Category: Myeongdong
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Things to Do in Euljiro: A Local’s Guide to Hip-jiro
Euljiro used to be a district of printing shops, hardware stores and machine parts — not somewhere you’d think to spend an afternoon. Then young Koreans started opening cafes and restaurants inside its old buildings, keeping the worn, retro bones intact, and the neighborhood earned a new nickname: “hip-jiro.” These days it’s one of the…
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Kalguksu in Euljiro: Sarangbang, a 50-Year-Old Noodle House
If you want kalguksu in Euljiro the way locals have eaten it for decades, Sarangbang Kalguksu (사랑방칼국수) is the place. It’s a noodle-and-chicken spot that’s been running for over 50 years, and its clear whole-chicken soup, thin handmade noodles, and a house chili-vinegar sauce you won’t find elsewhere have kept it on Korean TV food…
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Retro Cafe in Euljiro: Eulji Bin, a Vintage Time Capsule
Euljiro — nicknamed “hip-jiro” — is famous for cafes hidden inside old buildings, and Eulji Bin (을지빈) is one of the most atmospheric I’ve found. It’s a retro cafe in Euljiro that feels like stepping into someone’s beautifully cluttered 1970s living room: a gold tiger painting, a crystal chandelier, an old boxy TV still flickering,…
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Euljiro Bakery Cafe: Ouvrir, Two Floors of Pastries and Coffee
Euljiro has become one of Seoul’s most fun neighborhoods to café-hop, and Ouvrir (오뷔르베이커리) is my pick when I want a proper euljiro bakery cafe — a stylish two-floor spot with a serious pastry counter and good coffee. It opens early (8am) and stays busy through the day, with a big glass case of croissants,…
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Euljiro Pasta Restaurant: Euljidarak, a Cozy Attic Hideaway
Euljiro (a.k.a. “hip-jiro”) is full of retro-cool spots hidden in old buildings, and Euljidarak (을지다락) is one of my favorites for a sit-down meal. It’s an euljiro pasta restaurant on the fourth floor of an unassuming building — the name means “Euljiro attic,” and climbing up to it really does feel like heading into a…
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Myeongdong Kalguksu: Myeongdong Gyoja, Serving Since 1966
Myeongdong is where most visitors start their Seoul trip, and it’s changed almost beyond recognition over the years — but one thing hasn’t. Myeongdong Gyoja has been serving the same bowl of Myeongdong kalguksu since 1966, and it’s still exactly as good as people remember. It’s been on Korean food TV and in the Michelin…
