Jindo scallion crisp bulgogi set at a Gwanghwamun Korean restaurant

Modam Dining, the place where I had a matchmaking meeting last year when my sibling got married! The atmosphere was so upscale and the food so good that I never forgot it, and this time I came back for dinner with a friend ✨ A year has passed but Modam is still excellent in both atmosphere and taste! 🌺

Modam Dining Gwanghwamun: location, hours and parking

• 📍 10 Saemunan-ro 2-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, B1 B102/B103, Deoksugung D Palace, South Korea
• ✔️ Weekdays 11:00–22:00 / break time 15:00–17:00 / last order 20:10 / no break time on weekends
• 🚘 Parking available — 2 hours free if parked at the D Palace building B3; if full, use the Concordian Building underground parking (not available before 6pm on weekdays)
• 📝 Naver Reservation

Finding the entrance at Deoksugung D Palace

Modam, located in the basement level of Deoksugung D Palace! It's near Gwanghwamun and has parking, making it a perfect spot for gatherings or matchmaking meetings.

That upscale atmosphere hits right from the entrance ✨

A clean, calm space with a subtle sense of traditional charm — that's the appeal here 👏🏻 From the entrance, Korean-style props blend with ivory-toned interiors for an overall neat, sophisticated feel!

Main hall or private room: is Modam Dining good for a matchmaking meeting?

The hall at Modam Dining Gwanghwamun is fairly spacious and clean, with generously spaced tables that made for a very comfortable meal. Last year I booked a private room, and it was perfect for family gatherings, matchmaking meetings, or any important meal 🎶

The two sets ordered: abalone tteokgalbi and Jindo scallion crisp bulgogi

From Modam's table settings, we ordered the Jindo scallion and bashing bulgogi set & the abalone tteokgalbi set 🩵 I really like that you can order sets per person.

Appetizer course, from pumpkin porridge to perilla oil cappellini

First up was the seasonal porridge, which was pumpkin porridge that day. Soft and sweet — a nice, soothing start. Next came a seasonal salad with yuzu dressing, refreshing with fresh vegetables, and I ate it right up 👀

The mustard greens with pine nut sauce paired so well with the tomato that I finished every last bite, haha. The mul-kimchi (watery kimchi) was cool and refreshing, and I kept sipping it right through to the end of the meal 🤍

Seasonal raw fish and aged kimchi ceviche. Two thick slices of flounder sashimi sitting on a bed of aged kimchi — I loved this dish! I already love flounder with aged kimchi, and this was the best appetite starter.

Perilla oil cappellini. With perilla oil powder and whole perilla seeds, it was an explosion of nuttiness ❤️🔥 Topped with sweet shrimp, it felt more like a main course than an appetizer 👏🏻

That day's Modam-style tempura was mushroom tempura, and my friend and I both took a bite and made eye contact 🤭✨ It's true that mushrooms can taste like meat! The mushroom aroma, texture, and sauce were all just perfect.

The appetizers were so good we cleaned every plate 🤣 It's been a while since I ate this well at a restaurant 😆

The main tray: abalone tteokgalbi set 40,000 won, crisp bulgogi set 34,000 won

Even though I was already getting quite full, the main tray arrived! Beautifully neat and clean — seeing the rice got my appetite going again 🤭🎶 The radish soup was nicely spicy, exactly my style, haha.

Abalone tteokgalbi set, ₩40,000. The tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patty) was thick and sweet, a dish that would work well for kids too! I paired it with the wasabi that came alongside and it brought out even more flavor — delicious. The abalone was soft and plump too, a pleasure to eat 👏🏻

Jindo scallion and bashing bulgogi set, ₩34,000. The bulgogi with rice was great, but I think Modam is really a mushroom specialist..! How do they grill mushrooms this well?! My friend and I devoured the mushrooms that came with the set 🤣🤍

As we ate, the portions turned out to be quite generous. Since both the bashing bulgogi and tteokgalbi lean sweet, I thought next time it might be good to order one spicy pork stir-fry (jeyuk) to share instead 👏🏻

It felt great to have such a satisfying, well-made Korean course meal 🫧 Modam's atmosphere is so upscale that it's perfect for bringing someone special.

Dessert: plum tea to finish

As the meal winds down, staff check in and bring out plum tea for dessert. I was seriously stuffed, but one sip of that clean plum tea felt like it digested everything instantly 🤭🤍

Why Modam Dining Gwanghwamun is worth going back to

Overall, every single dish at Modam Dining was neat and delicious, which made for a satisfying meal 🤍 The upscale, calm atmosphere also made it perfect for a meal on a special occasion 👏🏻 If you're looking for a good-atmosphere Korean restaurant in Gwanghwamun, this is a place worth visiting at least once ✨ It was a return visit, and once again I left feeling great about Modam Dining 💛 I'd happily come back again and again and again :)