Korean wave tourism street number 1, Myeong-dong (3)

At Myeong-dong, the street number one of Korean wave tourism, you can grasp a fashion trend at a glance and buy nearly every cosmetics that you can get at a cheap price in Korea. Located in the Namsan mountain to the south and the Cheonggye creek to the north from Myeong-dong, it is good to walk in nature within urban area. It feels terrific to taste foods of street stalls in a long row one by one.

Take Korail airport railroad, transfer to the subway line no.4 at the Seoul station and get off Myeong-dong station. At that moment, you soak into Myeong-dong’s charm.

- Article/photo by Kim jeongheum

[Course 3] Tasty Road to Myeong-dong

Myeong-dong is the place to draw a map of the various tastes from famous restaurants standing in long lines to street foods. It is another pleasure of travelling Myeong-dong to tour famous restaurants one by one and enjoy various kinds of tasty foods.


1. Dintaipeong

<Dintaipeong>, famous for Xialongbao(小籠包), is one of the world best Dim Sum specialty restaurant which is proud of ‘top 10 restaurant in the world’ selected by NY Times, and of ‘the best restaurant in the world’ chosen by Forbes and of the restaurant recommended by Michelin Guide. It runs 106 restaurants in 11 countries and is acquiring a worldwide reputation as the international franchise restaurant.

It also runs 6 restaurants in Korea. While you put xialongbao into your mouth, flavor of its broth is fantastic in a wink. Besides Dim Sum, it provides various Chinese dishes. Let’s taste them together.

- Tel : 02-3789-2778
- business hours : 11:00 ~ 22:00 / always open



2. Myeong-dong Gyoja

Opened this restaurant under the name of ‘Myeong-dong Kalguksu(hand-made chopped noodles) on the main street of Myeong-dong in 1966, Myeong-dong Gyoja is the delicious kalguksu restaurant, which is running just 2 restaurants, a main store and a branch only in Myeong-dong.

Asserting itself as an original kalguksu restaurant, it had to change its name to <Myeong-dong Gyoja> because other restaurants with a sign of ‘Myeong-dong Kalguksu’ had sprung up everywhere. Despite change of the name, its taste has been attracting lots of gourmets’ steps.

Kalguksu with savory soups and dumpling is so delicious that anyone never forgets its taste.  This restaurant has lots of regulars and so anybody who stops by at lunch must be prepared for waiting long time to eat.

- Tel : 02-776-5348
- Business hours: 10:30~ 21:30/ no shop-closing day



3. A roof garden in UNESCO house- Baelongnamu cafe

Last April, Korean national commission for UNESCO opened a roof of UNESCO house in Myeong-dong as the urban roof ecological park by the name of ‘Jakeun Nuri’.

This park where crested newts and toads live put even the fact that here is a roof of a building in the shade. In this roof, there is a special café, <Baelongnamu café>, which Korean national commission for UNESCO runs for donation.


Customers order what they want to drink or eat and just pay as they are willing to pay. Total amount of gains is being used for pleasure of learning and hope for education of other global villagers. If you use this café, you are to drink a coffee and donate at the same time.

This café’s barista, Mr. Kim Kwang Hyun is a professional coffee expert. He has some titles like IBS Italian Barista, US coffee taste instructor and senior trainer of CCA Barista, and so on. If you listen to some talks about various coffees from him with a warm smile, you are willing to donate.

Unusual relaxation in the middle of Myeong-dong and the pleasant sky of autumn are thrown into the bargain.

- business hours : 09:00 ~ 18:00 (lunch time 11:30 ~ 12:30)


4. O’sulloc tea house

Let’s enjoy organic green teas cultivated in Jeju in Myeong-dong. <O’sulloc tea house> is the place where people can appreciate various teas produced in the region of Seogwipo, Jeju. As it is the tea house, not the coffee house, the atmosphere of this tea house compared to another café is quite different.

Visitors can buy fermented teas, flower teas and others besides general roasted teas. Also, they can enjoy some desserts added a green tea. This tea house is selling tea products with various fragrance and flavor.

- Tel : 02-774-5460
- business hours : 09:00 ~ 22:30 / always open



5. street foods in Myeong-dong

You can enjoy lemon and grapefruit drinks, various kinds of unique ice creams and French fries, skewed octopus and grilled short rib patties as well as flour based foods like Tteok-bokki(Stir-fried Rice Cake) .

So, Myeong-dong is worth to be called as a foodie’s paradise. If you go around Myeong-dong and enjoy various kinds of cheap street foods, you must be full. You may receive some affections from hosts of street stall with plates filled with foods.

If you want to enjoy various kinds of food, just order a little at one stall. Happiness of ten thousand won is extra.