Michelin Guide 2024 names 220 restaurants in Korea, from Seoul to Busan

The Michelin Guide revealed 220 restaurants in Seoul and Busan Thursday, with Mosu as the only three-star spot — though it's currently closed. Busan's culinary scene was also recognized, reinforcing the city's potential as a world-class tourism hub.

Chefs who earned this year's Michelin Guide star status take a group photo after the 2024 Michelin Guide Seoul and Busan unveiling at Busan Signiel, on Thursday. [MICHELIN GUIDE KOREA]

BUSAN — The Michelin Guide on Thursday unveiled a whopping 220 restaurants in its latest list in Korea covering Seoul and, for the first time, Busan.

Only one restaurant, Mosu, made the most prestigious three-star category.

The catch is, Mosu is currently closed.

"We evaluate restaurants based on their performance from the previous year," an official from Michelin Guide Korea told the Korea JoongAng Daily the same day. "We also have word from the chef that Mosu will reopen this year, just at a different location." The distinguished fine-dining restaurant that was located in Yongsan District, central Seoul, closed in January. It was given three stars in the guide's 2023 edition as well.

Mosu aside, another six restaurants were given two stars, and 26 were given one star.

Of the 26 one-stars, three eateries — avant-garde French diner Palate, pasta bistro Fiotto and Japanese omakase restaurant Mori — were from Busan. They were also the only Busan restaurants to receive the guide's coveted star status.

Dish at one-Michelin-starred restaurant Palate in Busan [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Three restaurants in Seoul earned their first star: Asian contemporary Vinho in Gangnam District, southern Seoul; Chinese eatery Haobin in Jung District, central Seoul; and contemporary fine dining L'impression in Gangnam District.

Japanese Mitou and French fine dining Restaurant Allen, both in Gangnam District, each gained an extra star and leveled up to the two-star category.

Dish at one-Michelin-starred restaurant Vinho in Gangnam District, southern Seoul [SCREEN CAPTURE]

“After seven editions of Michelin Guide in Seoul, we have arrived at Busan for the first time in this eighth edition,” Michelin Korea's managing director Jerome Vincon said during the 2024 Michelin Guide unveiling ceremony at Busan Signiel on Thursday. “Busan has a rich culture and a strong Korean heart while being an international city. Being open to the world leads to generosity, being open to new ideas leads to creativity, facing challenges leads to courage, and being curious leads to endless striving for excellence."

Michelin Korea's managing director Jerome Vincon speaks during the Micheline Guide Ceremony 2024 Seoul and Busan at Signiel Busan, on Thursday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Lee Jun-seung, vice mayor of administrative affairs for Busan Metropolitan City, pointed out the importance of food in tourism.

“Culinary tourism is increasingly playing a crucial role in becoming an attractive tourist hot spot and promoting the local economy. Busan is a large city that is close to the beach and holds diverse festivals throughout the seasons and has a vibrant food scene with abundant seafood. It also has a rich historical background stemming from embracing Korean refugees during the Korean War [in 1950-53].

“We hope that Busan’s charms can be better highlighted going forward, and we are delighted to have an established system for the city’s culinary scene and to have our restaurants evaluated on a global standard.

“Busan will continue to put in the effort to become a world-class tourism hub.”

Busan's Buda Myeonoak's naengmyeon, or cold buckwheat noodles [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Michelin Guide's international director Gwendal Poullennec, who joined via video, relayed the enthusiasm of the guide’s inspectors while exploring eateries in Busan for the first time.

“They all frankly had a great time experiencing Busan’s food scene, which we found was driven by talent, passion and generosity.

“We now take on the mission of introducing Busan’s food scene to the world.”

Thursday’s ceremony also separately named 25 Select restaurants and 15 Bib Gourmand restaurants in Busan. The list includes a range of cuisines based on dishes from the likes of Hong Kong, France, Taiwan and Japan, alongside Busan's iconic dish, dwaeji gukbap (pork and rice soup).

Select restaurants by Michelin are establishments that meet the criteria set by the inspectors but that do not qualify for a Bib Gourmand or a Michelin Star. Bib Gourmand restaurants meet Michelin standards while also being affordable, offering dishes under 45,000 won ($34) on average.

Seoul this year has 87 Select restaurants including 13 new additions, and 57 Bib Gourmand restaurants including six new additions, both of which were announced earlier this month.

The Michelin Guide handed out a Green Star to Busan’s Fiotto. Launched in 2020, the Green Star is given out to eateries with ethically and environmentally sustainable practices. Fiotto sources more than 90 percent of its fruits and vegetables from the chef's family farm, and the chef and his wife are actively involved in the farming to ensure quality ingredients, according to the restaurant guide. They also promote an environmentally friendly approach by prioritizing the use of healthy, locally sourced ingredients and minimizing the use of packaged industrial foods.

Fiotto joins the country’s two other restaurants in the Green Star category: Korean restaurant A Flower Blossom on the Rice in Jongno District, central Seoul, which has been on the list for four consecutive years now, and modern European restaurant Gigas in Jung District.

Veteran chef Hu Deok-juk of Haobin received the Mentor Chef Award. With over 50 years of experience, he formerly worked at Hotel Shilla.

Kim Jin-ho of Vinho won the Sommelier Award.

The Service Award, intended to celebrate restaurant managing teams, went to the Eatanic Garden team at Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection in Gangnam District. The restaurant was also awarded one star during the ceremony.

The complete list of the 2024 Michelin restaurants can be found on the restaurant guide’s official webpage.

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]