Aisle Stroller · 20 stories

Aisles of Seoul

I write about books and reading places I come across in Seoul. · Writes about: Books & stationery · Cafés · Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Kids & baby · Home & living · Food & snacks

PlaceGangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Gangnam hair and makeup salon for a hanbok first birthday party: Hari

Hari (하루이) is a hair and makeup salon on Seolleung-ro 116-gil in Gangnam, Seoul, near Gangnam-gu Office Station and Seonjeongneung Station. Before outdoor snaps and an evening first birthday party (doljanchi) at the Shilla Hotel, the writer had cool-tone pink makeup and a voluminous bun at Hari to match a hanbok, and both held through the windy outdoor shoot until 7:30 PM. Hari is worth considering for any event where hanbok hair and makeup must last a long day.

Written Apr 24, 2026Sponsored
ProductVerdanteHome & living

Vegan high-fluoride toothpaste gift set: Verdante Classic Dental Care

Verdante Classic Dental Care is a toothpaste gift set that pairs a 1450ppm high-fluoride vegan toothpaste with an ultra-fine-bristle toothbrush. The writer switched to the Verdante toothpaste and toothbrush after finishing an old tube and found the scent mild, the taste not spicy and the finish clean. For anyone shopping for a housewarming gift in the ₩20,000 range, the Verdante Classic Dental Care set is a thoughtful choice.

Written Apr 23, 2026Product provided
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho sashimi takeout for 4 adults with Iljum Jinro soju: Hoega

Hoega is a local sashimi restaurant in the residential Gyo-dong neighborhood of Sokcho, Gangwon, offering dine-in, delivery and takeout. After a family dinner, the writer took out mulhoe (cold raw fish soup, 15,000 won) and a small mixed sashimi platter (39,000 won), and four adults paired them with Iljum Jinro soju for a second round of thick-cut spring sashimi, slushy iced mulhoe and yellow somyeon noodles. For Sokcho travelers wary of tourist-area sashimi prices, Hoega sets up a generous drinking spread back at your lodging for around 50,000 won.

Written Apr 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon sushi buffet with an 18-month-old: play room & ankimo, Kuu Kuu

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a sushi buffet on the 6th floor of the Seoul Oncheon building in Hagye-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul. On a weekday evening (dinner 31,900 won) the writer and an 18-month-old visited; the adults ate raw salmon and flounder sushi, tuna sashimi and ankimo (monkfish liver) gunkan. The baby ate plain white rice and smoked duck, then played in the kids' play room. With high chairs, food a baby can eat and a play room, Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a good fit for Nowon family gatherings with a young baby.

Written Nov 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDobong, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ near Banghak Station with a toddler: Cheonggiwa Town Dobong

Cheonggiwa Town Dobong (청기와타운 도봉점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant specializing in grilled beef, near Exit 3 of Banghak Station in Dobong-gu, Seoul. The writer, her husband and their 18-month-old shared 2 servings of unseasoned raw wang galbi (king-size beef short rib), and staff grilling, baby seaweed soup, baby tableware and partitioned seating made the meal easy. Cheonggiwa Town Dobong is a Banghak Station Korean BBQ spot well suited to a beef dinner with a baby.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDobong, SeoulCafés

Dobong, Seoul chimney bread café: injeolmi and omija ade at Uisagye

Uisagye (우이사계) is a chimney bread café beside Uicheon stream in Dobong, Seoul, between Suyu Station and Ssangmun Station. With a friend who loves chimney bread, the writer ordered injeolmi (roasted soybean powder) chimney bread with Sangha Farm milk ice cream, which came on the side and made it easy to eat, plus a latte and a homemade omija (five-flavor berry) ade that was tangy and pretty. Weighing the interior and the Uicheon view together, Uisagye is the prettiest café in Dobong.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu monkfish stew after a pop-up, lunch with Mom: Seongsu AGU

Seongsu AGU is a monkfish stew (agu-jjim) restaurant in Seongsu, Seoul, in what looks like a converted traditional house near Ttukseom Station Exit 3 and Seongsu Station Exit 1. After a weekday Seongsu pop-up, the writer and Mom had a late lunch of fried gopchang monkfish stew, topped with fried Korean beef gopchang (beef intestine), at the mildest spice level. The crispy gopchang, tender monkfish and a portion too big for two won Mom's praise, making Seongsu AGU an easy pick for spice-shy diners on a Seongsu date or family meal.

Written Jun 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno Korean pub, summer chogyetang & jeon: Waryongdong Dak Maeuntang

Waryongdong Dak Maeuntang (와룡동닭매운탕) is a Korean pub specializing in chicken dishes at the upper end of Seosulla-gil in Jongno, Seoul. On a weekday visit before lunch, the writer ordered chogyetang (chilled chicken noodle soup, 30,000 won) and namul jeon (herb pancake, 20,000 won): the chogyetang came topped with slushy ice and was refreshing with chewy noodles and chicken, while the chamnamul (Korean wild parsley) and squid namul jeon was crisp and fragrant. Waryongdong Dak Maeuntang suits anyone tired of naengmyeon (cold noodles) who wants a summer specialty and good food to go with drinks.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Pufferfish soup after On the List shopping in Cheongdam: Bogi-o Boguk

Bogi-o Boguk (복이오복국) is a pufferfish restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Cheongdam Deokyoung Building, near Exits 12 and 13 of Cheongdam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. After shopping at On the List in Cheongdam with her mom, the writer stopped at Bogi-o Boguk for a restorative meal and shared one spicy and one clear soup made with domestic milbok (a type of pufferfish); lunch soups start at 12,000 won. Bogi-o Boguk is a good Cheongdam Station pick when you want a healthy, out-of-the-ordinary Korean soup with rice, helped by homey side dishes, partitioned seats and a milk coffee machine outside the door.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon cypress-steam restaurant, salt-free baby food dinner: Hana Shabu

Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch is a shabu-shabu and seiro-mushi (Japanese cypress-steamed meat and vegetables) restaurant on the first floor of Brownstone Junggye in Junggye-dong, Nowon, Seoul. The writer went for dinner with a baby on salt-free baby food and ordered the dinner seiro-mushi with brisket and sirloin (170g of meat per person). Hana Shabu Shabu provides high chairs and baby tableware, so nothing extra had to be packed. The verdict: steamed seiro-mushi is a perfect match for dining with a baby on baby food.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Tonkatsu near Gongneung Station: special loin katsu, Jeongseong Katz

Jeongseong Katz Gongneung (정성카츠 공릉점) is a tonkatsu restaurant near Exit 2 of Gongneung Station in Nowon, Seoul. On a rainy day the blogger, her husband and their baby ordered the kimchi cheese nabe (hot pot) and the special loin katsu set, which costs ₩1,000 more than the regular loin katsu. The kimchi cheese nabe, loaded with stir-fried kimchi and cheese, stood out. Verdict: Jeongseong Katz Gongneung does great kimchi dishes as well as tonkatsu, and its baby chairs make it an easy pick in Gongneung for families with little ones.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon Station protein salad shop, wasabi dressing beef plate: Prefers

Prefers Diet Food Nowon Station branch is a high-protein salad and diet food restaurant that recently opened right by Exit 9 of Nowon Station in Seoul. Remembering a great meal at the Gongneung branch, the writer ordered the Beef Plate Salad with wasabi dressing and the Beef Salad Pasta to go and shared them with her husband at home, enjoying the tender beef, the not-too-sweet sweet potato and kabocha squash, and greens that were never tough. For dieters who work out, Prefers at Nowon Station is a filling meal worth picking up.

Written Oct 5, 2026Sponsored