Ikseon Chwihyang (익선취향) : TikTok-Famous Ikseon-dong Restaurant Worth Queuing For?
If you’ve been browsing TikTok or Instagram for Ikseon-dong restaurants, chances are you’ve seen Ikseon Chwihyang pop up again and again, especially for one dish: pork belly rosé pasta. It’s one of those places that looks calm and elegant on screen, tucked inside a traditional hanok, yet always seems to have a line outside.
I visited Ikseon Chwihyang right at opening time to see whether the hype translates into a good dining experience. This post puts the important information first—queue timing, what it’s actually like inside, what stood out, and what fell short—before going deeper into the food and atmosphere.
TL;DR (for skimmers)
Extremely popular on TikTok, especially for the pork belly rosé pasta
Arrived at 12:00 PM, queue started forming by 12:10 PM
Beautiful hanok atmosphere, very photogenic
Food looked great, flavors were decent
Main downside: dishes were served warm to cool, not properly hot
Would be significantly better if food temperature was improved
If you’re planning to visit, arrive early and manage expectations.
Why Ikseon Chwihyang is so popular right now
Ikseon-dong is already known for its hanok cafés and atmospheric restaurants, but Ikseon Chwihyang stands out because it combines three things social media loves:
Traditional hanok setting
Western-style dishes with Korean twists
Visually striking plates, especially pasta
On TikTok, short clips of creamy rosé pasta topped with thick slices of pork belly perform extremely well. The food looks indulgent, familiar, and “safe” for people who may not want traditional Korean food for every meal.
That visibility alone explains why lines form so quickly.
Queue reality: Timing matters
I arrived at 12:00 PM, right when the restaurant opened. At that point, there was no line. However, by 12:10 PM, a queue had already started forming outside.
By the time food was served, there were clearly people waiting.
Key takeaway:
If you arrive even 15–20 minutes late, you will likely have to wait. Ikseon Chwihyang is not a place you casually walk into during peak hours, especially on weekends.
First Impressions: Interior and Atmosphere
Walking in, it’s easy to understand why Ikseon Chwihyang is photographed so often.
The space features:
Exposed wooden beams
Warm lighting and chandeliers
Gravel flooring and stepping stones
Traditional hanok elements mixed with European décor
It feels cozy, quiet, and slightly nostalgic—more like a carefully styled café than a restaurant built for quick turnover. The tables are closely spaced, but not uncomfortably so.
From a purely atmospheric standpoint, this is one of the more visually pleasing restaurants in Ikseon-dong.
The Menu: Simple, Curated, and Social-media friendly
Ikseon Chwihyang does not have a large menu. Instead, it focuses on a small selection of Western-inspired dishes, including:
Steak plates
Cream-based and rosé pastas
Risotto
Omurice
This limited approach works in theory—it keeps ordering simple and avoids decision fatigue. Most tables seem to order at least one pasta, with the pork belly rosé pasta being the most common choice.
The TikTok star: Pork Belly Rosé Pasta
Let’s talk about the dish that made this place famous.
Visually, the pork belly rosé pasta looks exactly like it does online:
Thick, neatly sliced pork belly
Creamy, orange-pink rosé sauce
Long pasta arranged cleanly on the plate
Flavor-wise, it’s pleasant. The sauce is creamy without being overly heavy, and the pork belly adds richness and texture.
However—and this is important—the dish was served not hot. It was somewhere between warm and room temperature.
That significantly affected the experience.
Cream-based pasta relies on heat to bring everything together. When served lukewarm, the sauce loses impact, and the pork belly doesn’t feel as indulgent as it should.
If this dish were served properly hot, it would easily be much better.
Steak : Good execution, Same Temperature Issue
The steak dishes were well plated and looked appealing. The meat was cooked to a decent doneness, and the sauce paired well.
But again, the same issue appeared:
the food arrived warm, not hot.
This wasn’t a one-off issue with one plate—it seemed consistent across dishes. Nothing was cold enough to send back, but nothing was hot enough to feel freshly cooked.
For a restaurant with this level of demand, that’s a noticeable flaw.
Is it still worth visiting?
The answer depends on what you value most.
It is worth visiting if:
You care about atmosphere and visuals
You enjoy TikTok-famous food spots
You don’t mind queueing if you arrive early
You prioritize vibe over technical perfection
It may disappoint you if:
You are sensitive to food temperature
You expect restaurant-level heat and timing
You value flavor execution over aesthetics
Personally, I felt the experience was good but not great—and that gap exists mainly because of temperature control, not concept or menu.
Best time and tips before you go
Arrive at opening time (12:00 PM)
Expect a queue to start within 10–15 minutes
Order the pork belly rosé pasta if it’s your first visit
Keep expectations realistic: this is more about experience than culinary depth
Final Thoughts
Ikseon Chwihyang is popular for a reason. The setting is beautiful, the menu is approachable, and the dishes photograph extremely well. It fits perfectly into Ikseon-dong’s slow, aesthetic dining culture.
That said, popularity brings expectations.
If the food were served properly hot, the overall experience would improve dramatically. As it stands, Ikseon Chwihyang feels like a restaurant that has nailed visual identity and atmosphere, but still has room to improve on execution.
Would I recommend it?
Yes—with the advice to arrive early and understand what you’re going for.
If you’re exploring Ikseon-dong and want a calm, photogenic lunch spot that’s trending heavily on TikTok, Ikseon Chwihyang is still worth checking out—just know that it shines more in ambience than in heat coming off the plate.
