Warm Eyes Gangnam · 45 stories

The Warm Waterline

I write about beauty products and the small details of using them at home. · Writes about: Beauty products · Cafés · Restaurants · Bars · Shopping · Hair & beauty salons · Stays · Things to do

PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station kaisendon menu and prices with mango pudding: Ilpum

Ilpum Gangnam Branch is a kaisendon (Japanese seafood rice bowl) and sushi restaurant on basement level 1 of Seocho-daero 74-gil, near Gangnam Station in Seoul. At mostly bar seating, the writer had kaisendon, a sushi set, shime saba bo-zushi (cured mackerel pressed sushi) and futomaki (thick sushi roll), then finished with mango pudding. Prices run from ₩26,000 for the kaisendon to ₩55,000 for the uni ikura-don. Every main comes with chawanmushi, udon or soba, tempura and a dessert, which makes Ilpum Gangnam Branch worth considering for a solo meal or a quiet date near Gangnam Station.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangbuk, SeoulRestaurants

Suyu food alley Korean BBQ, pork belly and neck on a lid: Suyu Daewang

Suyu Daewang Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal (수유대왕솥뚜껑삼겹살) is a Korean BBQ restaurant that grills meat on a cast-iron pot lid, inside the Suyu food alley in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul. On a cold day, the blogger and companions had half-and-half pork belly and pork neck with extra mushrooms, crab doenjang (soybean paste) stew and cheese fried rice, and the meat was tender, never tough, with no unpleasant smell. For a filling meal of grilled meat plus rice and stew near Suyu Station, Suyu Daewang Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal is a good fit.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Seoulsup café for a mom who dislikes sweets: fig soufflé & latte, 5to7

5to7 is a soufflé pancake café tucked into a Seoulsup side street in Seongdong, Seoul, and 5to7 Seongsu Main Branch sits on Seoulsup 2-gil. On a Seoulsup outing with a mom who doesn't care for sweet desserts, the writer ordered the fig soufflé (22,000 won) plus a hot café latte and a hot vanilla latte (6,500 won each), and even Mom enjoyed how fluffy and soft the soufflé was. 5to7 is a Seoulsup dessert café worth recommending for a visit with your parents.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Clear mushroom broth shabu-shabu by Hapjeong Station: Shabu in Seoul

Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch is a premium shabu-shabu restaurant in the Delight Square building, connected underground to Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. On a cold day, the writer had grade-1 black pork neck shabu-shabu in clear mushroom broth, followed by kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), egg porridge and omija tea. With gallery-like sofa seats, thoughtful touches like rice paper and 3 hours of free parking, Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch is a shabu-shabu spot in Hapjeong worth recommending.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Munjeong Station soba shop: niku-don and tendon, Usagi Soba

Usagi Soba is a soba restaurant on basement level 1 of M State Building E at Munjeong Station in Songpa, Seoul, where buckwheat is stone-milled with a millstone brought from Japan and made into noodles in-house. On an errand near the Munjeong court complex, the writer ordered tendon (tempura rice bowl) with a mini soba, perilla oil natto soba, niku-don (Japanese meat rice bowl) topped with a poached egg, and inari sushi, and was struck by the fresh noodles, the thin, crisp tempura and the generous portion of meat. Usagi Soba feels like a casual place for a quick meal, but its flavors are anything but light.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiCafés

Bucheon bakery, 0% margarine barley loaf and grape jam: Chamsae Bori

Chamsae Bori Sikppang (참새보리식빵), Bucheon main branch, is a barley bread bakery on Gyeongin-ro in Sosa-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi, reportedly the grand prize winner in the bread episode of SBS's Master of Living. The writer browsed the sparrow merchandise and the bakery's "Five Promises" signs, then took home the Grand Prize sticky barley loaf (6,000 won) and mascarpone milk cream (3,700 won) to eat with homemade grape jam. Verdict: Chamsae Bori Sikppang's moist, chewy loaf sits easy on the stomach and makes a great breakfast.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Sinsa-dong crab house since 1990, spicy crab solo: Aemo Kkotgejang

Aemo Kkotgejang Apgujeong Main Branch (애모꽃게장 압구정본점) is a blue crab gejang (marinated raw crab) restaurant on Nonhyeon-ro 152-gil in Gangnam, Seoul, running since 1990. Craving sweet-and-spicy yangnyeom gejang (spicy marinated crab), the writer came alone and ordered 2 portions. The writer was happy with the firm, packed crab meat, the sauce that never felt heavy, the clean wainscoted dining room and the friendly owner. Aemo Kkotgejang Apgujeong Main Branch is an easy place to eat alone and finish a whole bowl of rice with spicy marinated crab.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Yangjae noodle shop, last table at 2 pm: clam kalguksu, Seonbawi

Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch (선바위메밀장터 양재점) is a 100% buckwheat restaurant that started near Seonbawi Station in Gwacheon and opened a branch near Yangjaesiminuisup Station in Seocho, Seoul. Even at 2 pm, after the lunch rush, Seonbawi Memil Jangteo was full, so the writer took the last table for buckwheat clam kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and giant mandu (dumplings) filled with meat and neungi mushroom. The big bowl was packed with clams, with a refreshing broth and chewy buckwheat noodles, and parking is right out front, making Seonbawi Memil Jangteo a solid lunch pick near Yangjaesiminuisup Station.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho market raw fish shop: Lotte Resort family dinner, Hwanggeum

Sokcho Hwanggeum Mulhoe Hoetjip (속초황금물회횟집) is a mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) and sashimi restaurant inside Sokcho Jungang Market in Sokcho, Gangwon. On a family trip, the blogger took away two orders of Sokcho mixed mulhoe, each said to serve two, plus olive flounder and flatfish sashimi, and ate them as a relaxed dinner at Sokcho Lotte Resort with plenty to go around. Sokcho Hwanggeum Mulhoe Hoetjip suits families who want to browse Sokcho Jungang Market and pick up dinner for their room in one stop.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Italian, 3-generation meal & steak pizza to go: Mano di Chef

Mano di Chef Gangnam is a Blue Ribbon Italian restaurant on basement level 1 of Bithumb Financial Tower on Teheran-ro in Gangnam, Seoul. The writer, her child and her mother (three generations) ate chamsongi mushroom cream gnocchi (28,900 won) and steak pizza (36,900 won) at Mano di Chef Gangnam, then took an extra steak pizza home to enjoy later. With wide table spacing and high chairs, Mano di Chef Gangnam is a recommended spot for family meals with kids and parents.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Songpa pizzeria, burrata corn & double pepperoni: Pizza Never Sleeps

Pizza Never Sleeps Songridan-gil Branch is a handmade-dough pizzeria in Songpa, Seoul, set in a 50-pyeong basement on level B1 near Songpanaru Station Exit 1. On a weekday lunch, a half-and-half double pepperoni and corn pizza at Pizza Never Sleeps came with pepperoni covering the whole base and more than a scoop of burrata cheese on the corn half. Pizza Never Sleeps suits anyone who wants generously topped pizza in a spacious, atmospheric room.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Poke takeout at Seolleung Station: avocado & onion flakes, Hola Poke

Hola Poke Seolleung Branch is a poke and salad shop on the 2nd floor of a building near Seolleung Station in Gangnam, Seoul. Instead of eating in, the writer took an avocado poke home, and it arrived securely packed with the sauce in a separate round container. With soft avocado, crispy onion flakes and nutty chickpeas, the Hola Poke Seolleung Branch avocado poke is a recommended lunch takeout.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored