Want to experience the real taste of Korea during your trip?
Today, we’d like to introduce ‘ilsangdammi_seongsu,’ a Korean restaurant in Seongsu-dong where you can feel both the deep flavors of traditional Korean cuisine and a modern sensibility at the same time.
This is a special place where you can enjoy a healthy meal carefully prepared based on the recipes of Ms. Shim Young-soon, a renowned Korean cuisine expert representing Korea.
Located in Seongsu-dong, Seoul’s hottest spot loved by both locals and foreigners these days, it’s also a great place to enjoy shopping or sightseeing before or after your meal.
It’s a must-visit restaurant recommended for foreign travelers who want to experience Korean daily life and food culture up close, so please stay tuned until the end of this content!
👇Check more below!👇
[Spot] Seongsu Restaurant | ilsangdammi_seongsu
Why We Recommend It
- Located in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, ‘ilsangdammi_seongsu’ is a premium Korean restaurant that reinterprets traditional Korean cuisine with a modern touch.
- Here, they carry on the 50-year tradition of Ms. Shim Young-soon, a master of Korean cuisine, offering authentic Korean food that is both healthy and deeply flavorful.
- Dishes carefully made with seasonal ingredients, balanced nutrition, and neat plating—you can truly experience the deep flavors of Korean tradition, so even foreign visitors can enjoy it comfortably.
- The luxurious and sophisticated interior creates a special atmosphere no matter who you dine with—family, friends, or a date.
- It’s just a 6-minute walk from Seongsu Station, making it very accessible, and it’s in a great location to enjoy shopping or light sightseeing before or after your meal.
Our Visit
Today, I visited ‘ilsangdammi_seongsu,’ a Korean restaurant located in Seongsu-dong.
It’s about a 6-minute walk from Exit 3 of Seongsu Station, right in the center of Seongsu-dong, the hottest spot currently attracting attention both domestically and internationally, so the accessibility was really excellent.
Above all, this place carries on the 50-year tradition of Ms. Shim Young-soon, a renowned Korean cuisine expert,
and is even more special because it offers authentic Korean food with a healthy, modern twist.
Go inside the building and take the elevator up to the 6th floor.
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Thanks to the calm and clean gray-toned interior, the atmosphere of a luxurious Korean restaurant was naturally felt.
The interior, which captures Korean sensibility in a modern way, combined with soft lighting and large windows, made the overall atmosphere feel open and very pleasant.
All around the space, there were Korean-style cabinets and ceramics, making it fun to look around and enjoy these eye-catching elements.
You can especially look out over the pretty buildings and sky of Seongsu-dong through the large windows, so the view is wide open and the relaxed atmosphere was very impressive.
There was a restroom inside the store, so it was convenient to use.
On one side of the store entrance, there was a certificate stating that it had been selected as an excellent business by KCIA (Korea Consumer Industry Assessment).
KCIA is a Korean consumer evaluation organization that selects outstanding stores in various industries based on consumer reviews and satisfaction.
When I actually visited, I could feel that this certification was well-deserved, as the overall service, atmosphere, and food all exceeded expectations.
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This is the menu of ‘ilsangdammi_seongsu’!
From neatly arranged set meals to a variety of dishes representing Korean cuisine, the menu is full enough to let you fully enjoy authentic Korean food.
There were so many options that it was hard to choose just one.
In addition, there are separate menu items for vegan customers, so anyone can enjoy Korean food comfortably according to their taste and diet, which was impressive.
English is also provided, so foreigners should be able to order without much difficulty.
Ilsangdammi Bibimbap Set
Korean Beef Tartare Bibimbap Set
Pork Rib Kimchi Stew Set
Spiced Bulgogi Set
All four set menus we ordered came out!
The set meals are made up of side dishes and soup carefully prepared every day, so it was really great for enjoying a fresh and hearty meal.
For reference, the side dishes and soup change slightly every day depending on the ingredients, so you can enjoy a new selection each time you visit!
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Let me introduce each of the side dishes that came out when we visited.
The composition varies slightly for each set menu, but these four side dishes were provided with all the menus we ordered.
In order of the photos: napa cabbage kimchi, seasoned octopus, acorn jelly salad, and lotus root salad!
All the side dishes were perfectly seasoned, so just eating them with rice was enough to fully enjoy the taste of Korean cuisine.
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This is freshly made mustard leaf kimchi that came with the Pork Rib Kimchi Stew and Spiced Bulgogi set menus.
The moderately salty seasoning and the deep flavor unique to mustard leaf kimchi combined to create an absolutely fantastic taste when eaten with rice.
Even just tasting the side dishes, I could fully understand why this place continues the reputation of Korean cuisine master Sim Young-soon.
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This dried pollack and bean sprout soup was served with all the set menus we ordered except for the Pork Rib Kimchi Stew.
The deep and rich broth flavor from the dried pollack filled my mouth, and the savory taste was truly outstanding.
The crunchy texture of the bean sprouts added to the clean yet deep flavor.
After taking a bite with my companions, we couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, and just one bowl of soup felt like a hearty and satisfying meal.
Now, I'll start introducing each menu item in detail!
First, here is 'Bibimbap,' one of the signature dishes of 'Ilsangdammi.'
Since bibimbap is a must-try dish when visiting Korea, it's especially popular among foreign visitors, who love it and order it often.
Moreover, it can be changed to a vegan option, so anyone, regardless of age or gender, can enjoy it without worry.
