Open Page Hiker · 12 stories

Open Notebook, Incheon/Seoul and Gangwon Restaurants, Cafes and Beauty

Writes about meals, cafes, beauty stops, and things to do around Incheon, Seoul, and Gangwon. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons · Things to do · Bars

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeonnam-dong restaurant, egg in hell & French toast: Hôtel de Couture

Hôtel de Couture (오뗄드꾸뜨) is a Western-style restaurant on the 1.5th floor of a red brick building in a Yeonnam-dong alley in Mapo, Seoul, about a 10-minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3. Arriving around 1:30 pm on a Saturday, the writer shared mortadella lemon butter pasta (17,000 won), egg in hell (eggs baked in spicy tomato sauce, 18,000 won) and French toast (12,000 won). The three dishes never tasted alike, so the meal ran from lunch to dessert at one table. The line was still long after 2 pm, so check Naver reservations before a weekend visit.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae Korean BBQ: thick-cut pork neck converts a skeptic, Gogi Salon

Gogi Salon (고기살롱) is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Mapo, Seoul, about 400m from Exit 2 of Hongik Univ. Station toward Yeonnam-dong. On a Saturday evening in mid-October, the writer ordered the 51,000 won meat set: thick flower pork neck (kkotmoksal) and fresh pork belly grilled by staff, finished with bibim guksu (spicy mixed noodles) piled with shredded radish. Verdict: even a usual pork belly fan found Gogi Salon's flower pork neck tastier than the belly.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored

PlaceGangnam, SeoulBars

Retro duck bar in Apgujeong with duck-fat potatoes: Hwaju Yojeong

Hwaju Yojeong (화주요정) is a duck BBQ bar on Apgujeong-ro 54-gil near Apgujeongnodeo Station in Gangnam, Seoul, where the writer ordered half duck roast and half spicy marinated duck (ori jumulleok) at a tent table. The highlights at Hwaju Yojeong were potatoes fried in duck fat, the free perilla seed duck soup, and the moment the tent roof opened on an early-summer night, turning the table into an open-air drinking spot. For a retro-style team dinner or night of drinks in Apgujeong instead of the outdoor bars of Jongno, Hwaju Yojeong is well worth recommending.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored

PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Yeonnam-dong fusion Korean pub for injeolmi brie cheese: Ijillirya

Ijillirya Yeonnam (잊힐리야 연남) is a fusion Korean pub tucked into an alley in Yeonnam-dong, a short walk from Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. Two people booked a 5 pm table on a Wednesday in late September. They shared injeolmi brie cheese, pollock roe cream baby potatoes, aged kimchi tuna rolls and Halmuni kal-bibim (spicy mixed knife-cut noodles) with Jirisan Naerin Gangsoe, and the four dishes came to ₩49,000. Ijillirya Yeonnam's dishes each go in a different flavor direction and are easy for two to share, and it is full after 6:30 pm even on weekdays, so book ahead.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored

PlaceSeongdong, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Sangwangsimni hair salon: Ayunchae clinic + parting volume, Oreudeubi

Oreudeubi Sangwangsimni Station Branch is a hair salon in Sangwangsimni, Seongdong, Seoul, in Unit 118 of Building i at the Centras Shopping Complex. The writer had the Ayunchae clinic on dry, split collarbone-length hair for ₩105,000 (₩150,000 with 30% off a first visit) plus a ₩20,000 length add-on. The visit included a 1:1 consultation, a massage-chair shampoo, a 2-step treatment and parting volume styling tips. Hair still combed through smoothly and kept its shine after washing at home, earning Oreudeubi five stars for a return visit.

Written Jul 13, 2026Sponsored

PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Wangsimni Station café: sofa seats and ham cheese croissant, Eojil In

Eojil In (어질 인) is a wood-toned bakery café on two floors, right outside Exit 6 of Wangsimni Station in Seongdong, Seoul. After a meal, the writer settled into a corner sofa seat by the floor-to-ceiling windows on Eojil In's 1st floor and had a milk einspänner, lemon iced tea, Matilda chocolate cake and a ham cheese croissant; the hushed atmosphere and the tissues printed with restroom and Wi-Fi details stood out. For a spacious, stylish café that is easy to reach from Wangsimni Station, Eojil In is a solid pick.

