Margin Traveler · 30 stories

The Lunch Margin

I write about restaurants I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Shopping · Hair & beauty salons · Stays

PlaceYangpyeong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Burger shop in Yangpyeong en route to Gapyeong: Hawaiian at Burger924

Burger924 (수제버거924) is a handmade burger shop on the second floor of a building near Yangpyeong Station in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi. On a deliberate detour on the way to Gapyeong, the writer ordered the Yangpyeong Hanwoo Green Onion Bulgogi Burger set, with fried green onions and a hanwoo (Korean beef) patty that paired cleanly, and the Hawaiian Special Burger, which even a husband who hates pineapple on pizza enjoyed. Burger924 was a meal worth the roundabout route, with no regrets.

Written Apr 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGapyeong, GyeonggiCafés

Gapyeong Station bakery café: rice baguette, daily breads, Le Bonbbang

Le Bonbbang Main Branch (르봉뺑 본점) is a natural-starter bakery café on Seokbong-ro in Gapyeong-eup, Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, just above Gapyeong Station. On a Gapyeong trip, the blogger picked up the signature condensed milk rice baguette, basil tomato cream cheese bread, spinach ciabatta and butter rice cake as snacks, and the rice baguette, nutty and crisp like nurungji (scorched rice), was the clear favourite. Le Bonbbang isn't flashy, but it gets the basics right and is worth a stop on any Gapyeong visit.

Written Apr 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJemulpo, IncheonRestaurants

Yeonan Pier gukbap restaurant on maternity leave at 35 weeks: Sopuri

24-Hour Sopuri Yangpyeong Haejangguk, Yeonan Pier General Fish Market Branch is a 24-hour haejangguk (hangover soup) and gukbap (soup with rice) restaurant at Yeonan Pier in Jemulpo, Incheon, with unlimited rice and seonji (ox blood curd). On day 4 of her maternity leave, the writer, 35 weeks pregnant, shared a hanwoo beef head gukbap and a special Yangpyeong haenaetang with her husband over a weekday lunch and finished every grain of the large bowl of rice. Verdict: Sopuri is a generous gukbap spot with big portions, a broth that soothes like a hangover cure, and free coffee and bottled water on the way out.

Written Nov 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGapyeong, GyeonggiShopping

Gapyeong butcher for caravan BBQ: 1cm belly & pink salt, Ari Chuksan

Ari Chuksan (아리축산) is a retail and wholesale butcher shop near Cheongpyeong 5-day Market in Cheongpyeong-myeon, Gapyeong, Gyeonggi. On a Gapyeong caravan trip, the writer bought Handon (Korean pork) kkodeul-moksal (chewy nape cut), Handon navel cut, pork belly at least 1cm thick, shredded scallion salad and lettuce, and Ari Chuksan added salt and sauce for free. With a wide range of meats and cheap vegetables, Ari Chuksan made a separate supermarket stop unnecessary.

Written Apr 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceChuncheon, GangwonStays

Chuncheon river-view caravan: electric mat and stars, Urban Slow City

Urban Slow City is a river-view caravan, glamping and car camping campground on the Bukhangang River in Nam-myeon, Chuncheon. The writer spent 1 night (2 days) in April in a river-view caravan with a kitchen and bedroom, used the self-checkout store and the shared shower house with 4 private shower rooms, and watched the lights and stars at night. Showers aren't possible inside the Urban Slow City caravans, but the shared shower house is clean and the electric mat kept a chilly spring night warm.

Written May 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceChuncheon, GangwonRestaurants

Chuncheon buckwheat restaurant en route to my parents': Hyeondae Memil

Hyeondae Memil (현대메밀) is a Korean buckwheat restaurant in Toegye-dong, near Namchuncheon Station in Chuncheon, Gangwon. On a spur-of-the-moment stop with her husband after a hospital visit on the way to her parents' home, the writer ordered soy sauce makguksu (chilled buckwheat noodles), mala cream buckwheat sujebi (hand-torn dough soup) and sous vide tenderloin suyuk (sliced boiled meat), surrounded by a cozy decor of brush paintings, gat hats, dried persimmons, a jige (A-frame carrier) and an old radio. With a wide range of buckwheat dishes and a warm atmosphere, Hyeondae Memil is a date spot worth coming back to.

