Jungsik

Jungsik is the flagship of chef Yim Jung-sik, one of the chefs most responsible for putting modern Korean cooking on the international map. The restaurant describes its style as New Korean Fine Dining: familiar Korean ingredients and flavours, reinterpreted with contemporary technique and presented as an elegant tasting menu. Its New York sister restaurant brought the same idea to Manhattan, and the Seoul original holds two Michelin stars in the 2026 Michelin Guide.

Meals are served as set courses that change with the seasons. Expect a sequence of small, carefully composed plates that start from recognisable Korean dishes, such as rice bowls, stews, banchan side dishes or street snacks, and turn them into something lighter and more refined. Korean produce is at the centre of every course, and the desserts are known for playing with Korean flavours and forms. Wine and drink pairings are offered for those who want them.

The dining room is in a building on a side street in Cheongdam, one of the smartest areas of Gangnam, and has a calm, contemporary design. The experience suits food lovers, couples celebrating an occasion and business diners, and it is an excellent counterpoint to a day of traditional market food, showing how Korean cuisine is being reinvented at the top end.

Reservations are needed and can be made online through the CatchTable platform linked from the restaurant's website, or by emailing the reservations team. Popular evenings fill early, so book well before you travel, and give notice of any allergies or dietary requirements, as the menu is set. Lunch menus are usually shorter than dinner and a gentler introduction to the cooking. Smart casual clothing is appropriate.

Jungsik and Mingles are the two Seoul restaurants most often compared by visitors planning a modern Korean meal, and both are in the same part of Gangnam. The restaurant's website links to its map location, which is the easiest thing to show a taxi driver, as side-street addresses in Gangnam can be hard to find.

Apgujeong Rodeo Station on the Suin-Bundang Line is within walking distance, and taxis are easy to find in the area. Cheongdam's luxury fashion boutiques and the Dosan Park area are nearby, making it easy to combine dinner with an afternoon of shopping and cafés.