YONGNIDAN-GIL
Enjoy a quiet walk along the stone-walled street that connects the present to the past, following the footsteps of the patrolman.
Go on a World Tour in Seoul
The novelty and excitement of exploring an unfamiliar city can give us a lasting, pleasant energy, but it is not easy to embark on world tour at any time. So how about touring the world through food? There is a place in Seoul where visitors can find a wide range of food from around the world and that place is Yongridan Street located between Sinyongsan and Samgakji. This is also why the area is becoming a new hotspot among the MZ generation in Korea. If tourists in Seoul want to encounter various other countries, Yongridan Street, currently the hottest neighborhood in Seoul, is the place to go.
Samgakji Station Area Packed with Long-standing Stores
In Yongridan Street, the Samgakji Station area is where many of old establishments with a long history are located. In addition to the frozen beef brisket restaurant that has been in the area for more than 50 years, there’s a cluster of various other restaurants, including a place famous for special cuts of beef and one for deep-fried pork with sweet and sour sauce. There is also Codfish Soup Alley, which has more than 40 years of history.
Won Daegutang, located inside of an old alley, is popular among the soldiers of the Republic of Korea Army Headquarters and the Ministry of Defense and was selected as Seoul Future Heritage in 2019. In the arcade of Samgak Mansion, built in the 1970s, there are Yetjib Guksu (noodle shop), with 39 years of history, and Soboro Ppangjip (bakery). These are must-visit restaurants that represented the area long before it become popular.
Popular Hotspot Filled with Restaurants and Cafés with Unique Concepts
Yongridan Street is the back street of Hangang-ro 2-ga, from Samgakji Subway Station to Sinyongsan Station. The changes started in the residential area, which was a mix of old commercial buildings, multiplex houses and old shops, when the new company building of Amorepacific was built in 2017. Afterwards, new headquarters of companies such as HYBE, the agency of K-pop sensation BTS, were established and houses were renovated and turned into cafés and restaurants one after another, then the street started being called Yongridan Street.
The alleys of Yongridan Street, once filled with multiplex houses, is now packed with renovated old buildings and houses that have become dessert cafés, barbecue restaurants, and standing espresso bars.
The old establishments are still holding their ground here and there in the alleys, adding a touch of quaintness. The eccentric scene created by the mingling of old establishments and new trendy shops is what makes Yongridan Street such a hot place.
Sinyongsan Station Area Lined with New Exotic Restaurants
Many of restaurants around Sinyongsan Station are relatively new. In particular, there are lots of restaurants that have the atmosphere of local restaurants in other countries, such as a hamburger joint with an authentic American feel and a rice noodle restaurant that looks like a store in Hanoi, Vietnam. Most of them are Instagram Hotspots, so visitors have to endure long waits.
On the side streets, there are even more eye-catching restaurants that offer representative dishes as well as the authentic atmosphere of each country, such as a popular restaurant with San Francisco-style interior where people line up to get in, a Hong Kong restaurant that makes guests feel like they are in Hong Kong, and a Laotian restaurant that sells Laos-style rice noodles, allowing visitors to feel joy of travel while eating.
Address│Hangang-ro 2-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Way to go│Exit 1 of Sinyongsan Station, Seoul Subway Line 4
NEARBY TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Nakhasan Coffee
Located between Sinyongsan Station and Samgakji Station, Nakhasan Coffee offers seasonal menus and unique drinks, such as the Nakhasan Latte, which is espresso over milk slushy.
Tapa Copa
As if walking into a restaurant in Spain, Tapa Copa offers a wide selection of pinchos, tapas and main dishes. The menu is mainly seafood, and it is a pet-friendly establishment.
Hieutu
Featured in the Korean movie The Roundup, this phở restaurant looks, feels and even tastes authentic.
Teddy Beurre House
This bakery specializes in croissants. From the interior design to the little props and furniture, everything says “Paris, France!” From plain croissants to croissants filled with eggs, ham, corn and cheese, the variety is almost endless.
sam sam sam
As you can see from the red and white striped awning, the English signboard, and glass windows, sam sam sam is reminiscent of a Bay Area bistro. Popular menus include the Hello Auntie Shrimp Oil Pasta.
Gege
A Hong Kong-style Chinese restaurant that looks like it’s been moved from the streets of Hong Kong. Visitors can enjoy various Hong Kong dishes in a renovated old house.
TIP
If you’ve explored the restaurants and attractions such as the Amore Pacific Museum and the HYBE headquarters, you’re next stop should be the National Museum of Korea. A great collection of Korean antique paintings and many other artworks are exhibited, and the museum is also famous for offering great views of the Namsan Seoul Tower, a major landmark of Seoul.
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