The MICHELIN Guide Seoul marks the fifth anniversary of its publication by introducing a special cover in collaboration with Kakao, South Korea's No. 1 mobile messenger. On the iconic red cover of 2021 edition is Kakao Friends' signature character, Ryan, enjoying a gourmet trip around Seoul.
With Covid-19 and travel restrictions firmly in place, travelling overseas is expected to remain very difficult in the upcoming year. Although the tourism industry has shrunk, the appetite for discovery and new adventures has not. Instead, people are turning to local attractions and destinations for inspiration and to make new memories.
It is no exaggeration to say that half of the pleasure of traveling is eating. According to a survey last year, eight out of 10 people consider gastronomic experiences when planning an itinerary, and 30 percent say food is the most important factor of their travel plans. Statistically, almost 60 percent of all travelers spend more than half of their expenses on food, aside from transportation and accommodation.
These days, when traveling abroad is hardly possible, the MICHELIN Guide shines a spotlight on Seoul's gastronomic scene to encourage people to dine out and reminisce about past travels or explore a new world of diverse cuisines. This guidebook, which started more than 120 years ago to provide useful information for long-distance drivers, is still the best guide to making daily life an enjoyable journey.
Celebrate the 5th anniversary of the MICHELIN Guide Seoul with us by taking a gourmet trip around Seoul with beloved Kakao Friends character Ryan. The MICHELIN Guide Seoul 2021 offers a broader selection than ever: in it, find Bib Gourmand establishments where you can enjoy a great meal at a reasonable price, Plate restaurants that serve good food, and a shining list of MICHELIN Star restaurants. Seoul offers a wide range of cuisines including barbecue, traditional Korean food, Thai, French, as well as innovative modern food. This year also sees a vegetarian restaurant newly added to the selection. Be led through a wide variety of experiences with the MICHELIN Guide Seoul.
In addition, a collection of special collaboration merchandise has been created to mark the 5th anniversary of the MICHELIN Guide Seoul. Featuring Ryan, Kakao Friend’s signature character, the collection includes red blankets, eco-friendly reusable bags and diary organizers with a space to jot down memories made at your favorite MICHELIN restaurants. More exciting merchandise made in collaboration between the MICHELIN Guide and Kakao Friends Ryan will be available next year.
Featuring a total of 178 restaurants, the 2021 selection showcases 2 three Star, 7 two Star, 23 one Star, 60 Bib Gourmand and 86 MICHELIN Plate establishments. All of these are gastronomic gems carefully selected our inspectors based on the utmost respect for MICHELIN Guide's beliefs and evaluation criteria; the MICHELIN Guide Seoul aims to show the diversity and richness of the city’s food scene to the world, where creative chefs continue to innovate and develop high-quality cuisine based on traditional Korean food culture.
Read More: Full list of the MICHELIN Guide Seoul 2021 Selection
The MICHELIN Guide Seoul is the definitive guide for anyone who wants to explore a taste of this colorful city. It is a gourmet bible not only for those new to Seoul but also for Koreans who want to find something special amidst their everyday lives. In a city where the modern and traditional coexist in harmony, the MICHELIN Guide Seoul shines a spotlight on the stars of the gastronomic arts. Celebrating our 5th anniversary with us and go on a gourmet trip to discover the vibrant taste of Seoul with the new 2021 edition, made even more special with Kakao Friends Ryan.
Kakao is a mobile lifestyle platform company with services spanning messaging, mail, search, news, advertising, gaming, e-commerce, music, maps and more. Headquartered in South Korea, Kakao reaches consumers, businesses and others via its portfolio of popular assets: Kakao Talk, Kakao Game, Daum News and Daum Webtoon, among others. In line with the vision to “Making a better world with people and technology” Kakao plans to center its focus on creating an environment of real-time interconnectivity, thereby enriching lives and delivering value to consumers, businesses, partners and shareholders alike. The company, formed through the merger of Daum Communications and Kakao Corp in October 1, 2014, changed its name from Daum Kakao to Kakao on September 23rd 2015.
