Hanok Chinese restaurant in Hongdae: yurinji lunch at Seodamheon

A unique Chinese restaurant found in Hongdae — Seodamheon, with its hanok atmosphere!

I had things to do around Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong with a friend, so we went for lunch at Seodamheon. It blends Chinese cuisine with Korean flavors, making it a fusion Chinese restaurant worth trying in Hongdae.

• Name: Seodamheon Hongdae Main Branch
• Address: 1F, 40-3 Yeonhui-ro 1-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, Seodamheon
• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:15 / break time 16:00–17:00 / last order 20:25

How to walk to Seodamheon from Hongik University Station, and the hanok setting

Seodamheon Hongdae Main Branch is about a 10-minute walk from Hongik University Station Exit 3. The exterior gives off a strong hanok (traditional Korean house) feel with roof tiles, and even though it's a Chinese restaurant, the hanok-style building feels quite unique for the neighborhood.

At the entrance, a gat (traditional Korean hat) hangs stylishly on display — it really catches the eye, haha! The interior is also neatly decorated in hanok style. Overall, the wood interior combined with warm lighting makes for a clean yet cozy atmosphere.

With its modern hanok structure and traditional Korean decor pieces scattered throughout, I thought it would be a great place to bring a foreign friend to as well.

There are tables set up for comfortable solo dining, so it looks fine to visit alone, and it's also a good space for eating with two or three people or for small gatherings.

Seodamheon's menu and prices: plenty of dishes in the 10,000-won range

At Seodamheon you check the menu, order, and pay all through a tablet, which is convenient. There's a wide variety on offer, from basics like jjajangmyeon and jjamppong to various dishes and side items. Names like doenjang yuni jjajangmyeon, minari beef brisket jjamppong, braised beef shank donpaerou rice bowl, fried eggplant, and yurinji all catch the eye for being a little different.

What I especially liked was the price. At most Chinese restaurants, ordering a single dish usually means budgeting ₩20,000–30,000, but Seodamheon has many dishes in the ₩10,000s, making it relatively easy on the wallet. Thanks to that, we could taste two dishes for the price of what would usually be one. There are also set menus for two and four people that let you enjoy several dishes at a good value.

• Mountain-and-Sea samjjamyeon (1.5 servings) ₩16,000
• Yurinji ₩14,000
• Mini sweet rice donuts with red bean ₩4,000

What we ordered was the Mountain-and-Sea samjjamyeon, yurinji, and mini sweet rice donuts.

How do you eat the signature Mountain-and-Sea samjjamyeon?

Samjjamyeon, said to be Seodamheon's signature dish~~! It's a menu where doenjang yuni jjajang (soybean-paste black bean sauce) and charcoal-fired stir-fried jjamppong are served together in one bowl and mixed. The guidance is to first mix the jjajang and charcoal jjamppong evenly, then add mala oil and vinegar partway through for the tastiest way to eat it.

Following the eating tip, I first mixed the two sauces evenly and tasted it. The doenjang-based jjajang sauce was more savory and rich than expected — good good! Layered with the smoky char of the fired jjamppong, it definitely has a different flavor from regular jjajangmyeon. The smoky flavor is quite strong, but surprisingly it wasn't too salty or spicy — just slightly spicy, so it was easy to eat without much burden.

The noodles are thin doosakmyeon (hand-shaved noodles), so they have a soft yet chewy texture, and the sauce clings generously to the noodles, making them delicious to eat. Pairing it with the Yantai highball we ordered was such a great combo~~♡-♡

Yurinji at Seodamheon: big pieces of crispy chicken thigh

Seodamheon's yurinji, ₩14,000, comes with big chunks of chicken thigh meat. The batter isn't thick — it's fried thin and crispy, so the chicken stays tender and juicy.

On top of that, the tangy-sweet yurinji sauce and a generous amount of vegetables are added, so even though it's a fried dish, it felt refreshing overall to eat. Ordering it alongside a rich dish like samjjamyeon made for a combination that complemented each other well.

Ending lunch with mini sweet rice donuts and red bean

Lastly, the mini sweet rice donuts we ordered~! They had a nice sweet, chewy texture, and with red bean paste served alongside to top them with, it felt like eating a slightly more upscale dessert~♡ It was the perfect sweet finish after a savory Chinese meal.

Is Seodamheon worth it for a different kind of Chinese food in Hongdae?

Seodamheon♡ let me taste familiar Chinese dishes given Korean touches like doenjang and charcoal-fired smokiness, all in a hanok-style space. What I especially liked was that with so many dishes in the ₩10,000s, it's not a burden to order a few different things to try a little of each. If you're looking for a Chinese restaurant in Hongdae you can comfortably visit whether solo, with a friend, or for a small gathering, I'd recommend giving this one a try!