Weekday lunch hanjeongsik with shared chopsticks: Modam Dining

My parents came up to Seoul and while I was trying to figure out where to take them for a meal, someone recommended Modam Dining Gwanghwamun! (I threw a coworker's celebration lunch at a different branch a while back and was so, so impressed 💚)

It's located between Gwanghwamun and Seodaemun stations, so accessibility was decent, and since I visited on a weekday lunch, the atmosphere was way more upscale than I expected — great first impression.

My parents were especially happy after eating, and honestly that made me kind of proud too haha

• Open daily 11:00–22:00
• Group-friendly / reservations available
• 2 hours free parking
• Private rooms available

Between Gwanghwamun and Seodaemun Station, in the D-Palace basement

Modam is located in the basement of the D-Palace building.

The building itself feels clean and upscale, and stepping into the restaurant, the interior was pretty upscale too.

With several private rooms available, I thought it'd be great for taking parents out to eat, but also for meals with business clients or any occasion that calls for a bit of quiet conversation. It'd suit a wedding-meeting-of-parents lunch or a family gathering just as well.

Hall seating and Naver Reservation

I ate in the main hall that day, and the seats there were spacious too. Think of it as a Korean restaurant serving hanjeongsik (a full set meal) — overall the mood is clean and upscale, so it was nice for a meal with my parents. And since I'd booked through Naver Reservation, they seated us right away as soon as we arrived.

The menu board and the abalone tteokgalbi set

Modam has a wide variety of menu items, and that day I ordered the abalone tteokgalbi set for two.

The dishes came out course-style, one after another, and the lineup was more varied than I expected.

• Mung bean porridge (seasonal porridge)
• Cheongyang chili water kimchi
• Seasonal salad with yuzu dressing
• Mustard vegetable salad with pine nut sauce
• Flounder sashimi and pickle ceviche
• Fried shiitake mushroom
• Sweet shrimp capellini
• Abalone tteokgalbi
• Four side dishes, rice, and soup

Every time a dish came out, a staff member explained the ingredients or how to eat it, which made it feel like I was properly enjoying a course meal haha

Nutty mung bean porridge

First up was the mung bean porridge. I had a warm spoonful and it was much nuttier than I expected. Mild and clean, it was a good way to start the course.

Seasonal salad with yuzu dressing

Next came the yuzu dressing salad. The bright, tangy flavor of yuzu really woke up my appetite. Above all, the vegetables were fresh. Having a refreshing dish like this in the middle of a Korean course kept me eating haha

Mustard vegetable salad with pine nut sauce

The mustard vegetable salad had cucumber, broccoli, chicken breast, and several other ingredients. You get the nutty taste of the pine nut sauce along with the sharp kick of mustard — I enjoyed this dish quite a bit too. My parents like this kind of dish and ate it well.

Cheongyang chili water kimchi

This was genuinely a standout — incredibly refreshing and tangy, cleansing the palate perfectly. I was curious how they make it.

Flounder sashimi and pickle ceviche

Two pieces of flounder sashimi came with a tangy touch that sharpened the appetite. I especially liked the chewy texture of the fin area. A good light bite in the middle of the course.

Fried shiitake mushroom

The fried shiitake mushroom was personally quite memorable! Fried crisp, it had a texture almost like Korean rice cracker candy, and it went great with the chili cream sauce it came with. The mushroom's distinct aroma, the crispy coating, and the sauce made for a better combination than I expected.

Sweet shrimp capellini

Just from the name, I was a bit curious what this dish would be, but when I tried it, it felt like perilla oil makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles). Except the noodles were much thinner and softer, giving it a different feel from regular makguksu! Topped with sweet shrimp, the combination worked surprisingly well. I enjoyed this dish too.

The main dish: abalone tteokgalbi

And then the main dish I'd been waiting for arrived: abalone tteokgalbi. It came as one abalone and two tteokgalbi patties, and it looked quite appetizing from the start.

The tteokgalbi was tasty on its own, but eating it with wasabi and vegetables cut the richness and made it even better.

Cutting into the tteokgalbi, the juices were still there, and the meat flavor really came through. The abalone wasn't chewy either, and eating it alongside the tteokgalbi made for a filling, satisfying main course.

Rice, soup, and four side dishes

And finally, rice, soup, and four side dishes came out.

The rice was cooked just the way I like it, so I enjoyed it right to the end. With so many courses coming out, I'd wondered at first if the portions were too small, but by the time I'd finished the rice, I was pretty full.

A Gwanghwamun hanjeongsik good for a meal with parents

Overall, each dish was mild and clean rather than intense, which made me think this place is a good fit for a meal with parents. And what I personally liked wasn't just the food itself but the dining environment.

They gave us separate serving chopsticks for every shared dish, which showed they cared about hygiene. The hall was spacious and pleasant, and the overall atmosphere upscale enough that taking my parents there didn't feel like a stretch at all.

It's already known as a go-to spot in Gwanghwamun for wedding-meeting-of-parents lunches, but with private rooms available too, it should work well for anyone looking for a family gathering, a formal meeting, or any important meal.

I visited on a weekday lunch, and my parents especially loved it, so if you're looking for a place to take your parents for a Gwanghwamun hanjeongsik, this is one worth remembering. I also personally liked the course format that let me try a little of everything. If you're searching for somewhere quiet and clean near Gwanghwamun to eat with parents, Modam is worth adding to the list :)