[Report] "A Culinary Destination with a View of Gyeongbokgung"... Kim Dong-sun's High-End Dining Takes Over Gwanghwamun

Under the clear blue spring sky, visitors can see Bugaksan Mountain, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and the Blue House at a glance. The lush green leaves surrounding the mountains and the palace add a refreshing touch beneath the warm sunshine. Gwanghwamun Square, which has drawn hundreds of thousands of locals and international visitors as the center of K-pop, unfolds before their eyes. While enjoying views of rarely-seen nearby buildings such as the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, guests can indulge in a fine dining experience made from the very best ingredients.

This is the scene at 'THE PLAZA DINING,' the fine dining platform that Hanwha Foodtech, a dining-specialized subsidiary of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts, will launch in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, on the 24th. Opening on the 15th floor of the KT Gwanghwamun Building West in Jongno-gu, Seoul, THE PLAZA DINING is a 'high-end integrated F&B platform' that offers a panoramic view of Seoul’s representative landmarks. According to Hanwha Foodtech, the goal was to create a gastronomic space that connects the past, present, and future of Seoul.

Hanwha Foodtech has brought together three fine dining brands at THE PLAZA DINING. These include 'Dowon·S,' an upgraded version of the renowned Chinese restaurant brand 'Dowon,' which is celebrating its 50th anniversary and now features enhanced seafood offerings; 'Asadal,' a high-end Korean restaurant returning with a new look after more than 20 years; and the contemporary grill dining brand 'Pablo Grill & Bar.' The space housing these three restaurants spans a total of 1,486.33 square meters (450 pyeong) with seating for 232 people and 13 private rooms. The layout ensures that guests can enjoy views of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Blue House, and Bugaksan Mountain from most seats. At Pablo, a bar has been set up in an area overlooking the Gwanghwamun Square nightscape, operating until 11 p.m.

Cho Yonggi, CEO of Hanwha Foodtech, stated at a press conference held on the 20th ahead of the opening of THE PLAZA DINING, "Gwanghwamun is not simply a commercial district. It is an area where history, culture, business, and daily life intersect, and where the flow of time is most densely layered within the city’s business district. It is also a place to enjoy the culture represented by K-culture," adding, "It is a region that is evolving in line with Korea’s culinary trends, and serves as a key area where major companies, government offices, and tourist sites converge. Here, the past and present coexist, and it stands as a representative space leading Seoul’s future."

CEO Cho added, "We are targeting a broad customer base, including VIPs from nearby government and corporate offices and the political and business sectors, as well as those interested in fine dining." He explained that Hanwha Foodtech’s core keyword, food tech, is being applied mainly to the production and quality control of ingredients.

Kim Dong-sun, the third son of the Hanwha Group chairman and Executive Vice President of Future Vision at Hanwha Hotels & Resorts and Hanwha Galleria, has recently been focusing on expanding the dining business, and the opening of THE PLAZA DINING is part of this expansion. CEO Cho said, "(Executive Vice President Kim) showed great interest and affection as a business leader, emphasizing the quality of service and ingredients as key to fine dining," adding, "He called for an employee mindset and operations that remain true to the basics."

Hanwha Foodtech plans to grow its dining business through THE PLAZA DINING. CEO Cho assessed that bringing fine dining brands together in one space would enhance service competitiveness and operational efficiency. He added, however, that additional openings are still under review at this stage.

Asadal features courses based on the 24 solar terms and seasonal ingredients, capturing the rhythm of each season at the table. The main course, which reinterprets traditional royal cuisine in a contemporary way-such as incorporating the five cardinal colors into both the space and food-is representative. The course is served as a single menu, from appetizers to desserts. The main dishes focus on grilled eel and premium Korean beef. The price for the single course is 280,000 won.

The signature menu at Dowon·S is the 'Three Flavors Live King Crab,' which presents king crab in three different styles: steamed, soup, and fried. An authentic Chinese chef applies different techniques to each part of the crab, delivering three distinct textures and flavors from a single ingredient. Other signature dishes include 'Steamed Red Grouper with Special Fish Sauce' and 'Wonchung Buddha Jumps Over the Wall,' a delicacy simmered with over 20 ingredients such as abalone and sea cucumber. The Three Flavors Live King Crab is priced at 790,000 won (for over 1.5 kg), while course meals are available for 140,000 won or 160,000 won.

The contemporary grill dining brand Pablo specializes in grilled cuisine and the aging of meats. Its signature menu is the 'Dry-Aged In-House Steak,' made only from top-grade beef aged for at least 28 days. The exterior is grilled with added butter for a crisp finish, while the inside remains tender to highlight the meat's natural flavor. Other recommended dishes include the 'Grilled Seafood Platter,' featuring live lobster, scallops, abalone, and octopus, cooked to order, and the 'Burrata Tomato,' which combines premium, milk-rich burrata cheese with tomato, orange, and basil.

THE PLAZA DINING features several eye-catching elements. Both Asadal and Dowon·S have open kitchens that allow guests to watch the chefs prepare dishes in real time. At the entrance of Dowon·S, which focuses on seafood dishes, a large aquarium enables guests to see chefs selecting live seafood and preparing it on the spot. At the entrance to Pablo, a towering wine tower holding around 1,000 varieties of wine commands attention. More than 5,000 bottles, ranging from affordably priced wines starting at 120,000 won to ultra-premium bottles priced at up to 21 million won, are displayed along the hallway and in the wine tower.

Reservations for THE PLAZA DINING will be available starting April 22 via restaurant booking platforms such as CatchTable and Naver. To commemorate the opening, a special promotion will run until April 30. Guests who reserve the 'Dowon·S Course Menu' or 'Pablo Signature Dry-Aged Steak' through CatchTable will receive a 20% discount. During this period, all customers visiting Dowon·S and Pablo will also receive a 10% discount and a complimentary signature dessert.

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