GiwaKang

In a city that celebrates reinvention, GiwaKang stands out for its stillness. Opened in 2024, chef Minchul Kang’s Gangnam restaurant distils a lifetime of classical French training—Pierre Gagnaire, Joël Robuchon, Alain Ducasse—through a Korean lens that prizes harmony over spectacle.

The philosophy is simple yet profound: “subtle harmony”. Kang’s cooking bridges the ancient and the modern, pairing caviar with dongchimi, or transforming ganjang gejang and gochujang bulgogi into contemporary compositions that still taste unmistakably Korean. His house-made jang (soy, doenjang and jujube gochujang), each aged and served by vintage anchors, every dish in a sense of place and time.

The dining room, inspired by a hanok and designed with the restraint of a gallery, feels warm yet contemplative. Ceramic vessels by Korean artisans and a serene open kitchen complete the picture: this is cuisine as cultural dialogue, delivered with the precision of Paris and the soul of Seoul.

Tatler Tip

Ask to sample the restaurant’s house-aged jangs, tasted side by side, they reveal the quiet complexity that defines GiwaKang. After dinner, head upstairs to GiwaBar for a final glass of wine under the same roof.