Korean Food Captures Global Attention at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants

Sejong, 20 March 2025 — The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) and the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced today that Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025, the world’s highly prestigious international gastronomic event, will be held in Seoul from 22 to 26 March 2025 for the second straight year.

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, also known as the Academy Awards of the gastronomic world, features the awards ceremony where the list of Asia’s top 50 restaurants is revealed. The event will also feature #50BestTalks, a session for discussion on topics of catching the eyes of the gastronomic community around the world. The Chef’s Feast to be held on the eve of the awards ceremony will provide an opportunity for renowned chefs from around the world to experience Korean food and food culture.

Ahead of the announcement of Asia’s 50 best restaurants, Asian restaurants ranking 51st to 100th have been released. Korean restaurants on the ranking list are Born & Bred (51st), SOLBAM (55th), Soigné (57th), alla prima (61st), Kwonsooksoo (62th), and JUNGSIK (90th). Korean food is now grabbing a global attention more than ever, with Mingles, a fine dining Korean restaurant, having been awarded three MICHELIN stars and Korean restaurants receiving a Michelin star. It is expected that Korean restaurants will join the list of Asia’s top 50 restaurants for this year. 

Meanwhile, at Korea House on 25 March, the MAFRA will hold special events designed to promote Korean food to the world. Specifically, at the Hansik Talk, celebrity chefs—Michelin one-starred chef Son Jong-won who ranked 62nd at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2024 as well as Chef Jo Seo-hyung who appeared on Culinary Class Wars, a Korean cooking competition—will discuss the globalization of hansik (Korean food) and the position of hansik in the global market. At the Hansik Market, celebrity chefs—Michelin starred chef Kim Do-yun, Chef Jo Seo-hyung, Chef Oh Jun-tak (an owner of restaurant Namyeong Chicken), Chef Park Cheol, etc.—will present premium Korean food paired with traditional Korean alcoholic drinks. 

At Korea House, a lecture on traditional Korean food and culture—e.g. a hansik table served with an assortment of diverse side dishes along with a bowl of rice and a bowl of soup as well as spoon culture—will be given by Chef Cho Hee-sook and Kim Do-seop. 

The awards ceremony of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant will be aired on YouTube in real time.