Paper and Pixel · 48 stories

Paperbacks & Pixels

I write about books and the digital tools that accompany everyday reading. · Writes about: Tech & gadgets · Books & stationery · Restaurants · Cafés · Beauty products · Home & living · Hair & beauty salons · Shopping · Bars · Food & snacks

PlaceGwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Guui Korean BBQ worth a 30-minute dinner wait: pork belly at Sanggu's

Sanggu's Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal Guui Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant at 444 Achasan-ro in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, where staff grill domestic 1+ grade Mungyeong Yakdol pork belly for you on a 270°C cast-iron cauldron lid. A regular who usually comes only late at night visited at the dinner peak for the first time, waited about 30 minutes, then had 3 servings of pork belly with kimchi, bean sprouts and bracken grilled on the lid, plus wrap greens from the self-bar. The verdict: the 30-minute wait at Sanggu's was well worth it.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Couple's go-to Seokchon Lake udon shop: chili udon and pork cutlet

Haengbokhan Udon Gage Seokchon Lake Branch (행복한우동가게 석촌호수점) is a 24-hour udon, rice bowl and pork cutlet restaurant near Seokchongobun Station and the Seokchon Lake café street in Songpa, Seoul. A regular couple shared the chili pepper udon piled with Cheongyang chilies, the husband's favorite old-style pork cutlet and the wife's favorite spicy pork rice bowl (jeyuk deopbap), and the post also covers the restaurant's own parking lot out front, high chairs and wheelchair access. Haengbokhan Udon Gage is a good Seokchon Lake udon shop for a hearty meal at any hour without worrying about parking.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangdong, SeoulRestaurants

Myeongil-dong diner, spicy galbi bowl for spice wimps: Myeon Sikdang

Myeon Sikdang Godeok Station Branch (면식당 고덕역점) is a Japanese restaurant serving ramen, rice bowls and soba in the main commercial area around Godeok Station in Gangdong, Seoul. After a local festival near Godeok Station and Myeongil-dong, the blogger ordered a tonkotsu ramen and smoky mini buta-don (pork rice bowl) set for one and a spicy galbi (braised short rib) rice bowl with cold soba. Even for someone with a low spice tolerance, alternating between the ramen broth and the cold soba balanced the heat well. Myeon Sikdang Godeok Station Branch stands out for its filling set menus and clean open kitchen.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Jamsil burger spot revisit: chicken burger and slow IPA, Daily Fix

Daily Fix Jangmi Sangga is a handmade burger restaurant on basement level 1 of Building B in Jangmi Sangga, Jamsil, Seoul. On a revisit after shopping and a walk in Jamsil, the writer ordered the chicken burger, a bacon cheeseburger set and draft slow IPA, and the slow IPA cutting through the rich burgers made the burger-and-beer pairing the highlight. With parking support and solo seats, Daily Fix Jangmi Sangga is an easy Jamsil Station burger spot for solo meals, dates or arriving by car.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Songridan-gil pizza pub with ramen-rated spice: Pizza Face Off

Pizza Face Off Seokchon Lake Branch (피자페이스오프 석촌호수점) is a pizza and beer pub with outdoor tables, set between Songridan-gil and the Seokchon Lake walking path in Songpa, Seoul. The writer ordered the regular-size Bacon Mashed Potato Pizza and notes that Pizza Face Off offers 3 spice levels compared to instant ramen and 4 crust choices. The spicy base kept the rich mashed potato in check, making Pizza Face Off a pizza-and-beer spot where every slice went down clean to the last.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangdong, SeoulShopping

Gangdong egg shop for chopstick-proof organic fried eggs: Fresh Farmer

Fresh Farmer Olympic Park Foreon Direct Store is a 24-hour premium egg shop on the B1 floor of Foreon Station 5, the Olympic Park Foreon shopping arcade near Dunchondong Station in Gangdong, Seoul. The writer bought No. 1 organic free-range eggs and No. 2 animal-welfare eggs at Fresh Farmer, fried them runny at home, and was surprised by yolks that held up when poked with chopsticks and a nutty taste with no fishy smell. With staff to explain the eggs by day and an unmanned kiosk at night, Fresh Farmer Foreon is a good fit for picking up eggs on the way home from work.

