Weekend Bench Sitter · 38 stories

Weekend Park Bench

I write about places to spend an unhurried day around Seoul. · Writes about: Things to do · Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Shopping · Cafés · Bars

PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Seoul Station burger shop: whole-tomato Y-Burger set at Wit&Meat

Wit&Meat Seoul Station (위트앤미트 서울역점) is an American-style handmade burger and sandwich shop on the lobby floor of Grand Central, in front of Seoul Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, that sells the signature Y-Burger of Euljiro's Yoon Chajang, a black-spoon chef from Culinary Class Wars 2. On a weekend evening we had the Y-Burger set, the All Mighty burger and chipotle fries, and got a free banana pudding through a receipt event. The juicy Y-Burger, with a whole cooked tomato inside, was the standout of the visit.

Written Apr 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Ikseon-dong bakery for a Han River picnic: mugwort & garlic, Munhwa

Munhwa Bakery (문화제빵) is a takeout-only bakery in Ikseon-dong, near Jongno 3-ga Station in Jongno, Seoul. On an Ikseon-dong date, the writer picked up garlic bread, sweet potato bread and mugwort rice cake bread as Han River picnic snacks, skipping cream breads because the day was warm; the chewy mugwort rice cake bread, the sweet potato bread packed with filling and the signature garlic bread eaten chilled from the fridge were all satisfying. Munhwa Bakery is an Ikseon-dong bakery whose large, fairly priced breads make easy picnic snacks.

Written Apr 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Black vintage room Korean BBQ in Yeouido: kiosk galbi set, Yuk Lab

Yuk Lab Yeouido is a charcoal Korean BBQ restaurant where every seat is a private room, on the 2nd floor of the Yeouido Jonghap Sangga (여의도 종합상가) arcade right outside Yeouido Station Exit 5 in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. After work, the writer booked a 19:00 table with a friend, ordered the 2-person galbi set on a kiosk in a dark, black-toned vintage room, and grilled jingalbisal (beef rib finger meat), lamb ribs and tosisal (hanger steak) at the table. With a mood unlike a typical Korean BBQ spot and lamb ribs with no gamey smell, Yuk Lab Yeouido is worth recommending for a blind date or a night out with friends.

Written Apr 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Hongdae hair salon: side-swept bangs and 4-step clinic, Obeumua

Obeumua Hongdae Branch is a hair consultation salon on the 2nd floor of a building on Donggyo-ro 23-gil, near Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer booked through Naver Reservation around the end of the workday and filled in a customer chart before a consultation. The visit included a 4-step hair clinic for damaged hair, a cut to tidy long hair, a side-swept bangs cut and a lesson in blow-drying. Thanks to the careful consultation and step-by-step explanations, Obeumua Hongdae Branch left the writer happy with softer hair and a neat style.

Written Mar 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae sushi restaurant for a weekend date: thick sashimi, Yu Iksang

Yu Iksang Sushi (유익상스시) is a sushi restaurant on Wausan-ro 23-gil in Mapo, Seoul, near Hongik Univ. Station, whose signature is sushi with an extra-long tail of fish. On a weekend date, the blogger arrived right at opening time and ordered the 26-piece Couple A set for ₩52,000; the thick sashimi and the long-tail sushi you brush with soy sauce stood out. Yu Iksang Sushi is an independent, non-chain Hongdae sushi spot that delivered a genuinely satisfying date meal.

Written Apr 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Anguk pork gomtang restaurant for a diet-day dinner: Wolhadong

Wolhadong is a pork gomtang (pork bone soup) restaurant in a hanok alley on Insadong 8-gil in Jongno, Seoul, a short walk from Anguk Station. Craving a neat Korean meal for dinner, the writer chose the Wolhagomtang, ate the pork topped with cheonggeunjang sauce alongside kimchi, then stirred in chili oil and minced seasoning halfway to change the flavor and finished every drop of the broth. For anyone who loves a milky, refreshing broth, the Wolhagomtang at Wolhadong is a filling bowl.

