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Read guide →Korean cuisine (hansik) is built around balance — fermented sides (banchan), a steaming bowl of rice, and a main dish that changes with the season. Meals are served all at once rather than in courses, and sharing dishes at the table is the norm. The depth of flavor comes from slow-fermented pastes like doenjang (soybean) and gochujang (chili), which form the backbone of soups, stews, and marinades across the country.
Seodaemun-gu houses Sinchon and Ewha — university neighborhoods known for affordable food, vibrant nightlife, and a youthful dining culture. The area is dense with budget-friendly Korean restaurants, late-night delivery options, and cafés that stay open until the early hours. It's a neighbourhood where eating well on a student budget is entirely achievable.
This is one of my all time faves in Seoul. I go without fail every visit. The food is fantastic, prices are so affordable, and the owner is amazingly friendly and patient; even with my absolute lack of Korean vocabulary. Don't skip on the Bulbap at the end - get an extra serving of rice if you must, the taste is to die for.
Such a fun and unique dish that is perfect for carb loading. The menu is very simple which starts with your choice of protein (chicken, pork or squid - you can also choose a combination) and then your level of spiciness (1-5). It comes with rice cakes, veggies and japchae noodles, with steamed eggs on the side. Towards the end, the staff come to mix up some rice and seaweed with your remaining sauce to which you can add cheese also. The staff help mix up the rice with the sauce and spread it thin on the hot plate which creates a lovely crust. Service was excellent and there is also unlimited pickled veggies. Highly recommend and I would come back to Seoul just for this meal.
Light tasting and flavourful stew, owner is really friendly and would try to strike a conversation with u. The portions are reasonable for the price. At the end of it u can have a fried rice which soaks up all the remaining stew.
