Warm Diarist · 47 stories

Warm Cup Diary

I write about beauty finds and meals I come across in Seoul and Incheon. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Cafés · Bars · Home & living · Shopping

PlaceHaeundae, BusanCafés

Haeundae café after a morning run to Songjeong: egg tart, Low & Sweet

Low & Sweet Bakery (로우앤스윗) is a coffee and baked-goods café on a side street in U-dong, Haeundae, Busan. After a morning run along the coastal path from Haeundae to Songjeong, the writer ordered 2 iced americanos, the signature egg tart and a pistachio madeleine, and the egg tart's crisp pastry and pudding-like custard stood out most. Low & Sweet Bakery is a good stop for coffee and dessert after a morning run or walk in Haeundae.

Written Oct 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonShopping

Sokcho market snack shop: sugar-free pumpkin chips, Sokcho Yetgokgan

Sokcho Yetgokgan (속초옛곳간) is a traditional handmade snack shop in Sokcho Jungang Market, Gangwon, that boils its own jocheong (Korean grain syrup). Six family members from three households, Mom's and two aunts', tried the samples and every one of them bought something. The favorites were the baked pumpkin chips with no sugary sweetness (₩10,000 for a large bag), the glutinous rice yugwa (puffed rice cracker) sweetened only with jocheong, and the ginger jocheong and doraji-deodeok (bellflower root and deodeok root) jocheong. For a less sweet snack or a gift for parents, stock up on Sokcho Yetgokgan's baked pumpkin chips.

Written Jul 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDong-gu, BusanRestaurants

Busan pork galbi with locals and free ginseng: Choryang Hyeongje Galbi

Choryang Hyeongje Galbi (초량형제갈비) is an old-school marinated pork galbi restaurant in the Choryang galbi alley in Dong-gu, Busan. Two people ordered 3 servings of pork galbi (12,000 won per serving) right at the 4pm opening; local regulars quickly filled the tables, staff grilled the meat at the table, and sprout ginseng (jangnoesam) came free as a standard extra. Choryang Hyeongje Galbi suits Busan Station travelers who want relaxed, old-style pork galbi that is neither too sweet nor too salty, paired with scallion kimchi.

Written Oct 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho hanok restaurant, squid sundae for a family of 6: Daecheongmaru

Daecheongmaru (대청마루) is a hanok Korean restaurant on Gwangwang-ro at the entrance to Seoraksan National Park in Sokcho, Gangwon. A family of six, including mom and an aunt's family, arrived just after 2 p.m. on a weekend and shared grilled pollack, ojingeo sundae (stuffed squid), spicy soft tofu stew and mountain-vegetable bibimbap, and the older relatives loved how mild the seasoning was. For a Seoraksan trip with parents, Daecheongmaru is a gentle, no-regrets meal.

Written Jul 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonCafés

Sokcho market bakery: fresh-off-the-steamer bread, Sokcho Sulppang

Sokcho Sulppang (속초술빵) is a shop inside Jungang Market in Sokcho, Gangwon, that steams sulppang, a soft bread with a makgeolli (rice wine) aroma. On a family trip we bought 3 sulppang for 15,000 won just as a fresh batch came out of the steamer; six of us finished one in under 30 minutes, and the other 2 were reheated in the microwave the next morning for breakfast with coffee. For a Sokcho market trip with your parents, fresh-steamed sulppang from Sokcho Sulppang is well worth adding to the route.

Written Jul 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamyangju, GyeonggiCafés

Namyangju café after Sokcho, India Arabica Cherry: Waltz & Dr. Mahn

Waltz and Dr. Mahn (왈츠와 닥터만) is a large drip coffee café right on the Bukhan River in Joan-myeon, Namyangju, Gyeonggi, and is listed as a Hundred-Year Store (백년가게). The writer stopped at Waltz and Dr. Mahn around 5 pm on the way home from a Sokcho trip with Mom, a youngest aunt and her husband, and the four of them drank iced drip coffee on the outdoor seats. Coffee starts at about ₩14,000 a cup, but all four were very happy with the taste. Verdict: Waltz and Dr. Mahn is an excellent Bukhan River drip coffee stop for a break from the traffic on the drive home from a trip.

