Joo Ok

Joo Ok is a Korean fine-dining restaurant associated with chef Shin Chang-ho. The restaurant began in Seoul, South Korea, in 2016 and developed a reputation for contemporary Korean cuisine, earning sustained recognition from the Michelin Guide and placement on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list. Its Seoul restaurant held one Michelin star from 2018 through 2020, then received two stars from 2021 through 2023. In 2022, it was ranked 18th on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list. The Seoul location closed in December 2023 as the restaurant prepared to establish itself in New York City. The international move was supported by Hand Hospitality, a New York restaurant group associated with several Korean restaurants. Approximately half of the Seoul team moved to New York for the new operation. The Manhattan restaurant is located in Koreatown and represents Joo Ok's transition from a Seoul fine-dining destination into a Korean restaurant operating in the United States. The restaurant's culinary identity is centered on Korean food interpreted through an upscale, contemporary format. Shin Chang-ho's approach was shaped partly by his experience in the United States and at Nobu in Miami. He began studying cooking in the United States in 2013, after a recommendation from Kang Min-gu, the chef of Mingles. While working at Nobu, he became increasingly interested in presenting Korean cuisine after observing curiosity about the food among colleagues. Shin began preparing for Joo Ok's move to New York in 2021. The decision was influenced in part by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea and by the growing acceptance of Korean cuisine in New York. The New York location received one Michelin star in the 2024 Michelin Guide to New York City and subsequently received a second star in the 2025 guide. Joo Ok therefore retains a high-end Korean culinary positioning while carrying Michelin recognition across both its Seoul and New York chapters.

Joo Ok, also written Joo-Ok and derived from the Korean name 주옥, meaning “precious gem,” was established in Seoul in 2016 by chef Shin Chang-ho. The restaurant entered the Korean fine-dining scene with a contemporary interpretation of Korean cuisine rather than a conventional casual or regional restaurant format. Its identity was closely tied to Shin's culinary background and to his interest in presenting Korean food in an internationally legible fine-dining setting. Shin's professional path included a period of culinary study in the United States beginning in 2013, undertaken in his mid-thirties after encouragement from Kang Min-gu, chef of the Korean restaurant Mingles. He subsequently worked at Nobu in Miami. That experience helped shape his decision to concentrate on Korean food. According to the available account, conversations with colleagues who were curious about Korean cuisine reinforced his belief that the food could be presented to an international audience. Joo Ok's Seoul chapter gained formal recognition from the Michelin Guide. It held one Michelin star from 2018 to 2020, then rose to two stars from 2021 through 2023. The restaurant also appeared on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list, reaching 18th place in 2022. These distinctions established Joo Ok as a notable Korean fine-dining restaurant in the wider Asian culinary landscape. The restaurant's development was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences in South Korea. Shin began preparing for an expansion or relocation to New York in 2021. The move also reflected his view that Korean cuisine was gaining wider acceptance in New York City. The Seoul restaurant ultimately closed in December 2023. Rather than ending the brand, the closure marked a geographical transition from Seoul to Manhattan. The New York project was undertaken with assistance from Hand Hospitality, a restaurant group connected with several primarily Korean restaurants in New York. The relocation included a significant personnel transfer: approximately half of the Seoul employees moved to New York City. This preserved a link between the original restaurant and its new American operation while allowing Joo Ok to establish a new base in Koreatown, Manhattan. The New York location continued Joo Ok's Korean fine-dining positioning under Shin's leadership. It received one Michelin star in the 2024 Michelin Guide to New York City and later received a second star in the 2025 guide. The sequence gives Joo Ok Michelin recognition in both of its principal markets, although the Seoul and New York awards belong to different locations and periods. The brand's current identity is therefore that of a Manhattan Korean fine-dining restaurant carrying forward a Seoul-born culinary concept.

• 2025

  Second Michelin star in New York

  [1]Joo Oken.wikipedia.org

  The New York location receives a second star in the 2025 Michelin New York guide.

• 2024

  First Michelin star in New York

  [1]Joo Oken.wikipedia.org

  The New York City location receives one star in the 2024 Michelin New York guide.

• 2023

  Seoul restaurant closes

  [1]Joo Oken.wikipedia.org

  The Seoul location closes in December as the brand prepares to move to New York City.

• 2022

  Named 18th on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list

  [1]Joo Oken.wikipedia.org

  Joo Ok is ranked 18th on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list.

• 2021

  Seoul location reaches two Michelin stars

  [1]Joo Oken.wikipedia.org

  Joo Ok's Seoul restaurant receives a second Michelin star and retains two stars through 2023.

• 2018

  First Michelin star in Seoul

  [1]Joo Oken.wikipedia.org

  The Seoul location receives one Michelin star.

• 2016

  Joo Ok is founded in Seoul

  [1]Joo Oken.wikipedia.org

  Joo Ok opens its first restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, under chef Shin Chang-ho.

Contemporary Korean fine dining with an international, chef-led identity and a strong emphasis on Michelin-recognized culinary craft.

• Tasting menu · 2016

  Contemporary Korean fine-dining menu

  Joo Ok's core offering is an upscale Korean dining experience led by chef Shin Chang-ho. The restaurant applies fine-dining techniques and presentation to Korean culinary ideas and serves the concept in a chef-led restaurant format. Specific recurring dishes and menu names are not established in the supplied reference material.

• 2021

  Preparation for relocation to New YorkStrategy

  Background

  The economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea and the growing acceptance of Korean cuisine in New York influenced the restaurant's international relocation planning.

  Action taken

  Joo Ok began preparing to move its operations from Seoul to New York City, with Shin Chang-ho continuing as the culinary leader.

  Aftermath

  The Seoul restaurant closed in December 2023, and the brand established a new location in Manhattan with assistance from Hand Hospitality. About half of the Seoul employees moved to New York.

  Source

1. 1Joo Oken.wikipedia.org