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Discover local places and Korean products through reviews from people who’ve actually been there and tried them.

Restaurants, cafés and salons across Korea — every story by a blogger who actually went, linked to Google Maps.

Jongno 3-ga Korean BBQ with a friend: bone-in pork belly, Meongseokjip

Meongseokjip Jongno 3-ga Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant in an Ikseon-dong alley near Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul. On a weekday evening, the writer met a friend on short notice, walked in with no wait and grilled 2 servings of bone-in pork belly served in a jar. They cooked kimchi and bean sprouts in the pork fat for lettuce wraps, then had doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew) and rice, plus a complimentary roasted sweet potato. With its station-side location and hanok alley atmosphere, Meongseokjip Jongno 3-ga Branch is an easy pick for a casual drink with a friend.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored

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Wonju, GangwonRestaurants

Wonju gyukatsu with a kid: crisp-grilled steki-don, highball, Ichigyu

Ichigyu Wonju is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant on the first floor of the Lotte Cinema building in Musil-dong, Wonju. With a child, the writer ordered striploin gyukatsu and steki-don (19,500 won each), melted butter on the mini grill set at every table to cook each piece, and added a Suntory highball (8,000 won) and a small Kirin draft beer (4,000 won). With high chairs, unlimited rice and Lotte Cinema parking, Ichigyu Wonju is an easy pick for a family meal out with kids.

Written Nov 14, 2026Partially sponsored
Cheongju, ChungbukHair & beauty salons

Cheongju hair salon for swimmers: low-fuss volume magic, Salon Of

Salon Of Gangseo Branch (살롱오브 강서점) is a hair salon in Gangseo-dong, Cheongju, near Cheongju Bus Terminal. Swimming regularly had made drying and styling a chore, so instead of the usual CS-curl perm the writer had a cut and a volume magic (a soft, rounded straightening perm) from designer Doa, and the hair came out smooth and sleek right to the ends. For anyone who wants to spend less time styling, the volume magic at Salon Of Gangseo Branch was a satisfying choice.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
Busanjin, BusanRestaurants

Catch-up tuna bar in Seomyeon, Busan: kama and tataki at Sappuro Tuna

Sappuro Tuna Seomyeon Main Branch (삿뽀로참치 서면본점) is an aged-tuna restaurant in an alley of Seomyeon 1beonga, near the back gate of Lotte Department Store in Busan. On a weekday evening, the writer and a long-unseen friend walked in with no wait and ordered the Sappuro Belly Assortment for two (38,000 won per person) with a bottle of Daeseon soju. The meal ran from complimentary ankimo (monkfish liver) and sweet shrimp to kama (tuna collar), tataki and a potato croquette. Verdict: Sappuro Tuna Seomyeon Main Branch is a good Seomyeon tuna bar for a slow drink and a long talk with a friend.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
Gyeyang, IncheonCafés

Gyesan Station bakery: mentaiko mayo salt bread to reheat, Dalgeuraem

Dalgeuraem (달그램) is a new bakery café in a residential area near Exit 3 of Gyesan Station in Gyesan-dong, Gyeyang, Incheon. The writer took home a mentaiko (pollock roe) mayo salt bread for ₩5,000 and a bacon egg mayo salt bread for ₩6,500, reheated both in an air fryer, and the crust crisped up nicely even though the bread wasn't fresh from the oven. Dalgeuraem's salt bread is still satisfying in Gyesan-dong when taken away and reheated at home.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Hongdae lash lift salon: round-eye C-curl that held a week at Zenmove

Zenmove is an appointment-only private beauty studio for lash lifts and brow treatments on Seogang-ro 11-gil in Mapo, Seoul, near Sinchon and Hongdae. At Zenmove I got a tightly lifted C-curl lash lift tailored to round eyes. The treatment took a little over an hour, and the curl was still holding well a week later. If you're choosing a C-curl with the eventual relaxing of the curl in mind, Zenmove, a studio that focuses on lash lifts alone, is worth considering.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
Nowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon Station Korean restaurant: brisket broth on a cold day, Hantiok

Hantiok (한티옥) Lotte Department Store Nowon Branch is a Korean restaurant in the 9th-floor food court of Lotte Department Store Nowon on Dongil-ro, Nowon, Seoul. Arriving a little after lunchtime with no wait, the writer ordered the bossam set (boiled pork wraps) and chose one Andong guksu (noodle soup) and one Andong gukbap (rice soup), eaten with handmade tofu, dumplings and bossam. The Hantiok bossam set suits a day when you want small tastes of many dishes and a hot, filling broth to finish.