Written Jul 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho market raw fish shop: ₩120,000 takeout for 6 adults, Hwanggeum

Sokcho Hwanggeum Mulhoe Hoetjip (속초황금물회횟집) is a raw fish and mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) restaurant in Sokcho Jungang Market in Sokcho, Gangwon. Six adults took away one assorted sashimi box, one flounder sashimi box and one mulhoe for ₩120,000 in total and held a sashimi party at their lodging, where the thick-cut fish, mulhoe sauce packed in a can and generous wrap greens won over even an uncle who never used to enjoy raw fish. For a big family eating sashimi at their Sokcho lodging, pairing a Sokcho Hwanggeum Mulhoe Hoetjip sashimi box with a mulhoe to go is a sensible, good-value combination.

Written Jul 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho market mild garlic dakgangjeong for a family of 6: Seomin Gapbu

Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip (서민갑부 시장닭집) is a garlic dakgangjeong (sweet, crispy fried chicken) shop inside Sokcho Jungang Market in Gangwon that was featured on the TV show Seomin Gapbu. A family of six bought one box of mild garlic dakgangjeong for ₩24,000 and shared it while browsing the market; whole garlic cloves keep the chicken from tasting greasy, and the mild sauce isn't spicy, so even the grandparents loved it. For a garlic-loving family, Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip is all you need for dakgangjeong at Sokcho Jungang Market.

Written Jul 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Never-frozen pufferfish soup and bulgogi in Cheongdam: Bogi-o Boguk

Bogi-o Boguk (복이오복국) is a pufferfish restaurant on Dosan-daero near Cheongdam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. The writer ordered fresh, never-frozen striped pufferfish soup for 2 and spicy pufferfish bulgogi: tender fish in a clear jiri broth made with minari and bean sprouts, plus a chewy, spicy stir-fry. For a hangover cure and a restorative meal in one sitting, the fresh striped pufferfish soup and pufferfish bulgogi combination at Bogi-o Boguk is a great fit.

Written Jul 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanRestaurants

Gwangalli pork BBQ date night: DIY-grilled ₩63,000 Iberico set, Jukrim

Jukrim Sutbul Dwaeji Gui (죽림숯불돼지구이) is a charcoal pork BBQ restaurant near Gwangalli Beach in Suyeong, Busan, specializing in Korean Handon pork and Black Label Iberico. On a Busan trip, the writer came for a dinner date and ordered the Jukrim Iberico Set (₩63,000): 450g of pluma, crocodile cut and Iberico rib meat plus beef brisket doenjang rice (rice in soybean-paste stew), which the writer's boyfriend grilled instead of using the staff grilling service. Ask separately for wrap vegetables and claim the grilling cheese from the review event, and Jukrim Sutbul Dwaeji Gui makes a satisfying Gwangalli date dinner.

Written Oct 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanBars

Gwangalli date bar in Busan for rolled omelet and draft beer: Moknal

Moknal (목날) is an ocean-view bar on the 3rd floor of 191 Gwanganhaebyeon-ro in Suyeong, Busan, looking out on Gwangan Bridge. After dinner, the writer stopped by Moknal for a second round of handmade gyeran-mari (Korean rolled omelet) and draft beer while watching the Gwangan Bridge night view through floor-to-ceiling windows; the omelet was moist and mildly seasoned. For a quiet, low-key second-round date bar in Gwangalli with a night view, Moknal is a good fit.

Written Oct 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukCafés

Gyeongju pie shop's birthday half-price apple pie: Gyeongju Tokyo Pie

Gyeongju Tokyo Pie (경주도쿄파이) is a handmade pie bakery on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk. The writer bought the 3-pie premium set and the seasonal whole-apple pie. Because her boyfriend's birthday was 2 weeks away, she got 50% off the apple pie and also received a free Americano for writing a receipt review. The whole-apple pie, with big chunks of apple in every bite, is the must-buy at Gyeongju Tokyo Pie.

Written Oct 4, 2026Sponsored