Michelin Guide 2024 in South Korea: three 1-star restaurants in Busan announced in city’s first ever selections; Mosu in Seoul keeps 3 stars but remains closed

Michelin Guide 2024 in South Korea: three 1-star restaurants in Busan announced in city’s first ever selections; Mosu in Seoul keeps 3 stars but remains closed

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Local media previously reported that CJ CheilJedang, the company owner of the restaurant, had not renewed its contract with chef Sung Anh. The website for Mosu Seoul simply reads: “Closure Announcement. This website is no longer available. Thank you for your support.”

On Michelin’s own website, a note has been added to the entry for Mosu: “Temporarily closed due to [a] restaurant moving issue”.

The inside of Mosu, in Seoul, which has been closed since January. Photo: Mosu

Among Busan’s new one-star restaurants is Palate, a modern Korean fusion restaurant by chef Kim Jae-hoon that highlights seasonal ingredients fashioned into minimalist plates, which hint at his stints in Australia’s Moon Park and Lumi restaurants. He was formerly at Zero Complex in Seoul, during which time the restaurant received its one-Michelin-star status, which it retains today.

Another, Fiotto, serves handmade pastas made with Korean ingredients, and its commitment to sourcing local and seasonal produce – 90 per cent directly from its family farm – also earned the restaurant a Michelin Green Star for sustainability.

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Busan’s third new one-Michelin-star restaurant is Mori, a Japanese kaiseki restaurant showcasing the best of Busan’s local ocean catches.

In Seoul, there were few shifts in the line-up of starred restaurants, while the guide introduced three new one-Michelin-star venues. Vinho, a contemporary restaurant in the Gangnam district, received its first star, while its co-founder and sommelier Kim Jin-ho received the guide’s Sommelier Award.

Chinese cuisine also placed favourably in this year’s guide. Chef Hu Deok-juk of Haobin at The Ambassador Seoul hotel, which serves Korean-Chinese cuisine with Cantonese inflections, earned its first Michelin star. Hu was also crowned the Mentor Chef awardee for his devotion to furthering Korean-Chinese cuisine and guiding a new generation of chefs.

Palate’s sourdough ice cream. Photo: Instagram/@palate.busan

Two one-Michelin-star venues were also promoted to two-Michelin-star status: Japanese restaurant Mitou, and Restaurant Allen, which serves contemporary cuisine; the latter received a significant amount of applause when its name was announced.

Myomi, the fine dining restaurant with stunning views of Seoul’s Changdeokgung Palace, lost its one Michelin star. While reasons are never given for such changes, the fact that chef Kim Jeong-muk – who helped the restaurant retain its stars for four years – left to join Anto in New York City in 2023, may have contributed to Michelin’s decision.

The awards presentation was delayed by almost half an hour because of snowy conditions in Seoul affecting trains – carrying chefs and journalists on their way to the ceremony – into Busan.

Chef Kang Min-goo also oversees the Korean fine dining restaurant Hansik Goo in Central, Hong Kong. Photo: Hansik Goo
Among those present to accept their awards in person was chef Kang Min-goo of Mingles, which retained its two-Michelin-star status. Mosu’s chef Anh was also present to accept the award for the restaurant, despite its unknown future.
Both chefs have a stake in the Hong Kong dining scene – Kang oversees the Korean fine dining restaurant Hansik Goo in Central, while Anh opened Mosu’s second branch at the M+ Museum in West Kowloon in 2022.

Mosu Hong Kong was snubbed in the 2023 edition of the Michelin Guide Hong Kong and Macau, and it remains to be seen whether it will be awarded a star when the 2024 edition is announced on March 14 in Macau.

A line-up of chefs representing Michelin-starred restaurants in Seoul and Busan on stage at the Signiel Busan hotel on February 22, 2024. Photo: Michelin Guide

“I’m very happy because we have many gourmet cities in our country, not only in Seoul,” says Kang, adding that the new Busan edition will help showcase the region’s restaurants to the world.

The recognition of Busan was described as “a significant milestone as we continue to witness the dynamic evolution of culinary excellence in Korea” by Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of the Michelin Guides.

“We eagerly embrace the challenge of spotlighting the remarkable diversity of Busan’s dining scene to the world.”

Mosu’s chef Anh was present to accept the award for the restaurant despite its unknown future. Photo: Antony Dickson

Full list of Michelin-starred restaurants in Seoul and Busan 2024

New additions denoted with an asterisk

1 Michelin star

Bicena

Eatanic Garden

Evett

Exquisine

Fiotto * (Busan)

Goryori Ken

Hane

Haobin *

Won-ho Choi, country manager for Swiss watch brand Blancpain, and Jérôme Vincon of Michelin Korea present the Mentor Chef Award to Hu Deok-juk of Haobin in Seoul. Photo: Michelin Guide

Kang Minchul Restaurant

Kojacha

L’Amant Secret

L’Amitié

L’Impression *

Mori * (Busan)

Muni

Muoki

Onjium

Palate * (Busan)

7th Door

Solbam

Soseoul Hannam

Soul

Sushi Matsumoto

Vinho *

Yun

Zero Complex

Palate’s freshwater eel steamed in binchotan charcoal. Photo: Instagram/@palate.busan

2 Michelin stars

Alla Prima

Jungsik

Kojima

Kwonsooksoo

La Yeon

Mingles

Mitou * (promoted from one star)

Restaurant Allen * (promoted from one star)

Soigné

3 Michelin stars

Mosu (closed)

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