Written May 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Yongridan-gil tteokbokki before 11:30, staff fried rice: Hyeonseonine

Hyeonseonine Yongsan Main Branch (현선이네 용산본점) is an instant tteokbokki (spicy rice cake stew cooked at your table) restaurant on Yongridan-gil near Sinyongsan Station in Yongsan, Seoul, which started as a pojangmacha street stall in 2004. On a weekday lunch, the writer got in before 11:30 and ordered instant tteokbokki for two (₩22,000) plus fried rice. The tteokbokki was pleasantly spicy, came with jjolmyeon (chewy noodles) and 4 yaki-mandu (fried dumplings) included, and the staff stir-fried the rice at the table. Hyeonseonine Yongsan Main Branch is a Yongridan-gil tteokbokki spot worth returning to for the taste and, above all, the friendly staff.

Written Nov 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGeumcheon, SeoulRestaurants

Double cheese burger & pickle bar in Gasan: Downtown Gasan Public

Downtown Gasan Public (다운타우너 가산퍼블릭) is a handmade burger and pizza chain restaurant on the first floor of Public Gasan Building A, near Gasan Digital Complex Station in Geumcheon, Seoul. At Downtown Gasan Public the writer ordered the signature avocado burger set and a double cheese burger on its own, added spicy pickles from the self-serve pickle bar and got a free corn salad for a receipt review. The writer expected little from a chain, but the double cheese burger made Downtown Gasan Public a place worth going back to.

Written May 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Sindang beef gopchang with my husband, half-garlic rice: Jinseong

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang (Sindang Direct Branch) is a Korean beef gopchang (grilled small intestine) restaurant right by Exit 7 of Sindang Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. On a weekday at 6:30pm, the writer and her husband waited only about 5 minutes, shared 2 portions of hanwoo gopchang and 1 of daechang (large intestine) at ₩19,000 each, and finished with kkakdugi yangbap (₩9,000), a radish kimchi and beef tripe fried rice, with about half the garlic taken out. Gopchang packed with rich gop, three house-made kimchis and friendly staff make Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang a Sindang gopchang spot worth a return visit.

Written May 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Wangsimni hair salon: first cut in 7 months, long layers, Oreudeubi

Oreudeubi Sangwangsimni Station Branch is a hair salon in Building i of the Centras shopping complex in Seongdong, Seoul, near Sangwangsimni Station. After 7 months without a trim, the writer had a women's design cut there, with a shampoo and scalp massage, a long layered cut and side bangs, in about 40 minutes to 1 hour. The verdict: Oreudeubi delivered exactly the layered style she wanted, her hair felt much lighter, and she was completely satisfied.

Written Jun 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Chungmuro Station katsu spot: day-off brunch with minari jeon, Ondoon

Ondoon Chungmuro Main Branch is a tonkatsu, makguksu and kalguksu restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building on Toegye-ro 27-gil, near Chungmuro Station in Seoul. For a day-off brunch, the writer and her husband shared a kim makguksu (buckwheat noodles with seaweed) and katsu set, a chicken kalguksu and katsu set, and a 10,000-won minari jeon (water dropwort pancake) topped with 3 shrimp, plus a free blueberry kaymak dessert through the receipt review event. Ondoon Chungmuro Main Branch serves generous portions with friendly staff, making for a happy weekend meal.

Written Jun 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Wangsimni hair salon: pre-baby layered cut with side bangs, Oreudeubi

Oreudeubi Sangwangsimni Station Branch is a hair salon on the 1st floor of Building i in the Centras shopping arcade on Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong, Seoul. During pregnancy the writer's hair had grown to its longest ever. After a 1:1 consultation, Oreudeubi cut it to a length that can still be tied back, thinned it with light layers and added side bangs; the visit also included tips on using a curling iron and rollers and a firm scalp massage. For anyone who wants easy-care hair before giving birth, the layered cut at Oreudeubi Sangwangsimni Station Branch was a satisfying choice.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored