Southern Revisit · 17 stories

Second Serving, South Coast

I write about restaurant meals around Busan and Gyeongnam. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons · Shopping

PlaceMokpo, JeonnamHair & beauty salons

Mokpo barbershop: men's cut and scalp scaling at Hols Men’s Hair

Hols Men’s Hair is a men's barbershop on Hadang-ro in Mokpo, Jeonnam. The writer's husband had his long-neglected schoolboy haircut reshaped into a trendy cut at Hols Men’s Hair and also had a scalp scaling treatment for scalp heat and odor; cuts start at ₩25,000 and a down perm plus cut is ₩50,000. With razor-sharp finishing and attentive service, Hols Men’s Hair is a solid pick for men in Mokpo who want a haircut and scalp care in one visit.

Written May 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Gyukatsu lunch at Seoul Station, each to their own doneness: Ichigyu

Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch is a Japanese gyukatsu (beef cutlet) and steki restaurant on basement level 1 at 98 Huam-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, within walking distance of Seoul Station. At lunchtime the writer ordered Ichigyu's signature striploin gyukatsu and steki, melted Isigny butter on the personal mini brazier at the table, and grilled each piece to their own preferred doneness. Verdict: Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch is a good Seoul Station lunch or date spot, even with companions who like their meat cooked differently.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Seoul Station sandwich shop, lactose-safe oat latte to go: Dance

Dance Dance Dance Seoul Station is a sandwich, baguette and coffee shop on the third basement level (B3) of Grand Central at Seoul Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. With an awkward wait before a train, the writer took an oat milk latte, an iced Americano, a chicken breast sandwich and a plain tofu cheese cream baguette to eat at the station, and despite being lactose intolerant could enjoy the oat milk latte without worry. Opening at 7 AM, Dance Dance Dance is a handy Seoul Station sandwich shop for a light takeout breakfast before boarding a train.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangsan, GyeongnamCafés

Rainy-day Mulgeum brunch café: long black vs americano at Famous Venny

Famous Venny Yangsan Oslo Park Branch is a brunch café inside Yangsan Oslo Park in Mulgeum-eup, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, that brews its coffee with Dukes beans. On a rainy weekend we visited Famous Venny with our baby, compared a hot americano with a long black, and ate the garlic butter egg (Turkish egg), The Famous Venny Bacon, an acai bowl and blueberry cream cheese toast. With strong coffee and clean high chairs, Famous Venny made for a satisfying family brunch with a baby.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNam-gu, BusanRestaurants

Daeyeon Station udon spot to catch up with friends: Misikga-ui

Misikga-ui Udon Daeyeon Direct Branch is an udon and Japanese restaurant right outside Exit 6 of Daeyeon Station in Nam-gu, Busan. A group of friends shared cold soba tonkatsu, bukkake udon (udon with a concentrated broth poured over), a salmon rice bowl, a mini combo udon and 300cc draft beers at under 2,000 won a glass, and the partitioned seating made it easy to catch up after a long time. The chewy bukkake udon noodles and generous portions make Misikga-ui Udon Daeyeon worth every one of its five stars.

Written Jul 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimhae, GyeongnamRestaurants

Baby-friendly bossam set lunch in Jangyu, Gimhae: Myeongji Cheotjip

Myeongji Cheotjip Jangyu Yulha Branch is a Korean set-meal restaurant specialising in bossam (boiled pork wraps), on the 2nd floor of A-One Plaza in Yulha, Jangyu, Gimhae. The writer had the lunch special bossam set (15,000 won per person) with a one-year-old, who kept asking for more of the odor-free pork, and found clean baby chairs and attentive staff. Myeongji Cheotjip Jangyu Yulha Branch is a strong pick for family meals with a baby, lunches with parents or a formal meeting between two families.

Written Jul 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimhae, GyeongnamRestaurants

Gimhae Chinese restaurant with first-birthday party rooms: Dongbaek

Dongbaek (동백) is a Chinese restaurant with private rooms on Gaya-ro in Gimhae, Gyeongnam. On a weekend lunch revisit with a baby and family, we ate ganjajang (dry-fried black bean noodles) and seafood jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) in a private room, adding a bowl of rice to enjoy with the jjajang sauce and jjamppong broth. For dining out with a baby or hosting a dol (first-birthday) or 60th-birthday party, Dongbaek's rooms, baby chairs and underground parking make it worth a return visit.

Written Oct 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimhae, GyeongnamCafés

Gimhae Jillye café: ₩10,000 sandwich and americano set, Peer a Peer

Peer a Peer (피어어피어) is a large bakery café in Jillye-myeon, Gimhae, built inside a 40-year-old pickled radish and furniture factory. On a visit with a baby, the writer had the iced americano and sandwich set (10,000 won) and a lemon meringue croissant, then explored Peer a Peer's library, photo zone and outdoor tables with a view of flowers. Peer a Peer is a good spot for a simple meal of a sandwich and americano at a café.

Written Oct 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimhae, GyeongnamRestaurants

Gimhae haejangguk restaurant: breakfast set for two with skate salad

Ppyeodae Itneun Haejangguk Juchon Branch is a haejangguk (hangover soup) and gamjatang (pork bone soup) restaurant in Juchon-myeon, Gimhae that opens at 6am. On a second visit the writer ordered the haejangguk daegahansang set for two (16,000 won) for breakfast, which arrived with seasoned skate salad, soy-marinated crab and garlic pyeonyuk (sliced boiled pork), plus a boneless soup and both sotbap (hot pot rice) and gondre egg rice to share with her child. It works just as well as a morning meal as it does with a drink in the evening.

Written Aug 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangsan, GyeongnamCafés

Choco baguette and veterans' discount at Yangsan bakery café Choi

Choi Main Branch is a large bakery café with Nakdong River views at 83 Yangsan-daero in Dongmyeon, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, directly across from Hopo Station on Line 2. On a weekday afternoon visit with a baby, the writer picked up a choco baguette, an egg tart and a bam-tai chestnut pastry, sat on the second floor and found a Liberation Day event giving national merit recipients 50% off. With plenty of parking and seating, Choi Main Branch suits both group gatherings and visits with young children.

Written Aug 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Seomyeon pork ribs at ₩5,900 per 100g, fresh and marinated: Gilchon

Gilchon Sutbul Galbi Seomyeon Main Branch is a pork rib restaurant in Busanjin, Busan, a 5-minute walk from Seomyeon Station, where pork ribs cost ₩5,900 per 100g. The writer grilled one platter of fresh pork ribs first, then added marinated pork ribs to taste both, with barley shrimp doenjang stew (fermented soybean paste stew) at ₩2,900 on the side. There is no table setting fee, and the high-partitioned regular seats, group tables and private rooms suit team dinners and family meals alike.

Written Aug 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangsan, GyeongnamRestaurants

Yangsan Mulgeum restaurant for baby brunch with pumpkin soup: Bueokgan

Bueokgan Restaurant Yangsan Oslo Park Branch is a European-style Western restaurant on the basement floor of Oslo Park in Mulgeum-eup, Yangsan, Gyeongnam. Visiting with a baby, the writer was given a separate set of baby dishes and a high chair, then ordered sweet pumpkin soup, jambon pizza and shrimp anchovy oil pasta to share. The seasoning at Bueokgan is mild enough to share with a baby, and the portions easily feed two to three people.

Written Aug 17, 2026Sponsored