You won’t be finding anything good. Breakfast is not a thing here like you’re expecting.

The western hotels all have brunch and it is INSANELY expensive, like 150,000 KRW+++ because it’s a flex for families and birthdays. BUT the brunches are not like sexy Korean food, with amazing technique. It’s seafood and meat and Chinese food bc that’s what Koreans want. Very little western anything.

Not to mention for actual breakfast, Koreans eat at home or eat nothing. And if they eat at home, breakfast is the same menu items as other times of day. If they eat on the go, it’s always bread or yogurt or fruit.

And NOTHING is open before 11a except chain cafes which means chain bakery lol.

Literally when I travel out of Korea two things are VERY SPECIAL to find: breakfast and good pizza lollll (yes these exist but I’m too busy to go an hour one way to Hongdae or Itaewon from my Gangnam bubble)

EDIT TO ADD: the Korean breakfast at basic hotels has its own term called 조식. Search it in NAVER and you’ll see blog review and it’s literally like ramen noodles, toast, and eggs. And Koreans GO CRAZY FOR IT.

Nine Trees has a great breakfast with a variety of food, rice, soup , veggies, yogurt, omelet bar. We loved staying in the one in Insadong. Make sure to book the room with breakfast included as that is a better deal than paying for it each morning.

Korea just doesn't do breakfast the way the West does. Even western style coffee shops don't open early, and the food is often sub-par.

Surprised at all of the comments saying that Korean breakfast restaurants do not exist and that nothing is open before 11am. Perhaps because they are usually unassuming restaurants in older buildings with no accommodations for English speakers. I realize that is more what you are looking for since you're hoping it would be part of a hotel operation.

If you are interested in traditional Korean breakfast restaurants, find a 백반집 near you (search the term on naver) and give few different ones a try in your stay. They usually only have one or two choices of mains with a bunch of side dishes.

Even if you decide this isn't for you, I would not listen to the recommendations of chain cafés for breakfast. You really would be better off going to the higher priced hotel buffets or western breakfast restaurants at that point. The hotel breakfasts have countless reviews in English with photos and videos (everywhere from Google to tiktok) for you to compare prices, value, options. Most do offer more than enough Korean mains and side dishes to give you the opportunity to learn new things you like while also having western or Chinese dishes.

best thing you can do is get a hotel or Airbnb that has a small kitchen so you can make breakfast. If you don't have that, get some pastries day before, find a Isaac toast or a Starbucks. Even those aren't often open until 8.

Have you searched Naver? There are brunch cafes all over the place these days.

Original Pancake House in Gangnam

someone mentioned here but there’s a few “original house of pancakes “ in seoul. quite literally just an american brand that expanded overseas, food is exactly whatd you get at ihop/ dennys/ etc. maybe just a bit higher quality

Travelmaker in hongdae.

Butterfinger pancakes in Sinsa

Looks very nice, where is this?

Krug for brunch hell yeah

광안리 바깥풍경도 멋질텐데~ 음식이 멋집니다~

Korean's are big on breakfast. Most of the soup(tang), gukbap places are breakfast places.

Koreans actually aren't that big on breakfast and don't really have a breakfast food culture as defined as some other neighboring countries. Juk (congee) is eaten but not like a staple, and you can basically get that in any neighborhood if you search 죽 in Naver and just go to the highest ranked one. Bonjuk is a chain so maybe avoid there. As for toast, Issac toast is popular and some traditional markets and certain areas will have stalls for those, but I really wouldn't seek it out. If you just want a traditional small meal I'd just look for 백반 places near you, that's just like a set meal with soup, banchan, a protein, etc. For breakfast I think if there's one common dish it's probably 국밥 of various sorts, like seollungtang or soondae gukbap. For that I really like 이문설농탕 if you're north of the river and the original location of 이도곰탕 if you're in Gangnam. In general restaurants in Korea really don't have big menus and tend to specialize just on one or two things unless you go to a buffet or family restaurant. You could also go to a hansik buffet open in the morning for a sort of traditional meal feel - again just searching 한식뷔페 will turn up some results.

Koreans are not big on breakfast. They eat the same for breakfast, lunch, and dinner - rice, soup, a little protein (a little piece of fish, or chicken the size of your thumb, or a little beef) among the banchan, and (always) kimchi.

Had was told to us is a typical Korean breakfast while we were in an old tea plantation up near Boseong and Korea Tea Museum. Didn't see like there was a 'traditional' breakfast as everywhere we went, there was a wide variety going from Korean variations on Asian staples like porridge or noodles to Western and Asian pastries.

EDIT: it was actually pretty tasty and by the time we were done, these bowls were basically empty.

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https://preview.redd.it/35gvvsws8v2b1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=745a72a05a917931a12b70374eebc7aa529ad56e

This is a breakfast restaurant at Insadong.

