Paper Mirror Rounder · 18 stories

Paper Compact, Daejeon and Gyeonggi Rounds

Writes about restaurants, cafes, bars, beauty stops, and casual outings around Daejeon/Chungcheong, Gyeonggi, and Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Bars · Cafés · Things to do

PlaceAnseong, GyeonggiCafés

Gongdo, Anseong café to escape a heatwave: outdoor terrace, Chat Baker

Chat Baker Brunch & Bakery Café is a large brunch and bakery café on Seodong-daero in Gongdo-eup, Anseong, Gyeonggi. Desperate for coffee during a heatwave, the writer searched for an Anseong Gongdo brunch café and fell for Chat Baker's spacious yet comfortable room, its bread counter packed with cakes and salt bread, and its outdoor terrace. Chat Baker is worth shortlisting if you want a café near Anseong Farmland where you can escape the heat and stay a while.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan crab restaurant: AC room on a summer dog walk, Kkotgeok

Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch is a Korean restaurant in Yuryang-dong, Cheonan, Chungnam, serving soy-marinated crab (ganjang gejang) and spicy marinated crab (yangnyeom gejang), with private rooms and a pets-allowed policy. On a summer day above 30°C, the writer forgot a diet resolution mid–dog walk and shared a gejang set meal with the dog in an air-conditioned indoor room at Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch. Kkotgeok is worth noting if you want a relaxed meal with your dog on a hot day without worrying about stares.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamCafés

Cheonan café to beat the heatwave: 041 coffee & blended juice, Brewers

Brewers Coffee Cheonan Sinbu Branch is a coffee and baked-goods café on Meokgeori 9-gil in Sinbu-dong, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan. Ducking into Brewers Coffee to escape the heat, the writer drank the 041 coffee, the signature Brewers coffee and a blended juice while browsing the stylish props and interior. With a cool space, a pleasant atmosphere and good coffee, Brewers Coffee is an easy recommendation for beating the heat in Sinbu-dong.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan sashimi spot to beat weekday work stress: Donghae Bada

Donghae Bada Hoetjip (동해바다횟집) is a sashimi restaurant in Dujeong-dong, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan, with a set menu that combines sashimi and haemul-jjim (braised spicy seafood). The writer went to Donghae Bada Hoetjip on a weekday after work stress had piled up, ate the sashimi and seafood jjim set in the restaurant, and found the sashimi fresh and the set generous. Donghae Bada Hoetjip suits anyone in Dujeong-dong who wants sashimi and seafood jjim in one meal rather than settling for a single dish.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Heatwave sushi set with soba and udon in Sinbuldang, Cheonan: Ganghan

Ganghan Sushi Cheonan Buldang Branch is a sushi restaurant in the Sinbuldang food alley in Seobuk-gu, Cheonan. On a sweltering summer day, the writer put the diet on hold, ordered at the kiosk and had a sushi set with cold soba (buckwheat noodles) and udon at Ganghan Sushi Cheonan Buldang Branch. Getting cold soba and udon alongside the sushi made it the most satisfying summer lunch.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlacePyeongtaek, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pyeongtaek cockle restaurant worth breaking a diet for: Kkomak Manse

Kkomak Manse is a cockle-focused Korean restaurant on Manse-ro near Jukbaek-dong and Sosabeol in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi. While on a diet, the writer ordered the 3-person signature set (medium seasoned Manse cockles, medium vinegar-dressed cockles and 3 cockle pancakes) plus soy-marinated cockle bibimbap, and remembers the fast service, easy parking, a self-service corner for broth, side dishes, vinegared chili paste and sesame oil, free rice and free Pocheon Idong dongdongju (rice wine). Kkomak Manse suits cockle lovers looking for a Pyeongtaek lunch spot with easy parking.

Written Jul 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulThings to do

Children's Grand Park self-photo studio, remote-shutter profile: U&E

U&E Studio Seongsu is a self-photo studio in Gwangjin, Seoul, near Children's Grand Park Station and between Seongsu and Konkuk Univ. The writer shot a self-profile at U&E Studio Seongsu, pressing the shutter with a wireless remote, using artificial flowers, sunglasses and box props, and getting ready in a powder room with a hair dryer, curling iron and steamer to capture 'me right now.' Verdict: a clean self-studio where people who freeze up in front of a camera can retake shots without feeling self-conscious.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulBars

Seongsu izakaya with karasumi eel tempura and grilled sea bream: Tenba

Tenba is an atmospheric izakaya (Japanese pub) on Yeonmujang-gil, near Seongsu Station Exit 4 in Seoul. At Tenba I had an 8-piece assorted sushi platter, karasumi anago tempura (conger eel tempura with mullet roe and cheese) and salt-grilled sea bream collar. Under soft lighting, the fresh sushi, crispy conger eel and moist grilled fish were all satisfying. Tenba is worth saving for an evening date or drinks with friends in Seongsu when you want both good food and a good atmosphere.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulBars

Seongsu Station izakaya with ceramic décor and kaisen maki: Oukan

Oukan is an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) on Yeonmujang-gil, near Exit 4 of Seongsu Station in Seoul. On a hot day of browsing Seongsu's homeware and decor shops, I stopped at Oukan for the 1-person moriawase (aged sashimi platter) and kaisen maki (seafood roll), and the quiet, ceramic-filled room, chewy aged sashimi and maki all hit the spot. Oukan is a good Seongsu izakaya for escaping the heat when you want both atmosphere and good food.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan baby octopus restaurant with bean sprout refills: Bulnaneun

Bulnaneun Jjukkumi Yuryang Direct Branch (불나는쭈꾸미 유량직영점) is a jjukkumi (baby octopus) restaurant in Yuryang-dong, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan. A writer who struggles with spicy food ordered stir-fried jjukkumi, perilla noodle soup and rice at the kiosk and found the stir-fried jjukkumi more savory than spicy, with the cucumber cold soup and refillable bean sprouts standing out most. Bulnaneun Jjukkumi is a baby octopus meal in Yuryang-dong, Cheonan that even spice-shy diners can enjoy without worry.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Korean restaurant lunch course with lentil ox-foot: MUSEO

MUSEO (무제오) is a Korean course-dining restaurant on Gangnam-daero 47-gil near Yangjae Station in Seocho, Seoul. The MUSEO lunch course runs from an amuse-bouche of seafood mulhoe (chilled raw seafood soup) and steamed egg to ox-foot with doenjang (soybean paste) and lentils, yukhoe bibimbap (beef tartare rice bowl) and makgeolli ice cream, all neatly plated in a calm room. MUSEO is a Gangnam Korean course restaurant that suits a quiet date, a wedding invitation gathering or a formal team dinner.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlacePyeongtaek, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pyeongtaek Korean restaurant set with extra pear-leaf pork: Goryeo

Goryeo Mulchong Kalguksu (고려물총칼국수) is a Korean restaurant specialising in kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) on Pyeongnam-ro in Bijeon-dong, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi. The writer ordered the signature set of kalguksu or goldongmyeon (mixed noodles) with napa cabbage mandu (dumplings) and pear-leaf herbal boiled pork. The clam-rich broth and mild pork were so good that the writer added a second plate of pork, then finished with fried rice and sikhye (sweet rice drink). Goryeo Mulchong Kalguksu suits anyone looking for mild Korean food for a family meal or a filling lunch.

Written Oct 9, 2026Sponsored