Cover Nae:um's new space inspired by hanok, traditional Korean house (Photo: Da Photographer)
Nae:um's new space inspired by hanok, traditional Korean house (Photo: Da Photographer)
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After a decade in Singapore, South Korean chef Louis Han has reimagined his acclaimed restaurant Nae:um with a refreshed space and a new menu inspired by his memories of South Korea and Singapore
A restaurant is always the sum of its chef’s parts, and for Louis Han, Nae:um 2.0 reflects where he is today—both personally and professionally. “I’ve been living in Singapore for 10 years now, and my wife is Singaporean,” says Han, who sees the city-state as his long-term home. Yet his Korean identity remains unchanged. “I still love Korean food, culture and traditions. But living in Singapore, I’ve naturally absorbed elements of its culture and the wider Southeast Asian influences.” This combination shapes his cuisine today—still rooted in Korean flavours, but with subtle differences and nuances inspired by his second home.
His evolution as a chef and restaurateur is reflected in the revamped space, designed by Tsukurto, the same Singapore-based studio that imagined the original look when Nae:um opened in 2021. What was once a more casual venue reminiscent of a chogajib mud house has transformed into a more refined, elegant space fashioned after a hanok.
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Above Revamped space that is fashioned after a hanok
Revamped space that is fashioned after a hanok
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Above Open kitchen which serves as Louis Han's stage at Nae:um
Open kitchen which serves as Louis Han's stage at Nae:um
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“The design concept is more mature now,” explains Han, who worked with the designer to incorporate elements of the traditional Korean house into the space. Sliding doors—hallmarks of traditional hanok architecture—reveal a main dining area bathed in warm golden light, furnished with oak tables and earth-toned seats that nod to the natural aesthetics of a hanok.
The beating heart of the space is the expanded open kitchen, now facing the dining room instead of being tucked to the side. “I designed the kitchen to be like a stage so guests can watch the chefs in action,” Han explains. “The bright lights set up over the cooking area make it feel like they’re watching a show while they’re having dinner.”
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Above Chef-owner Louis Han
Chef-owner Louis Han
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After launching nine episodic menus that focused on specific memories of growing up in South Korea, Han’s contemporary Korean cuisine is now informed by his broader culinary journey—from growing up in Seoul to working in fine-dining restaurants in South Korea and Abu Dhabi, to finally planting his roots in Singapore in 2016. Since moving here, he has built the Nae:um Group with casual Korean steakhouse Gu:um and private dining space Hideaway, located just above Nae:um.
“Previously, our dishes [at Nae:um] were inspired by traditional Korean food prepared in the modern way,” Han explains. Now, he is focused on creating modern Korean dishes that are unique to Singapore by blending Korean cuisine with Southeast Asian ingredients. “My goal is to make dishes that can only be found here in this region. While it’s still a modern Korean style, it’s very much my own creation.”
Above Snacks that begin the meal at Nae:um
Snacks that begin the meal at Nae:um
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The eight-course dinner menu is designed like a storybook, with each page showcasing heartfelt illustrations depicting nostalgic memories in Singapore and beyond. Browsing through the menu reveals snapshots of Han’s memories: visits to local markets in Singapore where he was inspired by seafood and freshly fried snacks; a young cook in Abu Dhabi who purchased a foot-long shawarma that he ate for three meals; and simple nostalgia about his childhood home and his mother’s home-cooked noodles.
These memories serve as the foundation for his inspired dishes, which begin with a parade of small bites. The gwanja features raw scallop marinated in soy and placed atop a crisp seaweed rosette cracker for added texture. Toran offers fermented black bean sauce-infused pork ragu encased in yam puff pastry. Remember that foot-long shawarma from his Abu Dhabi days? Han serves a reimagined version in the sokkori, the final snack of braised oxtail, mashed potatoes and bell peppers sandwiched between crispy lavash crackers.
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Above Jeonbok
Above Memilmyeon and mandu
Jeonbok
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Throughout the meal, Han shares fond memories of his life in South Korea. He transports diners to Jeju, the country’s largest island, with his Jeju abalone dish laced with seaweed vinaigrette. From there, he takes guests to Seoul, his home city, where he spent summers barbecuing with friends. This nostalgia inspired the Iberico ribeye, which is grilled to a decadent finish.
The best meals are the ones shared with loved ones, and this is represented in the hansang, the last savoury course, which translates to “a table full of food” in Korean. It is indeed a feast with a vegetable-focused spread consisting of rice mixed with nori, spring onion, sesame seeds and napa cabbage, then topped with grilled gochujang-marinated deodeok mountain root vegetable. In typical Korean style, it’s also served with an ever-changing selection of banchan and mushroom gomtang soup.
Even the beverage menu has been updated, inviting diners to explore prized vintages and unexpected finds—from Han’s favourite French labels to head sommelier Ocean Kang’s curated picks from wine regions in Japan and Croatia.
Nae:um 2.0 is all about how Han has grown up, not just in the kitchen but as a business owner running three concepts. “I was pretty young when I opened the restaurant in 2021,” he admits, but in the last four years, he has figured out where he’s going and his place in Singapore’s vibrant dining scene.
Credits
Images: Nae:um (Images by Da Photographer)
Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