한국민속촌 장터 인사동점 02-6954-2858

https://g.co/kgs/KRXxAF

There are a ton. That’s the “homeland” of good foreign food haha.

While some may have strong opinions of her, A Fat Girl’s Food Guide did a very good job of covering EVERYTHING foreign near Itaewon. Also check Restaurant Buzz Seoul FB group.

I’m a fan of Flying Pan Blue for breakfast there

You won't find many Korean breakfast/brunch place but I would advise to either go to Summer Lane or Flying Pan Blue both are really good spots.

Blot coffee!!! Kinda in between hongdae + hapjeong area. Easy walk from both stations, a lil out of the way and quiet because it’s off the main streets.

The coffee is super good, they have oat milk lol, the barista is super nice, very cute inside, and the drop cookies are super delicious too!

I went here almost everyday last trip and it’ll be one of the first places I go back to this time around :)

So abit of backstory - i was there for a month, my wife literally drinks an iced americano everyday, so i looked for a new cafe/takeaway almost daily. My personal favourite would be Hanyakbang. There are way too many to name even in Euljiro alone, I'm just sharing the last few that I went. Just exploring Seoul forest/Seongsu, or Ikseon, so many choices.

Ediya labs, yes i know it's a chain but the flagship is really beautiful.

루프트커피명동

Anthracite

카페 차 성수점

Four stones coffee roasters

커피로스터스세루리안

인사하루앤원데이피치스

Peaches, nice vibes but eh

도렐 성수점텅플

래닛 성수점

There‘s a cafe in Insadong called Cerulean Insa (on Naver maps it’s 세루리안 인사). I specifically searched for this place after having lunch in the area and it did not disappoint. It looks modern on the outside, but it’s a converted hanok on the inside. I enjoyed their coffee more than Cafe Onion.

Grandpa Factory Cafe in Seongsu. Came for the name, stayed for the coffee and design.

That whole neighborhood has blown up with a ton of good cafes in the last couple years.

Near the Hilton Busan, there is a nice coffee shop called Deogmi! The workers are all so nice and they make the experience so pleasant. Plus, their drinks are fantastic!

Koreans don’t really have breakfast food. They eat regular food if they have breakfast at all or just a bread product so there aren’t “breakfast restaurants” for the most part.

Parents just make whatever for breakfast.

If you're looking for porridge, I do recommend 본죽.The place sells traditional porridges and is very delicious! But yeah, if it's a full one meal you're looking for, 백반집 is the place you should go.

Any 김밥집 would do. Get some 우동 after a rough night with too much alcohol.

Korean don’t eat porridge often. Home food for breakfast is rice with salted seaweed or rice mixed with fried egg, soy sauce, and sesame oil, Kimchi on top of the spoon. I think these are in almost Korean’s memory. When you’re preparing for school in the morning, Mom put one bite of rice wrapped in salted seaweed into my mouth.

Try to search 백반집 on Naver. I haven't actually heard of traditional Korean breakfast restaurants but it will be the closest one...

Probably able to get some coffee at 8am at chains like Mega MGC Coffee. Yeosu Cable Car is nice. Yeosu is famous for kanjang kejang (raw crab marinated in soy sauce/ yangnyeom sauce) - loads of famous restaurants for that, expect queues on weekends.

Most of the chain coffee shops are going to be opening at 8am. I’m an early riser, so I wound up at convenience stores on my morning walks more often than not 😅 For sites, Hyangiram is my favorite spot. Be a long taxi ride (or very long bus ride) to get out there though if you don’t have a car.

Thanks to everyone that commented! Leaving Yeosu today and heading back to Seoul, loved our time here!

Edit: earlier coffee shop we found open is Ko-I coffee. Excellent iced americano, cool aesthetic, and most importantly OPEN AT 7am!!!

Address: 576-9 Gyo-dong

Edit2: other great coffee shops opening a little later (830) are ougo and ikkeulda roasters. They’re located in the same neighborhood and make great espresso

If your accommodation is in a busy area, most restaurants and franchised coffee shops will be open nearby. An alternative is a convenience store.

McDs is open 24h.

I remember there was an Issac Toast that opens decently early walkable from Seoul station. Not sure what you’re looking for but it’s thick egg sandwiches.

ICN food places are all pretty good. Not sure what you're looking for as a good breakfast in South Korea, as we don't really have much iconic stuff.

there's a place called dabok inside seoul station. opens at 630am. pretty good. and fyi most sullungtang places open early morning.

You’re right about not an early morning city, dare I say it’s neither a breakfast hot spot either tbh. Good luck

one of the four food courts in seoul station would be open at 9am. it's not fancy but has big windows with city view. not delicious. try more decent meal with your friend. :)