Woo Lae Oak (Korean: 우래옥; Hanja: 又來屋; RR: Uraeok; lit. place to come back to[1]) is a historic Pyongyang naengmyeon restaurant in Jung District, Seoul, South Korea.[2] It is the oldest active Pyongyang naengmyeon restaurant in Seoul.[1] The restaurant is listed on the Michelin Guide as a Bib Gourmand restaurant.[3]
| Woo Lae Oak | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1946 |
| Food type | Korean cuisine, Pyongyang naengmyeon |
| Street address | 62-29 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jung District, Seoul, 04546, South Korea |
| Coordinates | 37°34′05″N 126°59′55″E / 37.5681°N 126.9987°E |
The restaurant had a predecessor called Myeongwolgwan (명월관) in Pyongyang, North Korea. That restaurant's owner, Jang Won-il (장원일), moved to Seoul and opened Seobukgwan (서북관) in 1946 on the street Euljiro. During the Korean War, he fled for safety, and returned and changed the restaurant's name to Woo Lae Oak.[4] By 2024, Jang's twin granddaughters were running the business.[1]
The restaurant reportedly has a reputation of being pricy, especially for naengmyeon, but popular and among the finest naengmyeon offered in Seoul. It reportedly has a longtime loyal fanbase that consistently visits.[2][1]
The restaurant had other branches in Daechi-dong and in Washington, D.C. in the United States, but both those branches were closed by 2024.[1] It also had a Beverly Hills, California location that opened in 1993 but closed in 2012, as well as a SoHo, Manhattan branch that closed in 2011.[5]
In 2017, a rebranded Woo Lae Oak entitled The Woo was opened in SoHo, Manhattan.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "돌아오는 냉면 名家 '을지면옥'... 낙원동 시대 연다". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 2024-03-12. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
- ^ a b 성, 진우 (2024-05-30). ""요즘 짜장면도 8000원인데…2만원 돼도 사 먹을래요" [현장+]". Hankyung (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-08-13.
- ^ "Woo Lae Oak – Seoul". Michelin Guide. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
- ^ "38년 역사 '우래옥' 간판 내린다". The Korea Times (in Korean). 2020-02-16. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
- ^ "베벌리힐스 '우래옥' 문닫는다". The Korea Times (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-08-13.
- ^ McCart, Melissa (2017-06-27). "Three-Story Korean Restaurant from Bann Family Will Open in SoHo". Eater NY. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
External links
edit
- Michelin Guide page (in English)
- The Woo homepage (in English)