After Clearing Their Parents’ $500K Debt, Korean Siblings Borrow Another $500K To Open Dream K-BBQ Restaurant Seoul & So

So when the pair opened Seoul & So – a 64-seat modern Korean barbecue restaurant in the far more upscale setting of the National Gallery Singapore – in March, it raised an obvious question: why do this all over again?

“At first, we were doing it out of duty”

“At first, we were doing it out of duty,” says Hyuk Kee. “But now, we’re doing this because we want to.” The university-educated siblings (Hyuk Kee is from SMU, while So Hyun graduated from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul), who are Singapore PRs, had given up promising careers in finance and media to rescue their family business.

Once the debt was cleared, the siblings finally had room to think about their future. “We finally had the headspace to think long term,” he explains. “Like, what do we actually want out of this?”

The answer wasn’t simply to maintain the status quo.

“If it was about money, we would just run one restaurant,” he says plainly. Instead, they realised they didn’t want to look back years later feeling like they had merely inherited something.

“We don’t want to be seen as people who just stewarded the family business,” he added. “We want to feel like we chose this, that we found meaning in it.”

The name Seoul & So reflects their intention. “So” means beef in Korean – a nod to the menu – while “and so” hints at continuation.

“It’s still ‘Seoul’, which represents our family [business],” says Hyuk Kee. “But ‘& So’ is like… what’s next?”

While their mindset towards the business has evolved, their sibling dynamic hasn’t changed quite as much.

Though less visibly anxious than before – “but still very tired,” they admit – the siblings remain hilariously reluctant to show any physical closeness. During our shoot, they declined to put an arm around each other, settling instead for finger hearts and an awkward side-by-side stance.

A $500K loan once again, with total $1M investment

To bring “what’s next” to life, the siblings invested close to $1 million into Seoul & So, including $500K from their own savings and earnings, plus taking on a further $500K bank loan – roughly the same sum they had spent the previous year repaying on behalf of their parents’ business.

On paper, the move feels like déjà vu – and perhaps a risky one. But Hyuk Kee sees it differently. “We’ve been there before,” he says. “And now, objectively, we’re in a better position.”

“If you only have one restaurant, there’s tenancy risk, renewal risk, location risk,” he says. “Having a second actually spreads that risk.”

Biz encouraging so far

Hyuk Kee says business has been encouraging so far, and he’s hoping to recoup their investment within two to four years.

Word of mouth has helped build a steady weekday lunch crowd of nearby office workers, while dinner service attracts diners celebrating special occasions as well as regulars from Seoul Restaurant. He adds that increasing foot traffic to the National Gallery’s upper floors has also boosted exposure, with the restaurant often filling up across both weekdays and weekends.

Airy, modern space

Located on the fifth floor of the National Gallery, Seoul & So marks a clear departure from its more old-fashioned predecessor at Conrad Hotel.

The space is light-filled and contemporary, with pale wood furnishings, soft neutral tones and subtle industrial accents like metal mesh panels inspired by traditional Korean sliding doors. Floor-to-ceiling windows bring in greenery from the rooftop area, while a glass-encased tree installation anchors the dining room.

A more refined take on K-BBQ

Unlike their original Seoul Restaurant, which leans traditional and family-style, with tabletop grills, buffet offerings and hearty portions – Seoul & So takes a more elegant approach.

There’s an à la carte menu with smaller meat portions meant to be ordered progressively, alongside weekday lunch sets from $35, a weekday dinner set at $89, and an eight-course Hanwoo tasting menu at $119. About 90 per cent of the meats overlap with Seoul Restaurant, including Australian wagyu, Hanwoo beef and Jeju pork.

Even the banchan has been rethought. Instead of generous, filling sides, the selection here is pared back and designed to complement the meats.

Meats grilled by staff in the open kitchen

All meats are cooked by staff at eight charcoal grill stations housed within an open kitchen in the centre of the restaurant and served immediately.

“It removes that awkward dynamic where a staff member is hovering at your table,” says Hyuk Kee. “It encourages people to just eat and enjoy themselves.”

A self-service welcome bar even provides bottomless bubbles on weekends. “We don’t want people to feel stuck at their table,” says So Hyun. “They can walk around, chat, and have a drink.”

Parents are “very proud”

The siblings’ parents, who retired to Korea last year, flew in to attend Seoul & So’s opening ceremony. “They were very proud and genuinely happy for us,” says Hyuk Kee. “They brought so many of their friends here to dine.”

As for what comes next, Hyuk Kee and So Hyun are taking a measured approach. “We’re not rushing into anything. Right now, it’s about doing these two restaurants well.”

The siblings now work primarily behind the scenes as directors of the company, across both restaurants. With two managers and an assistant manager stationed at each outlet, they now visit the restaurants only once or twice a week to ensure operations are running smoothly.

“Physically, our work-life balance has gotten better,” says Hyuk Kee. “Mentally, it’s still the same.” While they no longer spend seven days a week on the restaurant floor, the pair now shoulder virtually every corporate function themselves, from finance and HR to strategic planning.

“Our focus isn’t on how to make the most money from the current Korean food boom in Singapore,” he says. “It’s about building a brand that can withstand the test of time and achieve what our parents built with Seoul Restaurant.”

What we tried

We tried Seoul & So’s set lunch menus priced at $35 (pork) and $45 (beef).

Each set includes banchan, a grilled meat main, rice, your choice of Korean stew or cold noodles, plus dessert and coffee or tea. All meats are grilled over Korean oak and served with salt, wasabi and light soy sauce.

Banchan

While positioned as a more curated selection to complement the meats, the trio we tried felt somewhat underwhelming. The standout was a squid and pine nut dish, which offered a nice textural contrast and subtle nuttiness. The other two – radish kimchi and green chilli – were more standard.

USDA Prime short ribs (150g) (8 DAYS Pick!)

Cooked perfectly, with a lovely smoky aroma. Tender, well-marbled and richly beefy without feeling heavy – an easy crowd-pleaser.

Australian wagyu 6/7 rib fingers (150g)

More bite and chew, but ours were slightly overcooked, which dulled some of the juiciness. Still flavourful, with a deeper beefiness that builds as you chew.

Hanwoo inside skirt (1++), $39/100g (a la carte)

One of the more affordable Hanwoo (Korean beef) cuts on the menu. It offers a satisfying chew and good beefiness, but lacks the juiciness you might expect from premium Korean beef. For that melt-in-the-mouth richness, consider splurging on higher-end cuts like the striploin.

Jeju pork belly, 150g (8 DAYS Pick!)

Notably, this isn’t the prized black pork, but what Hyuk Kee calls “white pork” – which has a cleaner, lighter flavour profile. Pleasantly mild with no “porky” odour, and not overly fatty, this was the more satisfying pork option of the two.

Iberico pork collar, 150g

Juicier with a good balance of fat and bite, but otherwise fairly standard.

Kimchi jjigae

Comforting and familiar, with the same hearty, home-style depth we remember from Seoul Restaurant.

Doenjang jjigae (8 DAYS Pick!)

Equally satisfying, but more layered. The addition of naengi (a Korean spring green) lends a gentle herbaceous lift.

Mul naengmyeon

Buckwheat noodles in a chilled beef broth, topped with sliced beef, omelette strips and cucumber. Refreshing and clean-tasting.

Naeng kalguksu (8 DAYS Pick!)

Our preferred noodle option. Chewy, knife-cut noodles in a light yet flavourful beef broth with a subtle tang.

Seoul & So is at #05-03 National Gallery, 1 St Andrews Rd. Open daily 12pm-3pm (lunch); 6pm-10.30pm (dinner). More info via Instagram.

Photos: Roy Yap