G-Dragon, right, reunites with Jeong Hyung-don, left, and Defconn at Dongmyo Galbi in a scene from MBC's "Good Day." Courtesy of MBC

In Seoul, a city renowned for its vibrant food scene, K-pop stars have pulled back the curtain on their favorite local eateries, sharing them through shows and YouTube content. From hidden gems to trendy spots, these K-pop star-approved restaurants are quickly garnering the spotlight, giving fans a taste of authentic Korean cuisine to stylish restaurants with a touch of K-pop connection.

G-Dragon's go-to spots

MBC's new show "Good Day" kicked off last month with high anticipation as G-Dragon joined hands with star producer Kim Tae-ho for his first solo variety show.

As the show follows the singer's journey to collaborate with different individuals from various fields for inspiration to create a song, the spots he visits to meet his guests are also coming to viewers' attention.

In its first episode, G-Dragon reunites with comedian Jeong Hyung-don at Dongmyo Galbi, a barbecue restaurant, reigniting the unique chemistry they've shown whenever the BIGBANG member guest-starred on the hit variety show "Infinite Challenge."

Meeting up with Jeong and musician Defconn, G-Dragon walks down the memory lane with the two over the restaurant's "yukhoe," Korean-style beef tartar, and "somaek," a cocktail made with soju and beer.

Dongmyo Galbi, located near the famous Dongmyo Flea Market, a hub for vintage fashion and antiques, is a place to enjoy Korean-style barbecue with an old local vibe. The restaurant offers meats from beef brisket and yukhoe to pork belly and marinated pork rib with various sides like bibimbap and stew.

A yellowtail sashimi dish from Banggo Pocha / Captured from Banggo Pocha's Instagram

Seoul's Hannam-dong is known as a luxurious neighborhood, but in an alley, Banggo Pocha offers a low-key "pojangmacha" (outdoor cart), where G-Dragon meets up with his neighbor, actor Kim Go-eun, along with music producer Code Kunst and comedian Cho Sae-ho, on the show.

The restaurant, also known as comedian Cho's favorite spot in the neighborhood, has a wide selection of seafood on its menu, including seasonal options like oyster and yellowtail, as well as "gwamegi" — North Gyeongsang Province's signature half-dried herring — sourced from Pohang. For those who are not seafood enthusiasts, it also has other options like yukhoe and tteokbokki.

NCT Doyoung's favorite

NCT member Doyoung is known as one of the biggest foodies in the K-pop scene, so when he shared some of his favorite spots on MBC's reality show "I Live Alone," they went viral, leading curious fans to visit.

A tteokbokki street vendor across from Norunsan Market in Gwangjin District, was introduced as the singer's go-to spot for tteokbokki. The vendor, which has a simple menu of tteokbokki, fries and "eomuk" (fishcake), saw an influx of customers since the visit aired on the show, leading to a special set menu named after the singer.

NCT's Doyoung enjoys his favorite dish from Dongdaemun Gopchang on "I Live Alone." Courtesy of MBC

Another restaurant he shared as his favorite go-to place is Dongdaemun Gopchang, also near Norunsan Market. The singer said he has visited the spot often with NCT members since 2019.

The eatery, which was already popular to the neighborhood's locals, sells "dwaeji gopchang" (pig intestine) along with "dakbokkeumtang" (braised spicy chicken), along with a variation with chicken and crab, its specialties. Gopchang can be enjoyed grilled or as a stew.

ITZY's taco place

ITZY members' favorite spots are also gaining attention. In one of the episodes last month for the group's YouTube show "2SDAY," members Chaeryeong and Yuna visited Haebangchon, an old neighborhood of Yongsan District on Mount Nam. Along their trip, the two visited Tipsy Taco, a restaurant recommended by Yuna.

The cozy eatery, located in Sinheung Market, offers Mexican cuisine with a twist of Korean flavors. Its tacos include Korean ingredients like bulgogi, "doenjang" (soy bean paste) and "gochujang" (chili paste). Along with Korean Mexican fusion flavors, it also serves classic Mexican sides like cheesy nachos and guacamole with chips.