Gung The Palace, the three-storeyed Korean restaurant in Delhi's Green Park, has traditional seating - low tables (with a pit to dangle the legs), curtained dining booths, subdued colours, low music, and a 21-page menu featuring meaty barbecue, seafood stews and octopus casserole. At Mr K Ramyun Café, also in Green Park, the colours are more vivid, mukbang videos play on screens, the menu is only six pages long, the shelves are stocked with packets of Buldak Ramyun. How did we get to a point where Korean dining in India can mean such vastly different things?
The answer is a little complicated. It draws on history, geography and a bit of economics. And restaurants of both kinds are popping up across India Chennai has 30, Pune has pre-order dining rooms, Mumbai has dedicated cafés. It's a distinction that says as much about India as the Asian nation, far, far away.
First, the history
Of course, the K-Pop and K-drama craze of the last decade has something to do with it. But India had a handful of Korean restaurants that were thriving much before we got hooked on to BTS. They operated quietly in cities and business districts that had a significant Korean expat population.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Staying well within range
Driving from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar in an XC40 Recharge at night means going against the odds but it's not dangerous
Forget demure, forget mindful
Women are expected to dress their age. But why should arbitrary numbers dictate anyone's choices? Wear what you want, when you want
Bubbling under, boiling over
The year's best food yet, from Bandra to Seoul, from old names and new, from starters to afters
The new spin doctors
Come for the hooping, stay for fire poi, dapostar, leviwand and more. India's newest subculture blends art and athletics, meditation and showmanship, public and private. And it looks great on the 'gram
Shall we put a label on this?
What is high fructose corn syrup? Is red dye good? Dieticians and nutritionists break down the confusing stuff we see on food labels
Pho heaven's sake, explore!
There's more to Vietnam than the Golden Bridge or Ha Long Bay. Discover limestone cliffs, rice terraces, and local foods that haven't made it to the 'gram
No. Wait. She did what?
These mean girls are self-centred, bratty, and can make your life hell. But they stole the show. Read on, loser. And tell us how it wasssss
Are you seeing spots too?
Jyoti Bhatt's serigraphs use traditional symbols in modern ways, creating art that is slyly clever and full of little stories
Leave us to our own devices
Instead of banning gadgets, restaurants should ban people that are actually disturbing the peace
Siam Siam, but different
The reason Indians feel instantly at home in Thailand is because their mix of Hindu and Buddhist traditions so closely mirrors our own, creating a comfort zone abroad