I previously scrutinized the Hipjiro wave that overtook one of Seoul’s oldest industrial neighborhoods in 2018. Perhaps it was the public’s fascination for a “new” old. Or an insatiable appetite for discovery. Whichever the case, the trend acquired a vitality that pushed it beyond Euljiro and into places like Myeongdong and Gangnam.
Quiet revelation
Let’s fast forward to 2021. The idea that a hidden space can attract a certain set of people who take pride in sleuthing out brands resonated with a few chefs with big dreams of establishing the next avant-garde restaurant in Seoul.
I like to call these chefs the culinary start-up CEOs.
These CEOs usually hail from five/four star hotels (e.g. Shilla, Hyatt) and believe they can offer some new perspective to Seoul’s gastronomy scene. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. For today’s post I’m going to be referencing two places that successfully re-interpreted the Hipjiro strategy:
MOWa: a restaurant/wine bar spatially inspired by Korean aesthetics (여백의 미) and hidden underground in Myeongdong (명동).
Geumtan 2.0: a restaurant nestled in the folds of Samsungdong (삼성동) that specializes in Japanese Nordic cuisine
MOWa and Geumtan 2.0, despite having been conceived by two different chefs, offer visitors a similar experience that is grounded in quiet revelation. Unlike the big names in fine dining (i.e. Jungsik, Wolfgang’s Steakhouse), the two up-and-coming brands are more discreet in their choice of spatial presence; MOWa requires guests to descend into the basement of Myeongdong, while Geumtan 2.0 sits inconspicuously on an ordinary street in the heart of Gangnam. And like their Hipjiro counterparts, both brands invite guests into a secretive space made all the more private by signs that act more as clues than actual signs. Small and subtly placed, the signs are easy to miss for those who don’t know what they’re looking for. Once inside though, both restaurants open up into a cave-like room lit with sensuous shades and pulsating with engimatic energy.
There is both a business side and a branding side to this seclusion. Occupying a space in one of Seoul’s many crevices, as fancy as this sounds, basically means that restaurants don’t have to pay as much rent as a business occupying the main street. Keeping fixed costs low is one of the simplest things a fledgling brand can do to hedge risk during its first few years. We have to keep in mind that most culinary startups can’t flaunt the same budget as larger, more well-established restaurants and hotels.
However, from the perspective of the customer, such seclusion often translates into inconvenience—who hasn’t experienced being stumped by an address that confuses even Google Maps? This pain point is precisely why many Hipjiro and avant-garde culinary brands incorporate the navigational part of an experience into the larger theme of discovery making.
This pain point is precisely why many Hipjiro and avant-garde culinary brands incorporate the navigational part of an experience into the larger theme of discovery making
This treasure hunt-esque endeavor, which often requires making turns left and right down an alleyway or climbing up/down a set of stairs, is disorienting to say the least. It’s almost like as if Tadao Ando—the Japanese architect famed for distorting visitors’ sense of direction—imbued the said navigational process with his spirit. And like Ando’s buildings, places like MOWa and Geumtam 2.0 make sure to reward their itinerary-worn visitors with an otherworldly welcome. Upon pushing past a glass (or wooden) door, the outer world fades away and visitors are suddenly engulfed by a darkness that slowly brightens to reveal an open kitchen bustling with chefs perfecting their work on top of marble counters. Earlier memories of a trying map-reading session dissipate at the sight of this almost ethereal scene. Who knew a team of culinary masters would be busy working their magic in such a secluded place? This is a revelation, a discovery—eureka!
Realistic branding
We’ve probably all heard a variation of Mies van der Rohe’s famous line: form follows function. This adage rings true for Seoul’s avant-garde restaurants. As mentioned previously, culinary startups have a limited budget. This translates into making smart investments in (relatively) affordable spaces that align with a narrative of experimental discovery. Thus for brands like MOWa and Geumtan 2.0, their hidden “form” naturally arises due to the “function” of keeping fixed costs low. Put simply, their secretive mien is the outcome of spatial and economic restrictions.
for brands like MOWa and Geumtan 2.0, their hidden “form” naturally arises due to the “function” of keeping fixed costs low.
Branding often comes across as being lofty and “up there” for many people. However, the concept—or the art of branding—is very much grounded in reality. Brands are only as real as people are able to experience them. And experiences are made using what resources available. As such, the best branding is oftentimes born from restrictive conditions.
Tina Seelig, speaker on innovation entrepreneurship, echoes this view in her lecture “Creativity with Constraints”, which is offered to entrepreneurs but also available online for free (yay). One of the focal points of this lecture is axiomatic: constraints can be a source of inspiration; they push us out of our comfort zones, bestowing upon us a set of “fresh eyes” that re-construe our surroundings as opportunities.
This semi-forced recalibration in perspective is what ultimately gave rise to Seoul’s secretive avant-garde restaurants. The secret to their “secret” lies in turning spatial constraint on its head through a narrative of discovery. A weakness is re-clad as a strength; a pain point that could deter customers is converted into an explorative mission. A mission that rewards customers with inimitable delicacies that reinforce the validity of their secrecy.