For your reference, 'Eggplant Rice Bowl' and 'Beef Brisket Traditional Doenjang Stew' can also be made vegan upon request.
I was impressed by how thoughtfully they make it easy for everyone to enjoy Korean food.
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Now, let me introduce the ingredients in the bibimbap one by one!
All the ingredients used in the bibimbap are seasonal, so please note that the composition may vary slightly depending on the season or time of year :)
In order of the photos, first is minced beef topped with a crispy potato garnish,
followed by bracken, bellflower root, spinach, zucchini, cucumber, and burdock—
A variety of greens and vegetables are neatly arranged, and just looking at them made me feel healthy.
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Now, add the gochujang that comes with the bibimbap, and first mix it well with the greens.
At this point, it's said that adding only half the gochujang gives the most balanced flavor.
The staff gave us a tip: mixing the greens first lets you taste each ingredient's original flavor even better!
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Now it's time to add the rice and really mix up the bibimbap!
They recommend adding only about half the rice for the best balance of flavors here.
But since everyone's taste is different, you can always add more gochujang or rice later to suit your preference.
If the ingredients don't mix well while stirring, it's also a good idea to add a small amount of the broth that comes with it.
This doesn't affect the flavor much but enhances the umami and makes it much smoother to mix—this is a little Korean insider tip :)
I took a big spoonful of the well-mixed bibimbap and tried it!
Honestly, I thought bibimbap would taste pretty much the same anywhere, but the moment I took a bite, that thought disappeared completely.
The seasoning was just right, and each ingredient's original flavor stood out, blending harmoniously in my mouth—it was truly impressive.
After tasting the bibimbap here, I can confidently recommend it as "the best bibimbap in Korea!"
And of course, you can't have bibimbap without kimchi!
The napa cabbage kimchi had a really deep flavor and a refreshing umami, making it a perfect match with the bibimbap.
Even the napa cabbage kimchi here is made so that vegans can enjoy it, so I liked that anyone can enjoy it without any worries.
I highly recommend trying the bibimbap together with kimchi!
This time, let me introduce the “Korean Beef Yukhoe Bibimbap Set” menu.
Doesn’t the glossy, springy yukhoe look so appetizing that it immediately catches your eye?!
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First, stir the special yukhoe sauce well so that the chili oil mixes evenly, then pour it into the yukhoe bowl.
Although the yukhoe is already seasoned, pouring the special sauce mixed with spice sauce and chili oil will make it even more savory and flavorful.
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After pouring in all the sauce, just mix it well with the yukhoe and you’re done!
I tasted the well-mixed yukhoe right away, and the seasoning was just right, it was fresh with no off-flavors, and it melted softly in my mouth.
It was so excellent that I could instantly understand why so many people seek out yukhoe,
If you want to enjoy the real taste of yukhoe, this will be a choice you won’t regret!
This time, let me introduce the “Pork Rib Kimchi Stew”!
Just looking at it made my mouth water, with plenty of aged kimchi and pork ribs making it look truly appetizing.
Since the aged kimchi is made with the know-how of Ms. Shim Young-soon, who has 50 years of experience, my expectations were even higher!
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The pork ribs were really thick and meaty, and so tender that they would fall apart even when picked up with tongs!
The aged kimchi had a deep, rich flavor that blended perfectly with the mild pork ribs, making me exclaim in delight with every bite.
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If you eat it together with sticky rice, you can enjoy an even deeper umami flavor with every bite.
In Korea, dishes that go perfectly with rice are called “rice thieves,” and this menu was just the perfect example of that expression :)
When eaten with rice, the combination of aged kimchi and meat is so perfect that you just keep eating more and more!
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This time, let me tell you how to enjoy it even more by serving it into a bowl!
To enjoy the savory and deep-flavored broth of the kimchi stew, transfer the kimchi and meat into a bowl with rice
Cut them into bite-sized pieces with scissors and mix them with the broth before eating.
This way, you can fully enjoy the flavor of the broth together with the rice, making for an even more satisfying meal!
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With the pork rib kimchi stew, grilled fish is also served as a side dish,
The flesh was very thick, not too salty, and perfectly seasoned, making it a great match to enjoy together with the kimchi stew!
The last menu I’d like to introduce is ‘Spiced Bulgogi’!
Bulgogi is also one of the most popular dishes in Korean cuisine that everyone loves.
Here, they add a deeply flavorful marinade that stimulates the appetite, allowing you to enjoy an even richer taste.
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In particular, I really liked that the overall seasoning here isn’t too strong, so you can enjoy each dish healthily and without feeling overwhelmed.
The bulgogi, too, wasn’t salty and was seasoned just right, so you could truly savor the deep flavor and richness of the meat together with the vegetables.
Today, I tried a variety of dishes at ‘ilsangdammi_seongsu,’ a renowned Korean restaurant.
Thanks to the heartfelt dishes made with ‘Ilsangdammi’s’ unique know-how, I was able to enjoy a healthy and satisfying meal.
Especially since no artificial seasonings are added, the flavors aren’t overpowering, and the fresh seasonal ingredients and the sophisticated yet comfortable atmosphere—
From foreign travelers experiencing Korean food for the first time to those who want to rediscover the true taste of Korea, everyone will be satisfied.
If you want to experience an authentic Korean meal in Korea, I highly recommend ‘ilsangdammi_seongsu,’ where you can also enjoy the vibe of Seongsu-dong!
How to Get There
[스팟] Ilsangdammi Seongsu Branch
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