Kaisendon and umeshu highball pairing near Gangnam Station: Ilpum

The Gangnam Station kaisendon spot Lee Yeong-ja recommended: Ilpum Gangnam Branch

I was looking for a proper kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) near Gangnam Station and ended up at Ilpum Gangnam Branch, famous as the Gangnam Station kaisendon place Lee Yeong-ja introduced on TV.

Ilpum Gangnam Branch has been on TV a lot, so it's already well known. Their signature dishes are the premium kaisendon and eel rice bowl, and they're special enough that this place gets called a spot people go back to again and again — often mentioned by people searching for good restaurants near Gangnam Station.

Ilpum Gangnam Branch's signature dish: Premium Kaisendon

I visited solo that day and ordered the Premium Kaisendon along with an umeshu highball.

Premium Kaisendon (₩37,000) Umeshu Highball (₩10,000)

Along with the main dish, they bring you miso soup and soft steamed egg too, haha.

There's a water dispenser installed at every seat here. Such a nice touch 💕

The Premium Kaisendon lives up to its name — the bowl is genuinely loaded with seafood. Tuna, salmon, uni, ikura, shrimp, scallop, even rolled egg — it looked satisfying just to look at.

How was the Premium Kaisendon?

There was a variety of fresh sashimi piled on top, so it was fun picking through and eating each one.

From salmon, uni and ankimo (monkfish liver) to smoky-charred hantich (squid), abalone, salmon, and seared scallop — it was a combination that filled my mouth with savory flavor.

Wrapping it in gamtae (seasoned seaweed flakes) was especially tasty, and putting well-seasoned, sticky rice on gim (seaweed) and eating it together with the sashimi in one bite really worked.

The distinctive savoriness of uni and the popping texture of ikura, and

the clean taste of abalone plus the soft flavors of salmon and tuna — being able to enjoy so many different flavors in one bowl was the best part.

Pairing with the umeshu highball

Adding the umeshu highball on top made even a solo meal feel like quite a proper feast.

It had a lovely blend of sweet-tart plum wine and a refreshing fizz.

Dessert: cold udon and mango panna cotta

For dessert they also brought cold udon and mango panna cotta. The cold udon had springy noodles that went really well with the cool broth and the chicken on top!!

I almost ordered a whole bowl for myself, haha. The mango panna cotta was cool, soft, and pudding-like — squishy and sweet.

Even though it was cold, it felt gentle on the stomach :)

Getting to Ilpum Gangnam Branch, parking, and interior

Ilpum Gangnam Branch is located at B1, 106, Seocho Town Trapalace, 23 Seochodae-ro 74-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul.

It's about a 5-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 6, and also easy to reach from Exit 5, so it was great to get to by public transit.

Parking is also said to be free for the first hour.

Head down into the basement of the Seocho Town Trapalace building, behind Gangnam Samsung Town, and you'll find Ilpum Gangnam. Unlike the busy main road outside, the inside has a calm wood-toned atmosphere, so I could eat more comfortably than expected.

There are both counter seats and table seats, so it's easy to visit alone but also seems fine for dates or wedding-invitation gatherings. It really did seem well suited both to a Gangnam office worker's lunch and to solo dining.

Overall thoughts on Ilpum Gangnam Branch

I felt Ilpum Gangnam isn't just a place to visit because it's famous — if you genuinely like kaisendon, it's worth visiting at least once.

I'd recommend it to anyone who wants both good food and a good atmosphere, as well as anyone looking for a spot near Gangnam Station for a wedding-invitation meetup.

I liked that with its clean atmosphere and mix of table seats and bar seats, it works for all kinds of situations — a Gangnam Station meetup, a date, an office worker's lunch, or a solo meal. If you're looking for a good restaurant near Gangnam Station, Ilpum Gangnam is worth saving for high-quality seafood rice bowls, sushi, and a calm atmosphere all in one.