Night Mirror Notes · 13 stories

Late Mirror, Seoul Nights and Faces

Writes about Seoul's restaurants, bars, beauty spots, and things to do, moving between counters and mirrors around the city. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Bars · Things to do

PlaceGangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Gangnam hair salon: root straightening + clinic for wavy bangs, Anew

Anew Hair Cheongdam Main Branch is a hair consulting salon on Seolleung-ro 127-gil, near Exit 2 of Gangnam-gu Office Station in Gangnam, Seoul. The writer came in planning root straightening and a C-curl perm for wavy bangs, but the senior head stylist warned that a C-curl might not hold on her damaged hair, so she had only root straightening and a clinic treatment, finished in about 2 hours. The wave in her bangs was gone and her hair felt moist, so postponing the perm and starting with a consultation at Anew Hair Cheongdam Main Branch was a satisfying choice for damaged hair.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ by Sogang Univ., camping vibes if you can't grill: Gogikkun

Gogikkun Gimchunbae Hongdae Supgil Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant serving hanwoo (Korean beef) and Korean pork beside Gyeongui Line Forest Park in Mapo, Seoul, between Sogang University and Hongdae. Right after opening, the writer took a window seat at Gogikkun Gimchunbae, had staff grill the 600g hanwoo and pork set for two, then finished with half-and-half naengmyeon (cold noodles) and kkakdugi fried rice. Verdict: Gogikkun Gimchunbae is an easy date-night BBQ spot for people who can't grill, with a forest-path view that feels like a camping trip.

Written Jun 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Apgujeong nail salon skin-tone pearl magnetic pedicure: Naeil Didi

Naeil Didi is a nail salon on the 6th floor of a building near Exit 6 of Apgujeongnodeo Station in Gangnam, Seoul. Ahead of a summer trip, the blogger booked a gel pedicure at Naeil Didi, but the aurora magnetic gel she first picked looked too stark white on her feet, so she switched to a skin-tone pearl magnetic gel on the nail artist's recommendation. The result was a subtle yet glamorous summer magnetic gel pedicure that suited her cool-toned skin perfectly.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Sinchon hair salon protein care for hair that snaps: Demon Hair

Demon Hair Sinchon Branch is a hair salon near Sinchon Station Exit 1 in Seodaemun, Seoul, offering One-Kill Botox Repair Care, a protein-replenishing hair clinic. Before a summer vacation, the writer had One-Kill Botox Repair Care on hair that tested at damage level 7 or higher from monthly dyeing plus a C-curl perm. With just essence and no blow-drying, the ends felt heavier and smoother, so Demon Hair Sinchon Branch's protein clinic is recommended for anyone with frizzy, damaged hair.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulBars

Gangnam izakaya with bar seating: tomato nabe and maze pasta, Gatpojun

Gatpojun (갓포준) is a private izakaya (Japanese pub) on the B1 floor at Nonhyeon-ro 163-gil, about 5 minutes from Apgujeong Station Exit 4 in Gangnam, Seoul. Sitting at the bar, the writer ordered 5-piece futomaki (thick sushi roll), maze pasta, tomato nabe and Suntory and Earl Grey highballs. The soft lighting, the comfortable space and the tomato nabe, a rosé stew with stretchy melted cheese, stood out most. For a quiet dinner such as a business meal or a blind date, Gatpojun is worth a visit, and the tomato nabe is the first thing to order.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulCafés

Naebang Station pie café: matcha cream walnut pie, Hodukkakki Brothers

Hodukkakki Brothers Bangbae branch (호두까끼형제 방배점) is a walnut pie café near Exit 8 of Naebang Station in Bangbae-dong, Seocho, Seoul, that says it sweetens its pies with natural honey, oligosaccharide syrup and maple syrup instead of sugar. The writer chose matcha cream walnut pie, original pecan pie, hazelnut cacao pie and milk cream walnut pie for an 8-slice takeout set and shared one a day at home with Mom. For anyone after a walnut pie that isn't too sweet, or a gift for older family members, Hodukkakki Brothers Bangbae branch is worth calling a favorite walnut pie spot.

