Between Events at COEX, a Burger and a Place to Sit

There is a question I always face after an event at COEX: where to eat? The complex is enormous and full of choices, but once I start walking, the succession of chains makes it oddly hard to decide. On a day arranged around a show or event, I am usually looking for a short wait and a meal that will leave me ready for whatever comes next. After the Korea–Japan Festival, a friend and I went downstairs to a small shop called Himnanda Burger.

The basement at COEX can send you back to the same spot if you do not know the way. Turn off the main passage and there is a stretch of smaller shops. The burger place sits quietly in a corner there. It is the size of a cafe, easy to walk past if you are not looking for it. That was part of the appeal. The post-event crowd already felt a little farther away.

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A Bright Room and a Short Menu

Inside, it felt more like a tidy, bright cafe than a rustic burger joint. There were counter seats and small tables for two. I came with someone that day, but it would have been just as easy to sit down on my own.

Alongside cheeseburgers and bacon burgers, there were a few less familiar combinations. I had gone downstairs wanting something quick between events, and a short, clear menu made the choice easy. Here, once we had agreed on burgers, there was little more to decide.

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What the Break Was Worth

It cost more than McDonald’s or Lotteria. What I got for the difference was a place where I could take a breath. After several hours on my feet at the festival, just sitting down over a meal felt restorative.

The portion suited the gap in the schedule. I have had lunches at COEX that made the walk to the next venue feel longer than it was. This was enough to eat and still feel ready to get up and move.

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A Place That Fits COEX

People spend whole days here moving between exhibitions, shows, shops and sightseeing. A restaurant in a complex like this can earn its place by giving people somewhere to pause. That was what the burger shop did for me that afternoon.

I could see myself stopping by alone, sitting down for a quick conversation with a friend, or using the time before a show. COEX is full of large, busy restaurants. I am more likely to remember the small room where I could hear the person across the table.