Nicole Jung, Amber Liu and Jo Kwon do not venture into a grocery store to have their daily cereal fix. Instead, they head themselves to Midnight in Seoul, Korea’s very first cereal café. The decor of the café, complete with electric pink walls and neatly stacked cereal boxes, has been featured on the social media accounts of many celebs. Initially opened by actor and singer Yoon Kye-sang and his artist friends, Midnight in Seoul recently changed ownership. K-pop fans will be familiar with the new owner of Midnight in Seoul- the singer Jo Kwon from the K-pop group 2AM. As for the menu items, over 40 different types of cereals and a wide variety of toppings including nuts, fruits, marshmallows and wine gums (what are wine gums? Is that the correct term?) are available. Choosing a cereal can be tricky but the friendly wait-staff is always ready to provide menu recommendations.  

Chungmuro Jjukkumi Bulgogi has been loved by customers for 40 years with only Sutbulgui jjukkumi bulgogi (charcoal-grilled ocellated octopus with bulgogi). In particular, their special sauce for jjukkumi seasoning features properly spicy and sweet taste adding more flavor to the dish.    

A premium shopping complex, Myeong-dong M Plaza is one of the most prominent features in Myeong-dong fashion, and its glazed exterior is quite impressive. M Plaza is attracting attention as a place where different classes or age groups can enjoy shopping at a variety of stores. In addition to the shopping mall, the same building is also home to Haechi Hall, a purpose-built performance venue for musicals and concerts, and Seoul Culture & Tourism Center, which offers varied tour information on Seoul.                      

Dduksim Hanu – Myeong-dong Branch is located opposite of Seoul Royal Hotel and offers inexpensively priced beef for lunch and dinner. Its central location is attractive for business workers from small meetings to large meetings that can accommodate up to 50 people. Not only officers but also foreign visitors often visit the restaurant to enjoy Korean beef.

Sung Sim Dang is a popular bakery that originally opened in 1956, and is located in front of Daejeon Station. It was listed in the Michelin Guide Korea for the first time in 2011.

             

Opened in 1939, Hanilkwan (한일관)'s current location is in Gangnam after moving from its original location at Cheongjindong. With over 70 years of tradition, Hanilkwan is a well-known place where famous people including former presidents such as Lee Seung-man, Park Jeong-hee, and Roh Moo-hyun have dined. With a reputation for serving authentic Korean dishes, Hanilkwan provides visitors with a variety of menus to experience Korean traditional food. One of the popular menus is Grill Special & Bulgogi, which includes Tangpyeongchae (mung bean jelly mixed with vegetables), Gujeolpan (platter of nine delicacies), Nakji Bokkeum (stir-fried baby octopus), and Bulgogi. The Lunch Menu is a special menu chosen by the chef.

With Songaksan Mountain to the north and Yongsusan Mountain to the south, the capital of ancient Goryeo, Gaeseong was a city known to have the most developed food culture with its traditional cuisine recipes being handed down for generations. Traditional Korean cuisine restaurant Yongsusan, named after an actual landmark, proudly presents Korea's traditional cuisine elegantly and whole-heartedly. Gaeseong's cuisine is known to have a relatively milder taste than others so that one can easily enjoy the flavors of the food itself, making it favorable to foreginers as well.    

Insadong Chatjip is a hanok teahouse that serves home-made traditional tea. Even the red beans used in the summer delicacy Patbingsu are carefully prepared at the restaurant.

In the past, people from the working class would gather around barbecue grills made from drums to enjoy pork belly and a glass of soju with their coworkers after a hard day's work. Such restaurants were also a gathering point for friends and lovers because of the spirit of belonging and comfort that pervaded. As Korea continues to modernize, Saemael Sikdang strives to retain these core values of togetherness and comfort, offering a place where people can get together and simply have a good time.