Written Jul 15, 2026Sponsored

PlaceYeonsu, IncheonRestaurants

Indian restaurant in Songdo for solo dining: mutton tikka, Manokamana

Manokamana Songdo Branch is an authentic Indian and Nepali restaurant in The Sharp First World shopping arcade near Songdo Central Park in Yeonsu, Incheon. Dining solo, the writer ordered mutton tikka, prawn korma (a creamy prawn curry) with paneer kulcha (cheese-stuffed flatbread), and gulab jamun (syrup-soaked milk dumplings) in turn, and the meal felt like a short Indian course menu. Manokamana Songdo Branch is worth a visit for an exotic setting and Indian dishes beyond curry and naan.

Written Jul 23, 2026Sponsored

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeonnam-dong steak restaurant for a date, with smiley fries: Hey Joji

Hey Joji is an American home-style restaurant tucked into an alley in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul. On a date, the writer shared the house steak (31,000 won) and the white ragu truffle cream pasta (16,000 won), and both the good-value flat iron steak and the surprisingly memorable sweet potato fries stood out. With no break time and a vintage American diner feel, Hey Joji suits a Yeonnam-dong date where you want steak and pasta at the same table.

Written Jul 28, 2026Sponsored

PlaceYeonsu, IncheonRestaurants

Songdo sushi restaurant for solo diners: heaping ankimo, Sushi Doku

Sushi Doku The Songdo is an aged-sushi restaurant on the 2nd floor of Onesta Mall in Songdo, Yeonsu, Incheon. Dining solo on a weekday afternoon right after break time, the writer ordered the premium sushi set (10 pieces, ₩25,900), which came with an ankimo (monkfish liver) gunkan piled almost as high as the rice, real red snow crab nigiri with visible strands, truffle chawanmushi and a jumbo shrimp tempura. Sushi Doku The Songdo is a good-value aged-sushi spot where even a solo diner gets a proper full set meal.

Written Jul 25, 2026Sponsored

PlaceMapo, SeoulThings to do

Hongdae indoor camping date with carbo buldak and Rubik's Race: TAGE

TAGE Indoor Camping Hongdae Main Branch is an indoor camping party room on the first basement floor on Wausan-ro in Mapo, Seoul. At Spot 4, two people grilled 2 servings of fresh pork belly, ate yukgaejang (spicy beef soup) and carbo buldak cup ramyeon they bought beforehand, then watched Netflix and played Nintendo Mario Kart and the board game Rubik's Race. TAGE Indoor Camping made a satisfying rain-or-shine Hongdae date where eating, relaxing and gaming all happen in one place.

Written Jul 29, 2026Sponsored

PlaceYeongjong, IncheonRestaurants

Split-broth shabu-shabu and brisket refills, Yeongjong: Pyeonpyeonjip

Pyeonpyeonjip Yeongjong Sky City branch is an all-you-can-eat restaurant serving hinoki cypress steamed dishes (pyeonbaekjjim), rice paper rolls and shabu-shabu on the 3rd floor of TMT Tower on Haneulbyeolbit-ro in Yeongjong, Incheon. A family of four started with the cypress steam box, split the shabu-shabu pot between seafood broth and spicy seafood broth, kept refilling thin-sliced beef belly and beef brisket, then moved on to the side bar and finished with kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) and porridge. Pyeonpyeonjip Yeongjong Sky City branch is a course-style all-you-can-eat spot where family members with different tastes can comfortably share one pot.

Written Aug 6, 2026Sponsored

PlacePyeongchang, GangwonRestaurants

Family tripe hot pot and sundae gukbap in Pyeongchang: Daegwallyeong

Daegwallyeong Hanwoo Gopchang & Gukbap is a beef tripe hot pot (gopchang jeongol) and gukbap (rice soup) restaurant on Olympic-ro in Daegwallyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang, 5–8 minutes by car from Yongpyong Resort and Alpensia Resort. A family of four ordered a medium gopchang hot pot with kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) and a sundae gukbap made with only sundae (Korean blood sausage) and no meat, then finished five bowls of rice; the broth had almost no gamey smell, so even the mother, who doesn't eat tripe, had some. With a large private parking lot and group seating, Daegwallyeong Hanwoo Gopchang & Gukbap is a safe choice for anything from family meals to group dinners.

Written Aug 4, 2026Sponsored

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