Written May 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station sushi: sweet shrimp uni maki for a uni skeptic, Ilpum

Ilpum Gangnam Branch (일품 강남점) is a Japanese restaurant near Gangnam Station in Seocho, Seoul, specializing in kombu-aged sashimi and located in a basement on Seocho-daero 74-gil. The writer ordered the Premium Kaisendon (seafood rice bowl, 37,000 won) with one piece each of sweet shrimp uni maki (10,000 won) and hon-maguro (bluefin tuna) belly sushi (10,000 won), and despite avoiding uni after a fishy experience elsewhere, found Ilpum Gangnam Branch's uni sweet. Ilpum Gangnam Branch suits anyone who wants a kaisendon upgraded with a few luxurious single pieces of sushi.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Seokchon Lake mazesoba date: egg rice mixed into the sauce at Matsumi

Matsumi Seokchon Lake Main Branch is a tonkatsu and mazesoba Japanese restaurant near Seokchongobun Station and Baemyeong Middle School in Songpa, Seoul. On a return visit, a married couple ordered the spicy cheddar katsu and cream mazesoba they had loved last time, swapped the rice for egg rice, added a mini curry and mixed the egg rice into the leftover mazesoba sauce. With a private parking lot behind the building and solo dining seats, Matsumi is worth revisiting for a Seokchon Lake date or lunch.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangdong, SeoulRestaurants

Cheonho octopus pork belly for 2, roe add-on & 3 free sides: Jjuksami

Jjuksami Cheonho Main Branch is a spicy octopus and pork belly restaurant in Cheonho-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, and has been in the Cheonho octopus alley since 2006. The writer ordered octopus pork belly for 2 with a flying fish roe add-on and finished with cheese fish roe fried rice. Three free sides (nurungji soup, corn cheese and steamed egg) balanced the heat. Jjuksami Cheonho Main Branch shows its true worth when eaten as the full course, from the roe add-on through to the fried rice.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulCafés

Songpa café in Seoul: hojicha vs vanilla affogato at Wunder Coffee Bar

Wunder Coffee Bar Hyundai Outlet Garden5 branch is a roastery café on the B1 floor of Hyundai City Mall Garden5 in Songpa, Seoul, directly connected to Jangji Station on subway Line 8. The writer ordered one hojicha and one vanilla Wundergato, Wunder Coffee Bar's signature affogato, and shared them to compare the two flavors. Choose the hojicha Wundergato for a nutty, bittersweet taste, or the vanilla Wundergato for a classic affogato almost anyone will enjoy.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Bangi-dong gukbap after work: 3 bowls compared, Boseung Hoegwan

Boseung Hoegwan Bangi Branch is a 24-hour gukbap (Korean rice soup) restaurant at the entrance to the Bangi-dong food alley in Songpa, Seoul. The writer ordered three bowls, sundaeguk (blood sausage soup, 11,000 won), spicy sundaeguk (12,000 won) and pork bone hangover soup (12,000 won), to compare broth and texture, and found the partitioned seats, tablet ordering and option to skip the dadaegi (spicy seasoning paste) convenient. Boseung Hoegwan Bangi Branch is a good pick near Jamsil Station whenever you want a hot earthenware bowl of soup, at any hour.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Rice koji pot rice restaurant in Songpa: sea bream & wagyu at Gomemui

Gomemui Hyundai Gardenfive (고메무이) is a Japanese pot rice (sotbap) restaurant on B1 of Hyundai Gardenfive near Jangji Station in Songpa, Seoul, cooking its rice with rice koji and a blend of top-grade rice. The writer ordered the wild sea bream seasonal greens pot rice and the wagyu steak pot rice with mentaiko and seed jeotgal, and finished every last drop of the sungnyung (scorched rice tea) after a gentle, savory meal. For a neat pot rice meal before or after Gardenfive shopping, Gomemui Hyundai Gardenfive is a solid pick.

Written Oct 11, 2026Sponsored