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

PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Nail salon in Mullae, Seoul: almond white glitter gel at Muldeu Nail

Muldeu Nail Mullae Main Branch (물드네일 문래본점) is a nail salon on the ground floor of the Daewoo Apartment Building 102 shopping arcade in Mullae-dong, Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. At Muldeu Nail, the writer had old gel removed, nails cut shorter and reshaped into an almond shape, then finished with white gel nails and glitter accents. The basic cuticle care caused no stinging or bleeding, and nothing felt sore the next day. Muldeu Nail Mullae Main Branch suits office workers in Yeongdeungpo and Mullae who want precise, careful basic care.

Written May 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Ttukseom Station soft serve café for a non-coffee date: Mellows

Mellows (멜로우즈) is a café on Wangsimni-ro 10-gil near Ttukseom Station in Seongdong, Seoul, selling soft serve made with Sangha Farm milk alongside coffee. On a Seongsu pop-up date with a partner who doesn't enjoy coffee, the writer ordered 4 items for 2: milk-and-mango, peanut butter and fruit soft serve plus an iced Americano. The rich milk flavor, topping combinations and low prices impressed. For couples who prefer dessert to coffee, Mellows is a quiet, cool retreat in the Seongsu alleys.

Written May 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Daechi-dong eel rice bowl date after missing last order: Manmok

Manmok is a Japanese restaurant serving Kanto-style eel rice bowls near Seolleung Station in Daechi-dong, Gangnam, Seoul. After missing the dinner last order on a first visit, the writer came back for lunch a few days later, sat at a window table on a date, and each person had a whole-eel rice bowl. Verdict: Manmok's eel and its sweet-and-sour radish salad, refilled during the meal, were especially satisfying.

Written May 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulCafés

Yeouido soft serve for matcha fans: Forest Seoul & cookie combo, Berg

Berg The Hyundai Seoul is a to-go shop for organic milk soft serve on the 6th floor of The Hyundai Seoul department store in Yeouido, Seoul. After a Friday dinner at The Hyundai Seoul, the writer ordered two matcha picks for dessert, the new Forest Seoul and the Berg Cookie Combo (matcha cookie + organic milk), and the soft serve's rich milk flavor stood out. For matcha lovers, Berg The Hyundai Seoul is a good dessert stop after a meal at The Hyundai Seoul.

Written May 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Gongdeok izakaya with truffle eel pot rice at dinner: Orot Robata

Orot Robata is a robatayaki izakaya on the ground floor of Gongdeok Park Xi in Mapo, Seoul, grilling over binchotan charcoal and straw fire. After a lunch of chirashi kaisendon (sashimi rice bowl) and a special unagi butadon (eel and pork rice bowl), the writer returned to Orot Robata for dinner and ordered hosomaki, draft beer and eel pot rice topped with freshly shaved truffle. Orot Robata's truffle eel pot rice is hearty enough to serve as a full first-round meal.

Written Jun 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun Chinese restaurant lunch for two: 4 dishes at Bobo Sikdang

Bobo Sikdang Gwanghwamun is a modern Chinese restaurant with private rooms at B1, 178 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul. After visiting the Apgujeong branch, the writer returned to Bobo Sikdang Gwanghwamun for lunch, where two people ordered four portions (peanut sprout pork stir-fry, amyeonsohonban Hong Kong-style char siu rice, ganjjajang dry black bean noodles and shrimp fried rice) and finished every plate. With salty-but-not-greasy flavors and friendly staff, Bobo Sikdang Gwanghwamun is a Chinese restaurant worth coming back to with family.

Written May 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Hyehwa poke shop after a workout: whole wheat pasta bowl, Sallering

Sallering Daehak-ro is a poke and salad shop on Daehak-ro 10-gil near Hyehwa Station in Jongno, Seoul. After a workout, the writer had a late lunch of the Healthy All-in-One Bibim Poke (tofu, chicken breast and duck) on a whole wheat pasta base with Sallering bibim sauce, plus a Red Cleanse juice. Verdict: Sallering Daehak-ro is a filling solo lunch spot near Hyehwa Station, even for people who feel salad never fills them up.

Written Jun 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido gyukatsu restaurant, gyudon & soba after a park walk: Izawa

Izawa Yeouido Direct Store is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Yeouido General Shopping Complex, right by Exit 5 of Yeouido Station in Seoul. After a weekend walk at Yeouido Hangang Park, two people shared three dishes at Izawa: a gyukatsu set, a gyudon (beef rice bowl) and a small pan memil (cold buckwheat soba), grilling the rare gyukatsu on a mini brazier. The beef was so tender that even a partner who always eats meat well-done seared it only lightly and put it over rice, making for a satisfying dinner.

Written Jun 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae bossam lunch for two before a Han River outing: Pyeongidambaek

Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch is a Korean restaurant specializing in bossam suyuk (boiled pork slices) and bone kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) on Yanghwa-ro 7-gil in Mapo, Seoul, between Mangwon Station, Hapjeong and Hongdae. Before a weekend Han River outing, two diners shared a large bossam suyuk (₩49,000) and anchovy kalguksu, which costs ₩5,000 with a bossam order, and got free dumplings through the review event. The pork was so tender it melted in the mouth and the large plate was finished completely, making Pyeongidambaek a filling yet light lunch.

Written Oct 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro 3-ga gimbap shop with refillable homemade pickles: 29 Tamago

29 Tamago Euljiro Branch is a keto gimbap (seaweed rice roll) and rice paper roll gimbap shop on the 2nd floor on Mareunnae-ro, near Euljiro 3-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. Two people at a window seat in the early evening shared three rolls (spicy fish cake gimbap, rice paper salad gimbap and keto tuna gimbap), apple-carrot broth tteokbokki (rice cakes in broth) and a low-sugar apple-carrot juice, and the owner's homemade pickles at 29 Tamago were good enough to refill. With big, generously filled rolls, 29 Tamago Euljiro Branch suits anyone looking for a healthy, filling meal.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceEunpyeong, SeoulCafés

Rainy-day cat café in Yeonsinnae, Seoul: gelato-thief cats at Leju

Leju (세탁소옆카페 레주) is a dessert café on Galhyeon-ro in Eunpyeong, Seoul, near Yeonsinnae Station, and home to three long-haired cats. On a rainy Sunday at Leju, we sat on a window sofa with two coffees and the original tiramisu, got a free blueberry-scented coffee from the owner and took home a pistachio gelato for ₩5,500. With its less-sweet tiramisu and very friendly cats, Leju is a great Yeonsinnae café for a rainy day.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDo, IncheonCafés

Cloudy-day Yeongjongdo café: banana pudding, Taiwanese sandwich, 5PM

5PM sunset hour is a bakery café on the ground floor of the KCC Switzen shopping arcade in Yeongjong Sky City, Incheon. On a first trip to Yeongjongdo, the writer came to watch the sunset, found the sky cloudy, and stopped at 5PM sunset hour near closing time. The salt bread was already gone, but the writer and their partner shared banana pudding, financiers and other baked sweets, ice cream and a Taiwanese sandwich with coffee. Go early to 5PM sunset hour if you want salt bread, but even in the evening the banana pudding and baked sweets make it a satisfying Yeongjongdo dessert café.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored