Gangnam Express Bus Terminal is one of Seoul’s major express bus terminals, so it’s no surprise that it gets crowded, especially on weekends. That’s exactly why I usually avoid going there on weekends unless I have a good reason to. So, what brought me there this time?
First, it was the middle of a scorching summer. Second, I had come across photos of HOUSE OF SHINSEGAE and was curious to see it for myself.
When Seoul’s summer heat becomes unbearable or the winter cold gets intense, indoor shopping and dining complexes like COEX, Lotte World Tower, IFC Mall in Yeouido + The Hyundai Seoul are among the first places that come to mind. Of course, all of them tend to get packed on weekends, too.
Gangnam Express Bus Terminal is another option worth considering. It’s connected to Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, making it a convenient destination for shopping, dining, and exploring several indoor spaces without having to travel between different parts of the city.
Before I even arrived, there were already a few things I needed to plan. Knowing how crowded the area would be, I decided to try Mido Hanwoo Hamburg Steak, one of the restaurants at HOUSE OF SHINSEGAE that I had been wanting to visit. I immediately joined the remote waiting list through Catchtable (APP).
On a Saturday, I joined the queue at around 11:45 AM and finally got seated sometime after 1 PM. Since I had plans for 1 PM, the timing worked out pretty well for me. (You can postpone your place in the queue a few times, but I honestly didn’t expect to get seated without postponing it even once. So, if you’re planning to visit, make sure to join the remote waiting list in advance!)
House of Shinsegae
- Address: House of Shinsegae, Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, 176 Sinbanpo-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul
- Hours: 10:30 AM – 10:00 PM
- Official Website: HOUSE OF SHINSEGAE
HOUSE OF SHINSEGAE has three levels: B1, where most of the restaurants are located, followed by the first floor and the 1M floor. As you move up, the prices seem to rise along with the atmosphere becoming more relaxed and spacious.
The B1 level, in particular, had a bustling weekend atmosphere. The 1M floor, on the other hand, has a small gallery and BOONTHESHOP, a select shop, so I’d recommend exploring all three levels rather than just stopping by for a meal.
I also really liked the view looking down from the upper floors. For a moment, it almost felt as if I had left the busy express bus terminal and arrived somewhere completely different.
Mido Hanwoo Hamburg Steak
- Address: B1, House of Shinsegae, Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, 176 Sinbanpo-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul
- Hours: 10:30 AM – 10:00 PM
- Remote Waiting List (Essential): Use the Catchtable app to join the queue
- Map: Google Maps | Naver Map (Recommended for navigation in Korea)
After a long wait, we finally made it into this hamburger steak restaurant. To be honest, I hadn’t expected all that much from hamburger steak, but the restaurant had so many great reviews that I decided to give it a try. In the end, it exceeded my expectations by a lot.
The two of us ordered the Hanwoo(Korean beef) hamburger steak, the Western-style beef cutlet, and a small draft beer (180 ml) each. If you visit, I’d definitely recommend trying the Hanwoo hamburger steak, the restaurant’s signature dish. The meat was incredibly tender, with plenty of juice and a rich beefy flavor. It felt as though it completely changed my perception of what hamburger steak could be. And one more thing: it paired surprisingly well with beer!
FOurB at Famille Station (Gangnam)
- Address: 1F, Famille Station, 205 Sapyeong-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul
- Hours: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Map: Google Maps | Naver Map (Recommended for navigation in Korea)
After lunch, finding a cafe turned out to be a real challenge. Every cafe seemed completely packed, and most of them were fairly small, making the overall atmosphere quite noisy. We passed through Sweet Park, the food hall in the basement of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, and eventually made our way to Famille Station. But things weren’t much better there, either.
Eventually, we found FOURB, which seemed like our best option at the time, with just one seat left. In hindsight, I think we would have enjoyed it more if we’d managed to sit in the open seating area of the hall rather than inside the cafe. Unfortunately, there was no sign of another seat becoming available, so we had to settle for what we could get.
FOURB is well known for its bagels and has several locations around Seoul, so the menu is fairly familiar and reliable. Personally, I like the Bright(Saemunan-ro) branch and the Cheong Wa Dae branch.
Devil’s Door Gramercy Central
- Address: Devil’s Door, 205 Sapyeong-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul
- Hours: 10:30 AM – 11:30 PM / Friday and Saturday: 10:30 AM – 1:00 AM
- Reservations (Catchtable): https://www.catchtable.net/shop/devilsdoor
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devilsdoor.official/
- Map: Google Maps | Naver Map (Recommended for navigation in Korea)
If I’d known about this place a little earlier, I probably would have left FOURB sooner and moved here instead. You need to leave the Famille Station building and head outside to get here, but even in the summer heat, it was absolutely worth the short trip. Unlike the somewhat stuffy, crowded interior of the express bus terminal, Devil’s Door had high ceilings and plenty of open space. That alone made the visit worthwhile. (There’s also a Devil’s Door location at COEX in Samseong station, but personally, I much preferred the Central City location.)
As a pub, it offers a wide range of craft beers and other alcoholic drinks, along with plenty of food options, including chicken, pasta, and burgers. Since this was our second stop of the day, we each ordered a craft beer to suit our tastes, along with the Ultimate Nachos. After that, we ordered another drink each, choosing whatever we felt like having.
+ If You Have Extra Time: A Flower Market and an Art Supply Store
If you arrive earlier than planned and have some time to explore, I’d recommend visiting the Flower wholesale market in the morning. Just keep in mind that the fresh-flower section closes at noon, so you’ll need to get there early.
On this visit, my timing was a little off, and the market was already closing by the time I arrived. Instead, I headed to Hangaram Art & Stationery, a large art and stationery store that turned out to be another fun discovery.
I personally prefer buying everything I need in one go at large stationery stores. One of my usual go-to spots for this is Alpha Stationery in Namdaemun. Compared with Alpha Stationery, Hangaram feels a little more focused on art supplies. It’s also fun to browse through all the different corners of the store, so I’d recommend stopping by if you enjoy art materials, stationery, or simply exploring interesting shops.
Hangaram Art & Stationery
- Address: B1, Seoul Express Bus Terminal, 194 Sinbanpo-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul
- Hours: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hangaram_art/
- Map: Google Maps | Naver Map (Recommended for navigation in Korea)
Safe travels, Soy Kim
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