Seoul(Yongsan-gu) , Itaewon・Yongsan

K-star Yoo Yeon-seok, who has starred in K-dramas Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim, K-show We Kid, and musical Hedwig, is the owner of this three-story venue. Complete with floor to ceiling windows, the bar on the 7th floor offers panoramic views of the Itaewon area, while the cozy rooftop seating on the 8th floor is perfect for date nights. The 6th floor features a beautiful banquet room which has hosted various trendy K-stars’ private parties. Reservations are required for special events.  


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Luden Loquen SPACE (Cafe LN) is a unique hanok cafe, located at the end of the alley where Bukcheon Hanok Village starts. The cafe is not just an average café where you can drink tea or coffee but because of location and design it has an added sense of cultural value. Locals come to enjoy the best tea in town, brewed using high quality tea leaves with information on its origin attached. (For example, the gukhwa-cha (chrysanthemum tea) at the café comes from the Andong region.) In addition to traditional drinks and sweets, the coffee shop offers a variety treats that combines Korean ingredients and modern desserts. The hanok (traditional Korean house) building has been reinterpreted through a modern design.


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Euljiro・Chungmuro・Namsan

Internationally renowned as a Michelin three-star chef, Pierre Gagnaire opened his Seoul restaurant, Pierre Gagnaire à Seoul, on October 1, 2008. This is his fourth restaurant following those restaurants in Paris, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. In fact, he was once ranked first among the 100 top chefs in the world. It offers French cuisine featuring innovative and diverse preparation methods with an added artistic touch.        


Seoul(Yongsan-gu) , Itaewon・Yongsan

Operated by Korean husband and Chinese wife, it offers traditional authentic Chinese dumplings in a small place. Its signature menu, dumpling, passed down to the owner by her grandmother, features different tasty and texture comparing with Korean-style dumpling.      


Seoul(Seocho-gu) , Gangnam・Samseongdong(COEX)

Kamong is a cafe, which is owned and operated by the sister of Kai from the Korean boy band EXO. Kamong, which means ‘Dreaming Kai,’ is also known as a gathering place/meeting spot for Kai’s fans. One of the most popular menu items is the ice cream waffle, which has assorted fresh fruits added to it. On the cups, napkins, and other small props in the cafe, you can find that there are copies of drawings and messages that Kai drew/wrote himself. Frequently, people bump into Kai and other EXO members visiting the cafe.  


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Seoul City Hall・Gwanghwamun

Special Noodles from Japan! Inaniwa Yosuke Inaniwa Yosuke, located near Seoul City Hall, is Korea's branch of a restaurant named Sato Yosuke in Japan that has been specializing in udon for the past 350 years. As one of the top three must-eat udon in Japan, inaniwa udon featured at these restaurants is characterized by thin, flat noodles that have a chewy texture. Their signature menus are seiro udon and wagyu udon. Seiro udon is served cold with two different types of sauce to dip your noodles in: the tsuyu sauce and the sesame miso sauce. Each sauce has its own unique flavor that will stimulate your tastebuds. On the other hand, wagyu udon is served in a hot soup. The chewy noodles topped with meat served in a bowl of hot soup are enough for a hearty meal.  The recommended side menu to go along with the noodles is shrimp cream croquette. The smooth cream and shrimp filling covered with a crispy crust is as popular as the restaurant's prized udon. The restaurant also sells inaniwa udon noodles and their special sauces separately for inaniwa udon at home or as an excellent gift. ☞ Address: 6, Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul ☞ Operating hours: 11:00-23:00 (Closed on Sundays) ☞ Menu and price: Seiro Soy Sauce and Sesame Miso Tsuyu Udon 9,000 won / Wagyu Udon 15,000 won / Shrimp Cream Croquette 8,000 won (Prices based on lunch. Prices may vary for dinner) ☞ Website: www.food-biz.or.kr/inaniwa (Korean only)        


Seoul(Gangnam-gu) , Gangnam・Samseongdong(COEX)

Serving a varied menu featuring grilled beef, haejangguk (a spicy soup), and shabu shabu, Saebyeokjip is open 24 hours and is often crowded with people. The ddarogukbap (a kind of soup made with meat, coagulated ox blood, and bean sprouts) tastes great and is the recommended remedy for curing a hangover. An order of yukhoe bibimbap (white rice topped with garnished raw beef) includes a bowl of seonjitguk (soup made with coagulated ox blood). The shabu shabu is quite satisfactory for the price, so it is popular. The restaurant is packed in the morning, with people sobering up, and in the evening, with people who come for the grilled meat.  


Seoul(Gangnam-gu) , Gangnam・Samseongdong(COEX)

Kwonsooksoo gets its name from the chef who opened the restaurant and sooksoo, the old word for "a person who makes food." Chef Kwon Woo Joong opened the restaurant with the hope of showcasing the tastes of Korean homecooked meals in a new way, neither old fashioned nor awkward.  


Seoul(Yeongdeungpo-gu) , Yeouido・Yeongdeungpo・Mapo

Owned by the parents of Lee Hi, Lamese Cadeau specializes in Korean seafood dishes. The K-pop star’s favorite food on the menu is the ganjang-gejang (soy sauce-marinated crabs) made with fresh crabs sourced from the Incheon sea shore. The ganjang-gejang meal is served with several side dishes (banchan), featuring locally-sourced conch, abalone, and seaweed. Upon request, the dishes can be delivered directly from the restaurant. As for the interior, a large poster of Lee Hi hangs by the entrance while autographs of Lee’s fellow artists from YG Entertainment―such as Bobby and Lee Soo-hyun―decorate the walls.  


Seoul(Gangdong-gu) , The Eastern Part of the Seoul

Yangchulbuk Restaurant is a casual eatery specializing in Korean-style beef intestine barbecue. Its branch located in Seongnae-dong is owned by the parents of Park Shin-hye, a talented K-star who has been the lead in several K-dramas, including The Heirs, Doctor Crush, and Pinocchio. Portraits of the K-star and figurines of her beloved puppies are displayed inside the restaurant. Ingredients are sourced daily from local meat suppliers and side dishes (banchan), including the mukbap (chilled acorn jelly rice soup) are made in-house every day. In her free time Park Shin-hye is known to enjoy dining at the restaurant with her colleagues.