Vanity Tester · 9 stories

Beauty, Tried and Told

I write about my first-hand beauty experiences in Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Hair & beauty salons · Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Things to do

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ and soju after work near Hongik Univ. Station: Gogi Salon

Gogi Salon (고기살롱) is a beef and pork Korean BBQ restaurant on Woldeukeopbuk-ro 6-gil near Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul, where staff grill the meat from start to finish. Returning after a first visit for a company dinner, the writer came after work for the meat set (2 servings of flower pork neck, 1 serving of fresh pork belly and a choice of noodles) plus a 2,000-won doenjang jjigae, and especially loved the bonus chewy pork neck and the fresh pork belly. For after-work pork belly and soju or a team dinner, Gogi Salon is worth choosing again.

Written May 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bucheon Korean restaurant, newer branch & smoky octopus: Gim Myeongju

Gim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang Sinjungdong Branch is a Korean set-meal (hanjeongsik) restaurant in the Sinjungdong food alley in Bucheon, Gyeonggi, near Exit 3 of Sinjungdong Station. Having already visited the Bucheon main branch, the writer ordered the Tteuranchae Bapsang for two (26,000 won) and stir-fried baby octopus (jjukkumi bokkeum, 18,000 won), which came with a table crammed with side dishes, cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew), hwangmi (yellow rice) cooked in a stone pot and sungnyung (scorched-rice tea). Verdict: the Gim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang Sinjungdong Branch is newer and cleaner than the main branch, and it is an especially good fit if you want spicy, smoky jjukkumi bokkeum.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiThings to do

Suwon ring workshop: 1.5-size couple ring resize by courier, Loventa

Loventa Suwon Haenggung (반지공방 로벤타 수원행궁) is a private-room one-day ring class workshop on the 3rd floor of a building on Jeongjo-ro 861beon-gil in Haenggung-dong, Suwon. The writer visited Loventa Suwon Haenggung on a weekday with their partner, chose a sparkly couple ring from 18 designs and made each other's rings, which took 3 hours in total until pickup; the partner's ring was enlarged by 1.5 sizes and sent by courier for an extra 4,000 won. Staff were kind throughout the resizing, and both partners happily wear the finished couple rings.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae izakaya date: teppan boiling crab and Cass Zero, Gusa Yeonnam

Gusa Yeonnam is a Japanese teppanyaki izakaya on basement level 1 of Yeontral Tower, near Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. Trying boiling seafood for the first time, the writer shared the teppan boiling crab set for two with her boyfriend on a weekday evening, along with Kirin draft beer and Cass Lemon Zero, and enjoyed the sweet blue crab, shrimp and red scallops in spicy sauce, the garlic butter fried rice and the udon noodles. For couples who love spicy food, Gusa Yeonnam's teppan boiling crab is a date-night dish worth seeking out.

Written Jul 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiCafés

Bucheon bakery: robot decaf brew downed in one go, Easy White Bread

Easy White Bread Bucheon Sinjung-dong is a fresh-loaf bakery near Exit 3 of Sinjungdong Station in Bucheon, Gyeonggi. On an impromptu stop during a free hour, the writer ordered a half Golden Beurre loaf cut 2cm thick and robot-brewed decaf coffee, and tasted an olive cheese sample while waiting. The nutty, light decaf won over a writer who dislikes bitter coffee, the Golden Beurre loaf won over their mom, and Easy White Bread is well worth a return visit.

Written Jul 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Potato & spicy pepperoni pizza with oven pasta near Hongdae: Sunny's

Sunny's Pizza Market is a pizza restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, on the 2nd floor across from Paik's Coffee, a 5-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station, and a Blue Ribbon pick three years running. On a weekday after work, two people shared a regular (R) potato and spicy pepperoni half-and-half pizza for ₩25,400, a classic oven pasta for ₩8,500 and Cass draft beer; the cheese and toppings were generous enough to leave both full, and the last slice was self-packed to take home. Sunny's Pizza Market is a filling, good-value pick for a weekday pizza-and-beer dinner in Hongdae.

Written Aug 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bucheon Chinese restaurant Glory Works: sauce-poured garlic tangsuyuk

Glory Works is a Chinese restaurant on the first floor of Sigma Tower in Bucheon, a 1-minute walk from Sangdong Station exits 7 and 8. On a weekend evening the writer ordered garlic tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork), seafood jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) and shrimp fried rice, and a bowl of rice — not listed on the menu — was free and self-serve. The garlic-based sauce at Glory Works is so rich that pouring it over the tangsuyuk is the way to eat it.

Written Aug 19, 2026Sponsored
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