Day 40: Infinite Woohyun's Family Restaurant

Just to start it off, I must say as I go to each idol restaurant, my experience just keeps getting better and better and my bias list keeps changing! Anyways...

Today, Tuesday July 29, I visited Woohyun's older brother's meat grilling restaurant, 먹&삼 생고기집. To get here, take the line 4 subway to Suyu Station (수유역) and head to exit 8. 

Continue out of the exit and walk down the block, passing this Namu store (it's a sign!) until you hit a four way crosswalk and intersection. Keep heading straight, crossing the street. 

Once you cross the street, immediately turn left and walk down for about half a block, until you reach this arched sign.

Head into this alley and walk another half block, and you will see the restaurant on the right! Just look for these signs, and you know you're at the right place.

The restaurant has an outdoor patio, but everyone was eating inside. An ahjumma kindly opened the door for my Korean Inspirit friend and me. Once inside, there are more seated tables and the back half is for floor tables. Other fangirls occupied many tables; we joined in and sat in the middle of the floor. There was at least one party of middle aged adults though.

This restaurant mildly screams "idol restaurant!" with just a few posters of Woohyun, random Infinite related items here and there, and memorabilia around the cashier counter.There was also one fanart of Woohyun hanging on the wall, making it that much more special. This gorgeous Koi Ni Ochiru Toki lifesize poster was in my line of sight for my entire dinner^^

Of course I didn't come here for the food, but for the experience. I can't really say much about the food, but here's the menu, which is in English. The two meat dishes we ordered were tasty, but I think we cooked them too long -.-  I recommend the second meat item marked on the order form! Also my friend's friend said that she recommends the cow intestine, 소막창.

And here is the food. The two meat dishes we ordered are on the same plate, which came with two mushrooms, and then our banchan surrounds the center. We also order 물냉면, which were really hard to chew since we forgot to cut them first.

Once seated, Woohyun's brother (who I didn't really register as his brother, as I'm used to parents of idols, but he was wearing casual clothes, a tee with a rainbow woven pocket and black harem pants that is soo Woohyun's style) came to our table and started speaking in Korean, then my friend said that I can't understand, then he asked where I'm from in Korean, and I said 시애틀에 왔...(I kind of just got overwhelmed with feels and drifted off), and he was shocked that I spoke really basic Korean. Then he took my hand and shook it and thanked me! We were shaking hands for awhile, as if he were waiting for me to spill my fangirl feels, but I just said 감사합니다. I felt like I had missed my chance to say something! 

He kept checking in on us for a bit after that and later gave my friend two Infinite fans for us, provided by Sungjong's fansite Lemoncandy (who had also provided fans to the other restaurants).

My friend said that earlier, Boohyun told her that he knows Japanese. She then saw Japanese Inspirits taking photos with him. (Seriously, the more idol restaurants I go to, the better they get...)!

Later, I waited until Boohyun was at the counter so I could pay (because he'd either be taking care of the charcoal for the tables or inside the kitchen) because this woman worker in casual clothes (...Woohyun's mom?) kept congregating at the counter so the timing had to be just right. There were many autographs, photos and fansite banners on the wall next to the counter, so I just started taking photos of those once I saw only Boohyun was at the counter.

There was a set of autographs from Infinite (which are blurry ㅠㅠ when I go back, I'll retake them!), as well as autographs from other idols, like Tasty, 4Minute and Boyfriend.

When I finally got the courage, I went up to Boohyun and asked in Korean 우현 형이에요? ("Are you Woohyun's brother?" If I had asked 우현의 형이에요, that would have been awkward, calling Woohyun Woohyunie...). He didn't understand so I awkwardly paused and repeated myself, and he humbly said yes and asked if I'm a fan to which I said yes. Then I asked 우리 같이 사진 찍어도 돼요 (can we take a picture together) and he asked in Korean if I'd post it online, to which I quickly said 아니에요, no, as I'd hate my photo to be online as well. He agreed, took my phone and took a selca with me! Then he shook my hand again and said thank you and (I think this was all in Korean?) told me to feel free to take any more photos of the restaurant, waving his hand to the front half of the restaurant that I haven't been to yet. In return, I told him that the food was delicious, in Korean. While I was taking photos, he asked my friend when I'm going back home and I interupted, saying 팔월 십칠일. Then he said in Korean to come back again (또 어서 오세요) and I said 저는 다시 가고 싶어요 (I want to go again) and he said 이게 (here?) and I said yes. Then he asked my friend how to say "come back again" in English and I said 다시 들어와 (he didn't get it...) and then "please come back again!" Afterwards I continued on my photo spree, fangirling on the inside.

Here are some cute decorations hiding in the front corner that Boohyun pointed me over to. There was also a High School: Love On fan nearby.

Also by the main door is a pillar with post-it notes for Woohyun! Woohyun posted this on his twitter recently; it makes me feel bad for not adding to this collection! I think you have to provide your own post-it and pen though. My photo was blurry so I'll go back and take another one...the feels were too intense for my hand to stay still.

Once we left the restaurant, we went out to the patio to take more pictures (which, of course, were also blurry ㅠㅠ). But just as we were stepping off the platform to go back onto the street, Boohyun cutely popped his head out of this side window facing the patio and said thank you again! He was so sweet and welcoming and grateful, the feels are still very much alive as I'm writing this a few days later.

I was so shocked at the presence of Boohyun that some of my photos are blurry ㅠㅠ but since he told me to come back again, I have to come back and then I'll get my chance to retake them~