Winner of Korea Sommelier of the Year Award 2018 announced

Sommelier Minseok Kyung, from South Korea’s first Michelin-starred restaurant Jungsik, has won this year’s Korea Sommelier of the Year Award hosted by WineVision on 30 April.

Sommelier Minseok Kyung from South Korea’s Michelin-starred restaurant Jungsik (second from right), won 2018 Korea Sommelier of the Year Award

Of the top 10 semi-finalists in this year’s contest, three sommeliers – Minseok Keong, Jaemin Joo, and Woong HwangBo – were from Jungsik Seoul, a two Michelin-starred restaurant known for its molecular Korean cuisine and its expansive wine list.

Korea Sommelier of the Year competition was founded to advance Korean wine culture and foster awareness among the Korean public about wine and sommeliers through a competition, marked by true sportsmanship, between wine professionals in Korea, according to the organiser WineVision. 

Jungsik became the first Korean restaurant ever to receive a Michelin Star in 2013 after it opened its doors in 2009.

2016 Korea Sommelier of the Year winner Donghyuk Shin was also head sommelier at Jungsik in Seoul at the time of his victory.

The restaurant’s first floor is home to Jungsik Bar, which boasts an impressive bottled and glass wine list, as well as tapas-style bar food with a Korean flair.

The two-Michelin starred Jungsik Seoul is led by executive chef Jeongho Kim, who has worked with both Jungsik New York and Seoul since its opening in 2012. Owner Jungsik Yim is now based in Incheon, where he runs North Korean-style naengmyeon restaurant Pyeonghwaok at the airport’s brand-new Terminal 2.