Written Jun 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Ewha hair salon level 7 gray root dye + clinic before a trip: Eco Revy

Eco Revy Hair Ewha Branch is a hair salon in Seodaemun, Seoul, near Exit 3 of Ewha Womans Univ. Station, focused on head spa and repair treatments. Before a trip, the writer had designer Seojun cover two months of dark regrowth and gray roots with a level 7 gray root dye plus a damaged-hair clinic, and even the gray at the crown and forehead hairline was fully covered. If you also want color advice suited to cool-toned skin, the gray root dye at Eco Revy Hair Ewha Branch is worth considering.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Italian date at Hakdong Station: polpo and focaccia, Osteria Lucia

Osteria Lucia is an Italian restaurant near Hakdong Station in Gangnam, Seoul, reportedly with a chef from a Michelin three-star restaurant. On a date at Osteria Lucia, the writer ordered olive focaccia, octopus polpo, the signature bottarga (cured mullet roe) pasta, lemon sorbetto and truffle gelato, and was especially pleased with how tender the polpo was and how generous the bottarga pasta portion was. Osteria Lucia is a cozy Hakdong Station Italian restaurant that delivers evenly from pasta through dessert.

Written Jul 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulThings to do

Hongdae indoor camping date with army mess-tin cheese ramyeon: TAGE

TAGE Indoor Camping Hongdae Main Branch is a forest-themed indoor camping venue on basement level 1 of Wausan-ro, between Hongik Univ. Station and Sangsu Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer and one companion came for a combined lunch and dinner, grilled 2 servings of fresh pork belly, and finished with Ansungtangmyun ramyeon cooked in an army mess tin with cheese, dumplings and egg. TAGE Indoor Camping Hongdae Main Branch suits anyone who wants a camping mood in a cool indoor space without pitching a tent.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Aewol noodle shop for a late dinner: bone broth pork noodles, Handam

Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch (한담국수 곽지애월점) is a noodle restaurant near the Aewol café street in Jeju that serves sagol gogi-guksu (pork noodles in bone broth). On a late evening without much appetite, the writer dropped in for something light and finished a whole bowl of the bone broth pork noodles, while a companion had the dongchimi bibim noodles (spicy mixed noodles with radish water kimchi), with the sea visible through the full-length glass windows. If you are staying in Aewol, the bone broth pork noodles at Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch are well worth trying.

Written Oct 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Yeondong, Jeju Korean BBQ in the house eating order: Dolgyeok Hanwoo

Dolgyeok Hanwoo is a hanwoo (Korean beef) and Jeju black pork BBQ restaurant in Yeondong, Jeju City, near Jeju Airport, newly launched by Jeju Dogalbi. Three of us ate 4 servings (1 serving each of Dolgyeok chadolbagi brisket, manong galbisal garlic rib meat, diced black pork neck and hanwoo galbisal) in the order Dolgyeok Hanwoo recommends, then finished with Dolgyeok jjajang Jjapaghetti. For a short Jeju trip when you want hanwoo and black pork in one meal, Dolgyeok Hanwoo is a perfect fit.

Written Sep 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuThings to do

Jeju City indoor attraction with a 25m fairy forest: Nohyeong

Nohyeong Supermarket is a retro experience space and large-scale media art hall on Nohyeong-ro in Jeju City, near Jeju Airport. Visitors walk through an old-fashioned corner shop styled entirely in black and white, then sit in a 25m hall with 360-degree screens showing a fairy forest, an aquarium and a sunset scene; the writer watched for a long while with an iced americano in hand. Nohyeong Supermarket is one of the best indoor things to do in Jeju City with parents or kids on a rainy day or in the height of summer or winter.

Written Sep 29, 2026Sponsored