Night Ledger Walker · 74 stories

Night Ledger, Seoul

I write about bars and unhurried evenings around Seoul. · Writes about: Bars · Restaurants · Shopping · Things to do · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceJongno, SeoulBars

Jongno bar with a Jongmyo stone wall view by day: Poongi Seosunra-gil

Poongi Seosunra-gil is a gastropub on Seosunra-gil in Jongno, Seoul, facing the Jongmyo stone wall path, with the trees and stone wall of Jongmyo visible through floor-to-ceiling windows. The writer visited in the daytime and tried the daily-limited 'Grown in Punggi-eup' shrimp Whopper, the autumn seasonal Earl Grey fig platter, grapefruit ade, lemon ade and brown cheese ice cream. Verdict: Poongi Seosunra-gil is a good spot on Seosunra-gil for a relaxed afternoon with a stone wall view.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulCafés

Dangsan-dong bakery takeout: blueberry wakppu, 4 financiers, BYWAY

BYWAY BAKERS Yeongdeungpo Branch is a bakery café in a Dangsan-dong alley near Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station in Seoul, known for wakppu salt bread and baked sweets like financiers. On a weekend visit, a blueberry wakppu salt bread and four BYWAY BAKERS financiers (fig, macadamia, salt choco and hwangchijeu, a yellow cheese flavor) went home as takeout, and the white chocolate coating with blueberry cream gave a great sweet-salty balance while the financiers were dense and moist. Verdict: hwangchijeu and salt choco are the best BYWAY BAKERS financiers, and the financiers also make an easy gift of baked sweets.

Written Oct 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Ikseon-dong bakery on an autumn walk: coffee & mugwort buns, Munhwa

Munhwa Bakery (문화제빵) is a takeout-only bakery in an Ikseon-dong alley near Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul. On an autumn walk, the writer picked up Munhwa Bakery's signature coffee bun and mugwort rice cake bun and ate them at home with an americano: the coffee bun pairs a crisp biscuit layer with a fluffy inside, and the mugwort rice cake bun has a gentle mugwort aroma and chewy rice cake. Munhwa Bakery often sells out around 3-4pm, so an early-afternoon visit is the safest bet.

Written Oct 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangbuk, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Suyu hair salon: 1-hour bob rod perm with treatment – Salon de Chae

Salon de Chae Suyu Branch is a hair salon on the second floor of a building in a busy alley in Suyu, Gangbuk, Seoul. Worried about hair damage and time, the writer chose a short-hair rod perm instead of a heat perm, adding a treatment to ease frizzy, dry hair. The rod perm at Salon de Chae Suyu Branch was expected to take about two hours but was done in around one hour, with a soft, natural finish that barely looks permed.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Teppan lunch in Mullae: squid ink monjayaki and mentaiko gyoza at Jojo

Jojo Mullae Branch is a Japanese teppan (griddle) restaurant in an alley of Mullae Art Village in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. For a weekend lunch the writer ordered squid ink monjayaki (a runny Tokyo-style griddle pancake) and mentaiko gyoza (pollock roe dumplings), and enjoyed both the crispy wings on the gyoza and scraping the squid ink monjayaki off the griddle where it had crisped. For an unusual teppan lunch or date spot in Mullae, the squid ink monjayaki at Jojo Mullae Branch is a good choice.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulBars

Zodiac occult bar in Gangnam: short ribs and cat cake, Jusindang

Jusindang Gangnam (주신당 강남) is an occult-themed Korean dining pub in a basement off the eatery alley near Gangnam Station, Seoul, built around Korean shamanism and the twelve zodiac animals. The writer ordered the limited-edition sous vide beef short ribs, the dragon zodiac signature cocktail and the cat cake, and the grilled vegetables served with the short ribs were good enough to take the 1 free refill. The cat cake's cream-cheese-pudding texture felt a little unfamiliar, but Jusindang Gangnam is a Gangnam Station bar that suits dates and blind dates where atmosphere and conversation starters matter.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Nagoya-style eel spot in Yeoksam: 72-hour tare hitsumabushi, Chisot

Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch (치솟 역삼본점) is a Nagoya-style eel rice bowl (hitsumabushi) restaurant in the office district near Yeoksam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. Right after the break time, the writer ordered the Special hitsumabushi, with eel glazed in a house tare sauce aged 72 hours. The writer ate it four ways and finished with a hand-ground yuzu sherbet. With deep, savory tare and a calm atmosphere, Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch is a solid pick for a business meeting or a restorative meal.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Minimalist Yeoksam café: Helsinki latte & tiramisu pairing, Mini Male

Mini Male Coffee Roaster Yeoksam Branch (미니말레 커피뢰스터 역삼점) is a minimalist metal-and-white café in the office district near Yeoksam Station on Seoul Subway Line 2, in Gangnam, Seoul. Taking a break alone from a busy day, the writer tried the signature Helsinki latte alongside the Mini Male patissier tiramisu. The syrup-free, mellow Helsinki latte and the soft tiramisu make a satisfying pairing at Mini Male Coffee Roaster.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam food alley ramen shop: coriander kara paitan & Sapporo, Oreno

Oreno Ramen Gangnam is a tori paitan (chicken white broth) ramen shop on the 2nd floor, tucked inside the food alley near Gangnam Station in Seoul. At Oreno Ramen Gangnam the writer ordered kara paitan, the spicy version, with extra coriander, alongside a Sapporo draft beer and assorted tsukune (chicken meatballs); the coriander cut through the rich chicken broth and gave it a deeper flavour. For coriander lovers, kara paitan with extra coriander at Oreno Ramen Gangnam is well worth trying.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDobong, SeoulCafés

Café in Chang-dong, Seoul on a Wednesday: Earl Grey cake at Uisagye

Uisagye is a chimney bread dessert café on the Uicheon stream walking path along Uicheon-ro in Dobong-gu, Seoul. On a Wednesday visit, Uisagye served no chimney bread, so the writer had Earl Grey cake, apple cinnamon ade and a Sanghamokjang ice cream latte on the second floor. Even without chimney bread, Uisagye's homemade cake and drinks made for a satisfying tea time.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro restaurant for a parents' anniversary: yuzu mint tea at Pyu

Pyu Euljiro (퓨 을지로) is a fusion European restaurant on a side street near Euljiro 3-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. Looking for a light meal instead of greasy food for a parents' anniversary, the writer paired Valentino tea and yuzu mint tea with garden tomato eggplant risotto and grilled yuzu chicken thigh. With calm lighting and well-spaced tables, Pyu Euljiro is a good choice for a meal with parents.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jonggak seafood pub, autumn seafood platter: Parang Haenyeojip

Parang Haenyeojip Jongno Branch (파랑해녀집 종로본점) is a seafood pub in the food alley near Youth Street by Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. Using an autumn-and-winter seafood detox as an excuse, the writer ordered the seafood platter of sea squirt, sea cucumber, abalone, spoon worm (gaebul), conch and scallop, and was pleased by the clean, non-fishy prep and the different sweetness of each one. For drinks over fresh, non-fishy seafood in Jongno or Jonggak, the Parang Haenyeojip Jongno Branch seafood platter is a good choice.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored