Gwangmyeong Rounder · 26 stories

One Round in Seoul

I write about visits to bars in Seoul. · Writes about: Bars · Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

No-break-time shabu kalguksu in Magok, Seoul: 3 PM raw egg porridge

Yangcheon Shabu Son Kalguksu, Magok Main Branch is a shabu-shabu and hand-cut noodle (kalguksu) restaurant on the first floor of Magok Botanic Park Plaza in Gangseo, Seoul. Because Yangcheon Shabu Son Kalguksu has no break time, the writer and her husband dropped in around 3 PM on a day off. They ordered black garlic shabu kalguksu for 2 and premium chuck eye roll for 2 in clear Korean beef (hanwoo) bone broth, then added extra minari (Korean water parsley), hourglass-timed noodles and raw egg porridge. With oriental raisin tree fruit tea at the table and self-serve plum tea after the meal, Yangcheon Shabu Son Kalguksu is a Magok restaurant the writer wants to revisit with her parents.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magok Station Japanese restaurant, flying fish roe vs uni bowls: Ilpum

Ilpum Magok (일품 마곡점) is a Japanese restaurant specializing in kaisendon (raw seafood rice bowls) on Gonghang-daero near Magok Station in Gangseo, Seoul. Arriving around weekday dinner last order, a married couple ordered one regular and one premium kaisendon and worked through a set of chawanmushi (savory egg custard), cold udon with karaage, gamtae (thin seaweed sheets) and mango pudding. With generous sashimi slices, ample rice and a pleasant atmosphere, Ilpum Magok is a solid choice for a date or a meal with parents.

Written Jun 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangcheon, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ at Omokgyo: wait-time perks and 80%-done pork neck, Gamgol

Gamgol Yeontanjip Mokdong is a newly opened, retro-style briquette Korean BBQ restaurant near Omokgyo Station in Yangcheon, Seoul. On a late dinner with her husband, the writer tried coarse-salt pork belly, juljuri teukmoksal (long-strip pork neck), gochujang bulgogi, shrimp steamed egg, cold young-radish kimchi noodles and diced kimchi fried rice, and the pork neck grilled to just 80% came out tender rather than dry. Open until 11:30 pm, Gamgol Yeontanjip Mokdong is a good pick for after-work Korean BBQ in Omokgyo.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Hangover soup restaurant in Euljiro: beef hot pot & porridge, Paldal

Paldal Neoguri Haejang Euljiro 3-ga Station branch is a new hangover soup (haejangguk) restaurant right outside Exit 8 of Euljiro 3-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, serving mainly hangover soups with rice at lunch. For an evening meal with drinks, the writer ordered the Palpal beef jeongol (beef hot pot, 2-3 servings) with beef shank, tripe and boneless beef, mixed rice into the broth, then finished by making beef porridge in the pot themselves. Generous portions of meat and broth make Paldal Neoguri Haejang a place worth returning to for an Euljiro office lunch or team dinner.

Written Jun 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Beef intestine BBQ in Sindang, Seoul, plump makchang reorder: Jinseong

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Sindang Direct Branch (진성한우곱창 신당직영점) is a Korean beef (hanwoo) gopchang, daechang and makchang restaurant right outside Exit 7 of Sindang Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. After work on a weekday evening, the blogger shared 3 servings of hanwoo gopchang, daechang and makchang, then ordered extra makchang and gopchang, with staff grilling at every table and grease shields at each seat. At Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang, the standout was the makchang: thick but never chewy.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro 3-ga makchang grill with cuts thicker than Daegu's: Baegyeom

Baegyeom Makchang Euljiro Main Branch is a new Daegu-style raw pork makchang (grilled pork large intestine) restaurant in Euljiro 3-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul. After work, the writer and a friend who travels to Daegu just for makchang ordered 2 servings of Daegu makchang, 1 serving of chewy pork neck (kkodeul moksal) and tomato basil ramen. The makchang was thicker than what they had eaten in Daegu, and the scallion kimchi and the tomato basil ramen, which tasted like a mix of three countries' flavors, stood out. For makchang lovers, Baegyeom Makchang is a reliable pick for a night out drinking in Euljiro.

Written Jun 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magok lamb chops with chive flower sauce: 270g shoulder rack, Hwarodam

Hwarodam Yang Kkochi Magok (화로담양꼬치 마곡) is a lamb skewer and lamb chop restaurant on the 2nd floor of Queens Park 10 in Magok, Seoul, a 3-minute walk from Balsan Station Exit 9 on Line 5. The 270g lamb shoulder rack and 250g lamb sirloin skewers arrive pre-seared and were finished medium-rare at the table, alongside mango cream shrimp and mapo fried rice; the lamb had no gamey smell and the portions were generous. With quiet private seating and 4 hours of free parking, Hwarodam Yang Kkochi Magok suits after-work dinners, meals with older family members and Magok team dinners.

Written Jul 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Yangcheonhyanggyo octopus stir-fry, peeled shrimp and Coolpis: Jju

Jju Baksa Magok Branch is a jjukkumi (spicy stir-fried baby octopus) restaurant in Magok-dong, Gangseo, Seoul, near Yangcheonhyanggyo Station. On a rainy summer day the writer swapped the set menu toppings to octopus, pork belly and shrimp, and staff stir-fried everything at the table; the pre-peeled shrimp and the jjukkumi ramyeon were the highlights. At Jju Baksa Magok Branch, adding the shrimp topping is well worth it.

Written Jul 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGuro, SeoulRestaurants

Sindorim cold jokbal restaurant: summer mustard sauce, Sambaekga

Sindorim Sambaekga (신도림삼백가) is a Korean restaurant serving jokbal (braised pig's trotters), bossam (boiled pork wraps) and kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) on the ground floor of a food alley in the building across from D-Cube City in Sindorim, Guro, Seoul. Arriving right as the break time ended, the writer ordered the Busan cold jokbal and a kalguksu bossam set with the noodles switched to clam kalguksu. The springy cold jokbal, sinus-clearing mustard sauce, persimmon geotjeori (fresh kimchi) and generous bossam made Sindorim Sambaekga a good-value pick for cold jokbal on a hot summer day.

Written Jul 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Beef and lamb Korean BBQ set for couples in Yeouido, Seoul: Yuk Lab

Yuk Lab Yeouido (육랩 여의도점) is a charcoal Korean BBQ restaurant near Exit 5 of Yeouido Station in Seoul, and every table is in a private room. A beef-loving husband and a lamb-loving wife wanted both, so they ordered the Yuk Lab set of jingalbisal (rib finger meat), tosisal (hanging tender) and lamb ribs, plus kimchi fried rice and bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles), and found that dipping the meat in garlic and soy sauce together tasted best. Yuk Lab Yeouido stays open late on Sundays and has parking, so the couple will definitely return.

Written Oct 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido Station gyukatsu restaurant, first try since Japan: Izawa

Izawa Yeouido Direct Store (이자와 여의도직영점) is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant in a commercial building on Yeouinaru-ro near Yeouido Station in Seoul. The writer had only eaten gyukatsu in Japan before. Two people shared a striploin gyukatsu set, a striploin steki (steak) set at ₩18,000 each and a ₩14,500 double pan soba (cold buckwheat noodles), grilling on a mini brazier, and loved the thick beef, the non-greasy gyukatsu and the soba broth, drinking it to the last drop. Izawa Yeouido Direct Store suits a date as well as an office lunch, thanks to its separate solo-dining zone.

Written Jul 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Balsan Station Korean BBQ: juice-locking galbi cuts, Ihwajeong

Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch is a large pork galbi (marinated pork rib) restaurant near Balsan Station in Gangseo, Seoul, with no break time. On a quiet visit around 3pm, the writer ordered 2 portions of pork galbi (300g each), doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), rice and bibim naengmyeon, and a staff member grilled the meat from start to finish, cutting it along the grain to lock in the juices. With a less artificial-tasting marinade and a sweet-and-spicy bibim kudzu naengmyeon on the side, Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga is a galbi spot worth returning to with parents.

Written Jul 20, 2026Sponsored