Chimaek Nights in Jongno: A Vintage Seoul Experience

 

Review: Chicken and Draft Beer at Nakwon Arcade, Jongno, Seoul

Nakwon Arcade in Jongno is one of Seoul’s most iconic and historic downtown neighborhoods. Surrounded by major tourist attractions like Gwanghwamun, Deoksugung Palace, and Insadong, it’s a popular area for travelers exploring the heart of the city.

치맥집

This neighborhood is filled with vintage Korean shops and arcades that reflect the country’s traditional urban culture. Especially in areas like Insadong and Ikseon-dong, the streets are bustling with tourists—not because of flashy modern buildings, but because they preserve the everyday lifestyle and charm of Korea’s past.

Tonight, I visited a draft beer spot with friends for our second round (what Koreans call “2-cha”). The place is called Gyedong Chicken, a timeworn chicken-and-beer joint that carries the marks of history. In Korea, when you think of a draft beer place, it’s usually a chicken shop—and vice versa. There’s a kind of unwritten rule: chicken shop = draft beer.

The menu features classic Korean pub dishes: various styles of fried chicken, spicy sea snails (golbaengi), fish cakes (odeng), silkworm pupae (beondegi), and dried pollack (meoktae). They serve both bottled and draft beer, but if you’re at a chicken place, draft beer is the way to go. That’s how you complete the legendary Korean combo: chimaek (chicken + maekju, beer).

In Korea, the typical night out starts with dinner (1-cha), followed by drinks at a pub or beer house (2-cha). If you’re visiting Seoul, you’ll naturally find yourself wandering around Nakwon Arcade. I highly recommend experiencing a Korean-style BBQ joint or a local chicken-and-beer spot in this area. It’s a rare chance to glimpse the everyday life of Korean locals in the middle of a modern city.

낙원동골목