Best Modern Korean Restaurants in Seoul

Local Recommendations from our My Guide Seoul team

Modern Korean food or Korean nouvelle cuisine has really taken off in recent years. Breaking away from the traditional focus on fermented foods, modern Korean food is an experience you definitely don't want to miss out on. Find some of the best here!

Modern Korean food is everything traditional Korean is not. Except for great taste, they are very different. Modern Korean is lighter, uses a variety of western cooking techniques and is more delicate with the seasoning, making their chosen ingredients shine. Presentation is Western, meaning smaller portion size and aestethically plated. Some people say it is basically a sophistication of traditional Korean cooking and in some ways it is not far off. But the best explanation would be to say that it is Western cooking techniques and philosophy applied to traditional Korean cooking and ingredients. Which one is better? It is just like saying what is better, a homemade hearty beef stew? Or a beautifully presented beef main course in a fine dining restaurant. They both taste great! Modern Korean food is flavorful, new and exciting and you'll be guaranteed to taste something you've never tried before. Many of the modern Korean restaurants profiled here all have great locations in main shopping and entertainment districts.