personally, I found the kimchi cool and spicy in a good way. Overall, solid and reliable flavors! ### ⑨ Bori-gulbi & abalone tteokgalbi ![Full spread of the bori-gulbi set and abalone tteokgalbi set](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-19-1g5yz-900.webp) ![Plump bori-gulbi (dried yellow corvina)](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-20-1vitv-900.webp) ![Tteokgalbi topped with abalone](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-21-yupl7-900.webp) The main dishes were so good it's almost pointless to describe them further. The bori-gulbi had plump flesh, and even mixed with green tea water over rice, there wasn't a hint of fishiness! ![Bori-gulbi rice mixed with green tea water](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-22-1cq2i-900.webp) ![A single moist piece of abalone](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-23-6y2h4-900.webp) The tteokgalbi was firmer and a bit drier than I expected, so it was just so-so haha. The single piece of abalone that came with it, though, was so moist — however they boiled it, I wanted more... It wasn't overly seasoned and felt like the real definition of refined, high-end Korean food. ![The initial bowl of rice served with the meal](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining-24-1g9c1-966.webp) ### If the rice portion feels small That said, given the amount of tteokgalbi and bori-gulbi, I felt the initial rice portion was a bit small. It's probably kept small because there are so many dishes before the meal itself. If you ask, they'll happily give you more! ## Final thoughts Walking out, my friend and I kept saying how genuinely good this place was. Given the level of service, the value for money is great too, so I plan to come back for special occasions or whenever I want to treat myself! I'd recommend Modam Dining Gwanghwamun for important wedding meeting occasions with parents, or as a go-to spot for Korean set-meal gatherings near Gwanghwamun :) ## Where it is - Modam Dining Gwanghwamun (모담다이닝 광화문점) - B102-B103, Basement 1F, Deoksugung D Palace, 10 Saemunan-ro 2-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 종로구 새문안로2길 10 덕수궁디팰리스 지하 1층 B102호, B103호 - 37.5687024, 126.9720468 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EB%AA%A8%EB%8B%B4%EB%8B%A4%EC%9D%B4%EB%8B%9D%20%EA%B4%91%ED%99%94%EB%AC%B8%EC%A0%90/@37.5687024,126.9720468,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@night-order-seoul/gwanghwamun-friend-celebration-hanjeongsik-modamdining/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt