Korea's fine dining scene appears to have risen another notch from last year. Six Seoul fine dining restaurants made the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list, often called the "Olympics of gastronomy" in Asia. Among them, Chef Kang Min-goo's "Mingles" achieved the highest ranking ever for a Korean fine dining restaurant.
Asia's 50 Best Restaurants is an awards program created in 2013 by U.K. media company William Reed. It was launched to discover lesser-known Asian restaurants and chefs compared with those in Europe and the United States and to introduce Asian gastronomy to the world, and it has established itself as an authoritative benchmark in the global dining scene alongside the Michelin Guide.
According to the industry on the 29th, Chef Kang Min-goo's Mingles was recently ranked No. 4 on this year's Asia's 50 Best Restaurants. Last year, Mingles entered the top 10 for the first time, at No. 5. It rose one place. Mingles is a restaurant that reinterprets Korean food culture and philosophy in a modern way. It offers course menus centered on seasonal ingredients.
This year's No. 1 spot went to Hong Kong's "The Chairman." It is lauded for presenting Cantonese cuisine in a contemporary way. Last year's No. 1, Bangkok, Thailand's "Gaggan," ranked third. Also in the top 10 were two restaurants from Hong Kong, three from China, one from Macau, and three from Thailand.
While Mingles was the only Seoul entry in the top 10, a broader look at the top 50 shows a notable surge by Seoul-based restaurants. Of the 50 best restaurants in Asia, six Seoul-based restaurants made the list this time. Considering there were only four last year, the number of recognized restaurants increased slightly.
"Itaewon Ikseon Garden," run by Son Jong-won, also placed 26th. Son Jong-won's Itaewon Ikseon Garden is located in the Josun Palace hotel and is known as a favorite of Shinsegae Chairman Chung Yong-jin. It is known for menus themed around coexistence with nature and has been awarded 1 star by the Michelin Guide for three consecutive years since 2023.
A retail industry official said, "In the past, Kim Beom-su, a food blogger and former Starbucks Korea marketing executive who was personally recruited to the group by Chairman Chung Yong-jin, connected Son Jong-won and Chairman Chung, and as that relationship continued, Son was able to fully demonstrate his capabilities."
"Mosu," whose sponsor reportedly changed from CJ Group to Pulmuone, ranked 41st. Mosu is run by Anh Sung-jae and operates as a private dining restaurant. It features an open kitchen where guests can watch the chef's cooking process.
"Vium," a plant-based fine dining restaurant run by Chef Kim Dae-chun, ranked 43rd. Lee Woong-yeol, honorary chairman of Kolon, is a major investor in Vium. Operations are handled entirely by Kim. "Seventh Door," also run by Kim, ranked 49th. With two restaurants under his leadership making the list, Kim drew attention.
The retail industry sees the rise in awareness of gastronomy, along with revived investment in fine dining by corporations, as key factors. Fine dining is treated as a form of art. Prices are high for a single meal because premium ingredients are used generously and much time is invested. Many say it is not easy to turn a profit, making investment by corporations or business figures essential.
A retail industry official said, "The consumer base that enjoys fine dining must be substantial, but it is also important to have support from corporations or business leaders who trust and invest until fine dining takes root. Recently in Korea, this culture has been taking hold."