Cover Iced somaek at Korean bar B.O.P. (Photo: B.O.P.)
Iced somaek at Korean bar B.O.P. (Photo: B.O.P.)
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The Korean bar wave is finding its footing in Singapore, carried by a new generation of mixologists bringing Korean sensibilities to the city’s cocktail scene
From dramas to pop culture, cuisine and cosmetics, K‑culture’s influence in Singapore is well established. More recently, Korean cocktail bars have emerged as the leading edge of the latest hallyu wave within the global F&B industry. This rise is exemplified by Seoul bars such as Zest, which made its debut on The World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2023 at No 18, earning it the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award, before going on to secure the No 2 spot on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list in 2024 and 2025, and also making the Tatler Best 100 Bars list for both years.
It is timely, then, for Singapore to welcome a full‑fledged Korean bar and cuisine concept. Cue BOP—short for Bartenders of Pony—by Seoul native Uno Jang, who has been based in Singapore since 2015. Centred on his home country’s culture, craftsmanship and creativity, BOP is Jang’s own venture, even as he remains creative director of the Jigger & Pony Group, which has supported the development of the new bar, whose name is a playful nod to bap, the Korean word for rice, while also borrowing from the musical term “bop”, denoting catchy tunes.
Leading the food programme is chef Jason Oh, founder of Tak Seoul restaurant, who is a close friend of Jang’s and a familiar face from Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars. The bar will also feature hard‑to‑find spirits rarely seen outside Korea, including gamhongno, a sweet, medicinal liquor dating back to the Joseon era, traditionally presented in a bottle shaped like a hanbok.
In case you missed it: Pop City x Pony brings Tokyo’s vibrant spirit to Singapore’s bar scene this November
Above B.O.P. is the latest bar in Singapore
B.O.P. is the latest bar in Singapore
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While BOP dominates headlines, it is worth noting the strides that Korean bartenders have made in Singapore, with many choosing to develop their skills here in the past decade or so instead of on home ground. Take Jang, for example. When he first arrived here, he had zero professional bartending skills and experience when he leapt into the craft at the now‑defunct Orgo bar, where he could only reference the soju bomb, a popular Korean cocktail made with beer and soju, when attempting to make a gin and tonic. It was there that he discovered a natural propensity for bartending, prompting him to pour his energy into cocktail competitions and honing his skills—efforts that led him to the then‑growing Jigger & Pony two years later. The bar would go on to climb new heights, reaching No 1 on the 2020 Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, as Jang’s own star continued to shine.
“When I became principal bartender at Jigger & Pony, I wondered what the future would hold,” reflects Jang, who was named the 2025 Altos Bartenders’ Bartender at The World’s 50 Best Bars awards, a peer‑voted accolade recognising his influence within the global bar scene. “Looking at the usual path, [many] bartenders leave at this point to open their own bar. I wanted to show that there could be another way, so I proposed to Indra (Kantono, co‑founder of Jigger & Pony) [the idea of developing] a bar that could showcase more of who I am and my journey.”
Over the years, Jang had observed Korean F&B in Singapore becoming increasingly sophisticated, giving him the confidence to introduce a new concept that would complement the city’s existing restaurants and bars. He also points to three principles that underpin both BOP and the Korean bar industry: kki, referring to skill and craft; jeong, the warmth and sincerity of hospitality; and heung, a cultural sentiment of passion and joy.
Above B.O.P. martini
Above B.O.P. Perilla Smash
B.O.P. martini
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Betty Sim, the assistant principal bartender who works alongside Jang at BOP, tells of a similar developmental path. Like many in the hospitality industry, she came to Singapore to improve her English and gain overseas experience early in her career. When the hotel and tourism graduate was assigned by her agent to a hotel in 2018, she did not initially gravitate towards bars, describing herself as an introvert in her early twenties. It was only after gaining experience at the now‑defunct bar The Other Roof and Baristart café that she began to enjoy interacting with guests. A chance offer from Jang led her to Jigger & Pony, where she encountered a more exacting emphasis on technique, detail and classic cocktails—an approach she soon discovered she enjoyed.
“While Korean bars have a similar emphasis on technique and skill, trends in Korea move much faster,” Sim expounds. “There’s a lot of curiosity around cocktails among the younger generation now, and I see many young Koreans coming to Jigger & Pony and other Singapore bars to experience the bar culture.” At BOP, she is keen to explore intrinsically Korean flavours such as honey butter, dalgona and banana milk, while leaning into a seasonal approach to cocktails.
Don’t miss: Tatler Best-in-Class Bar awards in Singapore for 2025
Above B.O.P tuna gimbap
Above B.O.P crispy fried chicken
B.O.P tuna gimbap
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“[There are many] talented bartenders in Korea who have seen the possibilities of growing their career overseas,” Jang says. “Perhaps they’ve seen Bannie Kang (co‑owner of Side Door and the 2019 Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year), Sophia Kang (assistant manager of One‑Ninety Bar) and myself making it in Singapore. With [its proximity] to Korea, Singapore continues to be an attractive destination.”
In 2018, Sim moved to Singapore with her boyfriend Kim Dongje, a fellow hotel and tourism graduate who, like her, did not initially enjoy cocktails, which he recalls were presented as dull subjects to memorise in hospitality school. His perspective shifted at The Other Room, where he was able to immerse himself fully in the craft and understand the formulation of spirits. He was soon hooked, drawn to how every element came together, from hosting to reservations, food and marketing.