Written Apr 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu Thai restaurant: pad mi mu and no-sauce noodle soup, Thanon55

Thanon55 Seongsu main branch is a Thai restaurant on Ttukseom-ro 9-gil in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, where foreign staff and a cute interior make it feel like a little corner of Thailand. On a chilly day, right after break time, the writer ordered pad mi mu (Thai stir-fried pork noodles) and the 12,000 won Pisek (Special) basic rice noodle soup, came for the broth but fell for the pad mi mu, and finished the rice noodles without adding any sauce. If you want a Thai rice noodle shop in Seongsu that nails the basics, Thanon55 Seongsu main branch is the answer.

Written Nov 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHongcheon, GangwonCafés

Hongcheon hanok café on the way to Inje: grain drink & smoothie

Gil151 Hanok Cafe, Gangwon Hongcheon Main Branch is a large hanok café in Nam-myeon, Hongcheon, Gangwon, with a Jeongja gazebo, walking paths, outdoor areas, a kids care zone and a big parking lot. Stuck in traffic on the way to Inje, the writer stopped at Gil151 for a Goksik Changgo grain drink with sesame ground in a mini mortar, a peach smoothie and a pastry sausage bread warmed in a Balmuda oven. Gil151 Hanok Cafe made a good first stop on a long Gangwon drive.

Written May 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Mangwon nacho shop: Signature nachos that beat gimbap, Macho Nacho

Macho Nacho is a nacho shop on Huiujeong-ro near Mangwon Station in Mapo, Seoul, offering both pickup and delivery. On a warm day above 26°C, the blogger took out Macho Nacho's Netflix set (₩16,900 for nachos plus two 500ml draft beers) and spread it on a picnic set rented at Mangwon Nadeulmok, and the Signature nachos were judged tastier than the gimbap (seaweed rice rolls) and dumplings brought along. For anyone wondering what to bring to a Mangwon Hangang Park picnic, Macho Nacho's nachos and draft beer takeout are a great fit.

Written Apr 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Dongdaemun Korean restaurant after the Lotus Lantern Parade: Sunhuine

Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dak Hanmari Dongdaemun (순희네빈대떡 닭한마리 동대문본점) is a Korean restaurant with about 200 seats over two floors in the Dongdaemun dak hanmari (whole chicken hot pot) alley in Jongno, Seoul. After watching the Jongno Lotus Lantern Festival parade, the writer had dinner there: yukhoe bibimbap (raw beef bibimbap), wang galbitang (beef short rib soup), a meat mung bean pancake and Kooksoondang Bambambam makgeolli. Sunhuine Bindaetteok works well for dinner and drinks in one place, and next time the writer wants the dak hanmari (₩33,000), which comes in a big pot.

Written May 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Taiwanese bao shop in Yeouido for an after-work dinner: Bao Seoul

Bao Seoul The Hyundai Seoul is a Taiwanese bao shop at food truck no. 6 in the B1 food court of The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul. On a third visit after work, the writer ordered a Dongpo pork (braised pork belly) rice bowl, beef noodle soup with black vinegar added, and a classic bao, and finished the generous rice bowl to the last grain. Verdict: Bao Seoul delivered exactly the dinner the writer had been craving.

Written May 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Black pork BBQ in Samsong after Starfield: 5-rib galbi, Neopttakjip

Neopttakjip Samsong Branch (넙딱집 삼송점) is a Sancheong black pork BBQ restaurant on Dongsong-ro in Samsong, Goyang. After shopping at Starfield Goyang, the writer had Neopttakjip's signature Sancheong black pork 5-rib galbi and beef belly kkakdugi fried rice (fried rice with cubed radish kimchi). The fried rice came out mixed with the meat so the two could be eaten together, and the rib bones were grilled well enough to gnaw on. Verdict: the pork was good enough to save to favorites, making Neopttakjip a Samsong BBQ spot worth returning to.

Written Nov 1, 2026Sponsored