One Chuseok holiday in Seoul, I went to Shinsajeon, thinking we should eat jeon on this traditional holiday like the rest of the Korean.
Introducing Sinsajeon, a hidden culinary gem nestled in the bustling Garosu-gil district, known for its delectable honeycomb makgeolli, cheese potato pancakes, and assorted savoury pancakes. Its appeal transcends borders, drawing not only local South Koreans but also a multitude of international tourists, creating a lively and diverse atmosphere.
Sinsajeon has gained a strong following on social media as a must-visit destination. It is a popular hotspot among young adults in their 20s and 30s coming for their honeycomb makgeoli. But I was here at 3pm on a weekday so the place was almost empty.
모둠전 Combination Jeon
Jeon 전 is Korean-style fritters, and they’re eaten at all meals as side dishes, or as snacks. They are traditionally prepared every year during the Korean Lunar New Year and Chuseok 추석 (mid-autumn harvest festival).
The assorted platter came with two varieties of mushrooms (애호박 king trumpet, 표고전 shiitake), 애호박 zucchini, 새우 shrimp, 두부 tofu, 동그랑땡 Korean style meatballs, 깻잎전 sesame leaves with minced pork, 고추전 chilli peppers with minced pork, 동태 pollack, and 김치전 kimchi jeon, all fried with a custom batter and an egg wash.
My favourites were the perilla leaves with minced meat, and chilli with minced meat. The latter reminded me of pan-fried yong tau foo 釀豆腐 from Malaysia. The difference is the sauce – instead of the sweet sauce, a savoury and slightly spicy soy sauce is provided.
외할머니 김치찌개 Grandma’s Kimchi Stew With Pork
Besides the jeon, they also provide other Korean home cooked specialties like kimchi-jigae. Kimchi stew is one of the most-loved of all the stews in Korean cuisine. It’s a warm, hearty, spicy, savory, delicious dish that pretty much everyone loves. Kimchi jiggae is normally made with firm tofu, but I prefer it with soondubu (soft tofu).
Kimchi-jigae or spicy fermented napa cabbage stew is sold as a side dish for dinner and lunch, and all ingredients are domestically sourced in Korea. The local pork belly is simply fantastic. When the fat from the pork melts into the soup, it becomes irresistibly delicious!
Kimchi jigae is a robust, spicy, and sour stew, so its accompanying
banchan (side dishes) are typically simple and light to balance the flavours. The goal of the banchan is to provide contrasting textures and milder flavours, as the stew itself is the main, flavourful dish. The pickled yellow onions were really delicious and cut through the grease perfectly.
There are equally good jeon restaurants around Seoul, but Sinsajeon makes them prettier. If you are not into the makgeolli, then it’s not necessary to join in the queue with the rest.
Sinsajeon 신사전
18 Dosan-daero 11-gil, Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea
Tel : +82 2 3443 9991
Visited Oct 2025
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