Above The Other Room’s Dongje Kim
Above The Other Room’s cocktail
The Other Room’s Dongje Kim
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Kim has since worked his way up to head bartender at The Backdrop, a cabaret‑inspired speakeasy offering an intimate, theatrical drinks experience. He followed through on his natural curiosity by entering the Campari Red Hands Singapore competition in 2024, a move that saw him take top honours and go on to represent Singapore at the regional finals in Milan. “Competitions are important as a way to challenge yourself,” he reflects, “and also to gain valuable experience that [I can bring back] and share with my colleagues.”
That same drive to test oneself beyond familiar ground is echoed by Sarang Lee, who moved to Singapore in 2023 and first joined lauded bar 28 HongKong Street before moving on to Bar Bon Funk—which made the 2025 Tatler Best 20 bars list. Like many of her peers, she notes that Korean bartending training is pretty strict, often influenced by Japanese techniques and grounded in the mastery of classics. Unlike most, she began her career in banking, gravitating towards the warmth and hospitality of bars after long days at work. To persuade her parents to let her move overseas, she even prepared a presentation outlining how she would pursue her goals while caring for herself mindfully, eventually winning them over with quiet determination.
Don’t miss: No code, no enter: The Backdrop brings back a bonafide speakeasy experience
Above Bar Bon Funk’s Sarang Lee
Bar Bon Funk’s Sarang Lee
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Since coming to Singapore, Lee has become less shy, even joining competitions such as the Singapore edition of the 2025 Iichiko Irodori Cocktail Competition, which she won with her shochu‑based entry, Rice Rice Baby. Her competitive journey has not been without missteps: in her first attempt at the Bols Cocktail Battle bartending competition, she blanked out and forgot her entire script. Determined not to repeat that, she practised relentlessly for the Iichiko competition. What sets Korean bartending apart, she says, is the spirit of jeong—the warm hospitality that inspired her to join the industry. At Bar Bon Funk, she looks forward to introducing more Korean flavours into her creations.
As Korean bartenders continue to make waves across Singapore’s bar scene, the Korean bar movement shows no signs of slowing—and if what is coming out of the shaker is any indication, drinkers are happily along for the ride.
Can’t get enough? Get to know more Korean bartending talents in Singapore, by timeline.
Bannie Kang
Co-founder, Side Door
The most decorated bartender in Singapore, Kang began her career as a waitress in Singapore in 2010, practising English as she moved up the ladder and established her bar career. Steely resolve matched with aptitude took her to the global stage on her third attempt, where she beat out over a thousand bartenders across six continents to take the title of World Class Global Bartender 2019.
David Kim
Above David Kim (Photo: Instagram)
David Kim (Photo: Instagram)
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Principal bartender, Jigger & Pony
From an internship in 2014, Kim found his groove in Singapore and went on to join the opening team at Republic Bar before establishing himself with the Jigger & Pony Group.
Sophia Kang
Above Sophia Kang (Photo: Instagram)
Sophia Kang (Photo: Instagram)
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Assistant manager, One-Ninety Bar
Kang was part of Manhattan Bar’s opening team in 2014, working her way from floor staff to the first female head bartender in 2019, at just 28 years old.
June Baek
Bartender-owner, Hup San Social Club
First landing in Singapore in 2018, Baek’s natural flair saw her rising to senior bartender at Madame Fan Bar as well as clinching a top three position in the Chivas Masters Global 2019. Wanderlust subsequently brought her to work in Korea, New York and Ho Chi Minh City, before she returned to set up the small, intimate bar of her dreams.
Minwoo Lee
Above Minwoo Lee (Photo: Instagram)
Minwoo Lee (Photo: Instagram)
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Assistant head bartender, Cat Bite Club
Although Lee first arrived in 2018, he headed home to fulfill National Service before returning in 2019 and learning the ropes at Caffe Fernet and Fat Prince. This Gen Z has been at Cat Bite Club for two years, where the bar’s agave and rice spirit focus means a natural fit for soju cocktail creations.
Jaemin Shin
Assistant bar manager, The Warehouse Hotel Lobby Bar
Starting out in Singapore in 2019, Shin made his foray into bartending at Low Tide and joined the Warehouse in 2024, polishing up his competition resume along the way.
Kim Taesuk
Senior Bartender, Gibson
This Gen Z bartender started out as a cafe barista at 16 years old, but has since entered his cocktail era. You first met him at Manhattan in 2022 and more recently at Gibson since 2024.
Kim Jung Hoo
Assistant bar manager, MO Bar Singapore
From stints in Hong Kong and Korea to now Singapore, Kim’s spark has taken him from head bartender at MO Bar to assistant bar manager in the past three years.
Minji Bae
Senior bartender, Atlas Bar
With a prolific social media presence, the effervescent Bae landed as head bartender of now-defunct Korean-centric cocktail bar Ssal in 2023, and joined Atlas Bar thereafter.
Cherry Lee
Above Cherry Lee (Photo: Instagram)
Cherry Lee (Photo: Instagram)
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Senior Bartender, Origin Bar
Lee first joined Origin Bar as a waitress in September 2022 and began bartending after half a year. She may be one of the youngest of her Korean cohort, but she’s going places with international guest shifts and an undeniable charisma on social media.
Credits
Images: B.O.P, The Other Room, Bar Bon Funk
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June Lee is an independent writer, editor and consultant. She is passionate about the growing appreciation for wines, spirits and cocktails in Singapore, which are ideal complements to the dining experience.
