Michelin Announces 2019 Stars for Seoul

For the third year running, the tire purveyors over at Michelin have offered up their take on Seoul’s dining scene. The 2019 guide to South Korea’s capital includes two restaurants with two Michelin stars for the first time, along with four new one-star restaurants.

Mingles, chef Mingoo Kang’s modern Korean restaurant (an Eater essential) was bumped up to the two-star level after maintaining one star in the first two years of the Michelin guide. Asian-Italian restaurant Alla Prima also moves up from the one-star to two-star rank in 2019. They join existing two-star restaurants Kwonsooksoo, Sushi Kojima, and Jungsik.

There are 19 restaurants with one star this year, including four new selections: Lee Jong Kuk 104, Hansikgonggan, Muoki, and Mosu. Mosu, chef Sung Anh’s tasting menu restaurant, moved to Seoul from San Francisco, where it also received one Michelin star.

Seoul still has two restaurants with three stars (Michelin’s highest rank) — Ga On and Eater essential La Yeon — bringing the total starred selection to 26 restaurants, two more than last year. As always, the guide also includes Seoul’s Bib Gourmand restaurants, a selection of dining options at more affordable price points. The list includes 61 restaurants total. There are 11 new Bib Gourmand spots picked to highlight “the growing diversity of Seoul’s dining scene” — meaning that for the first time ever, Seoul has a ramen restaurant in the Michelin guide, albeit without a Michelin star.

• Michelin Guide Seoul 2019 Selection [Michelin]
• The 38 Essential Seoul Restaurants [E]