Written Nov 13, 2026Sponsored
Gangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Sinsa Chinese dinner with a college friend: Tebanaka jjamppong, Samsin

Samsin Garosu-gil is a fusion Chinese restaurant on Garosu-gil near Sinsa Station in Gangnam, Seoul, blending Korean, Chinese and Japanese cooking. Over dinner with a college friend in the 2nd-floor hall, the writer ordered Tokyo tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork, small, ₩20,000), xiaolongbao (₩8,000), truffle crystal dumplings (₩10,000) and Tebanaka meat jjamppong (spicy noodle soup, ₩15,000); the Tokyo tangsuyuk sizzled the moment its sauce was poured, and the generous jjamppong came split into two bowls. Verdict: Samsin Garosu-gil was the right pick for a long-overdue catch-up with friends or a date near Sinsa Station.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
Goyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Goyang samgyetang restaurant's dakbokkeumtang for one: Lee Ucheol

Lee Ucheol Hanbang Nurungji Samgyetang (이우철한방누룽지삼계탕) Goyang Wondang is a herbal samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) restaurant on the main road toward Seooreung in Deogyang-gu, Goyang, run by chef Lee Ucheol, winner of the Korean cooking competition Hansik Daecheop. On a repeat visit, the writer ordered the herbal nurungji samgyetang (₩18,000) with a single portion of dakbokkeumtang (spicy braised chicken, ₩18,000) for the first time and was happy with the tender chicken, the spicy-but-not-painful sauce, the clean side dishes and the free coffee at the entrance. If you are curious about braised chicken at a samgyetang restaurant, order it alongside your soup at Lee Ucheol Hanbang Nurungji Samgyetang Goyang Wondang.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
Goyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Garlic gopchang stew with udon by Jichuk Station: Yangcheolbuk

Yangcheolbuk Gopchang Goyang Jichuk branch is a gopchang (beef intestine) restaurant with an old-school street-stall feel in Jichuk-dong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang, near Jichuk Station. The writer ordered the garlic gopchang-dori-tang (spicy beef intestine and chicken stew, 35,000 won) with flying fish roe rice balls and steamed egg, and was most impressed by the spicy broth with its sharp garlic aroma and udon noodles included as standard. Yangcheolbuk Gopchang is a Jichuk Station gopchang spot worth recommending to anyone who prefers a spicy gopchang-dori-tang over grilled gopchang.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
Suncheon, GwangjuRestaurants

Suncheon pork bone soup and army-stew soup with 2 dumplings: Namdareun

Namdareun Gamjatang Suncheon Jorye branch (남다른감자탕 순천조례점) is a gamjatang (pork bone stew) restaurant near Yusimcheon intersection in Jorye-dong, Suncheon, that says it makes its broth from a patented recipe. During a trip, the writer and her boyfriend had Namja-tang (special), army-stew hangover soup and two single-serving dumpling add-ons for lunch for 29,000 won, and were surprised by the rich yet clean broth and the tender pork backbone meat. For a bowl of clean-tasting gamjatang on a chilly day in Suncheon, Namdareun Gamjatang Suncheon Jorye branch is a good choice.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
Namdong, IncheonRestaurants

Ganseok-dong sundaeguk spot, self-serve sides and ₩10,000 bowl: Gukdam

Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch (국담순대국 본점) is a sundaeguk (Korean blood sausage soup) restaurant in Ganseok-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon, serving an offal-free sundaeguk with only meat and sundae for 10,000 won and a single-serving Korean beef gopchang (beef tripe) hot pot for 15,000 won. The writer looked at Gukdam's self-serve side bar of seasoned pork skin, chive salad, seasoned dried radish and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), with salted shrimp, dadaegi (spicy seasoning paste) and other condiments, plus the modern dining room, group seating and high chairs. Verdict: Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch is a Ganseok-dong restaurant that suits both a solo gukbap craving and a shared hot pot with a group.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
Buk-gu, UlsanRestaurants

Songjeong, Ulsan hangover soup for two: kalguksu rice set, Boksan

Boksan Haejang (복산해장) is a lunch-only hangover soup restaurant on Songjeong 29-gil in Songjeong-dong, Buk-gu, Ulsan. On a weekend lunch, a couple waited behind about 5 groups, then ordered Boksan haejang-guk (hangover soup, 11,000 won) and haejang kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup, 13,000 won), and they ordered an extra bowl of rice because they didn't know the kalguksu already comes as a set with a small bowl of rice. With its rich broth and generous meat, Boksan Haejang is a filling lunch in Songjeong-dong, even when you aren't nursing a hangover.

Written Nov 8, 2026Sponsored

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