Gwanghwamun Korean restaurant after Dongmyo: spicy fritters, Modam

Modam Dining Gwanghwamun: ending a Seoul day out with a friend I wanted to thank

Modam Dining Gwanghwamun is a well-known Korean course restaurant near Gwanghwamun and Seodaemun, popular for meeting the in-laws and for wedding invitation get-togethers (cheongmo). To end a day out in downtown Seoul with a friend, we browsed Dongdaemun and Dongmyo, strolled along Cheonggyecheon, had a great time, and then had dinner at Modam Dining Gwanghwamun~

This friend always looks out for me like an older sister and helps with everything as if it were her own business. I wanted to share a proper meal with her at a Korean restaurant famous for being elegant and delicious. So I picked Modam Dining Gwanghwamun!

The result:

• A calm, elegant interior with a lovely feel
• Delicious food and service that beat the price!

It totally touched my friend!! Here's Modam Dining Gwanghwamun.

Getting to Modam Dining Gwanghwamun, and parking

Modam Dining Gwanghwamun sits between Gwanghwamun Station and Seodaemun Station. On foot, it's within 10 minutes of Gwanghwamun Station Exit 6, or within 10 minutes of Seodaemun Station Exits 5 and 6. Parking is free, so I'd recommend driving too.

It's on the first basement floor of the modern-looking Deoksugung The Palace building.

You can go down these outside stairs, but it was raining and could be slippery, so we went into the building first.

Right inside there's an escalator down to the basement, so we took that.

Inside Modam Dining Gwanghwamun: atmosphere and seating

The inside of Modam Dining Gwanghwamun is done in beige tones and feels full of elegance. That's the space that greets you the moment you walk in.

Follow the nicely decorated passage further in and you'll find a desk. Give the reservation name or party size and staff will show you to your seat.

A stylish Modam sign~ The Modam chain also runs in Yeouido, Magok, Seoul Station, Itaewon and more, and I hear the dining-level branches are in Gwanghwamun and Magok~

Wi-Fi info is posted too~

The space is split into several areas, so it's great for groups, gatherings and company dinners. Even if you come as a separate party, the tables are spaced widely enough that you can enjoy your meal without being disturbed by the next table. Further inside there are seats with a different mood again~

Here and there you can see interior decorations with a strongly Korean feel too.

Rooms for meeting the in-laws, wedding invitation gatherings and 60th birthdays

At the back of Modam Dining Gwanghwamun there are large rooms that work for many purposes: 60th and 70th birthday banquets, meeting the in-laws, wedding invitation gatherings (cheongmo), company events, and hosting important guests.

There are also rooms for 3–4 and 5–6 people.

It seems they can set things up to suit guests, with baby chairs, extra hangers and so on. Wherever you look it's calm, so you relax without even trying. This is the basic table setting.

Modam Dining menu and our order: Hanwoo 1++ bulgogi hot pot set for 2, ₩78,000

At Modam Dining, the basic course stays the same and the main dish changes. They bring a menu, and we ordered the Hanwoo 1++ bulgogi hot pot set for two (₩78,000)~

A review event and a highball event were running too~ so join in and grab them, and use this as a reference when you order!

First part of the course: from seasonal porridge to mustard salad with pine nut sauce

Modam's course brings out 2 to 4 dishes at a time. These four came first.

• Seasonal porridge
• Cheongyang chili water kimchi (mulkimchi)
• Seasonal salad with yuzu dressing
• Gyeojachae (mustard salad) with pine nut sauce

All of it felt healthy, so it seemed ideal for treating precious people, elders and honored guests.

The best was the gyeojachae with pine nut sauce! I loved the rich, refined flavor of the pine nuts~

Were the spicy Modam fritters and perilla oil capellini that good?

For the second round, three dishes came out together: perilla oil capellini, seasonal raw fish with pickle ceviche, and Modam fritters.

The Modam fritters were slightly spicy and honestly so, so good T_T The perilla oil capellini was great too, so on the way home I ordered whole perilla seeds and capellini noodles on Coupang, lol

Main Hanwoo 1++ bulgogi hot pot, side dishes and plum tea to finish

Finally the main dish arrives: Hanwoo 1++ bulgogi hot pot with side dishes, rice and the rest. The sides were lotus root, napa cabbage kimchi, seasoned radish and chamnamul (pimpinella greens), all clean and mild~

The bulgogi hot pot, made with 1++ Hanwoo full of beefy aroma, was sweet with a mild finish, and really delicious!!

The rice had a little mixed grain in it! By this point you're really full~ The portions are substantial! The sweet plum tea at the end was so refreshing, I loved it!!

Modam Dining Gwanghwamun: who is it good for?

Seeing my friend's touched face made the meal even better~ Modam Dining Gwanghwamun seems great for a date around Gwanghwamun and Seodaemun, and as mentioned, it'd be wonderful for meeting the in-laws or a wedding invitation gathering. It's also ideal for nearby company dinners, groups and gatherings, and for treating guests, honored visitors and precious people.

For special days, I do recommend booking through Naver!