The MICHELIN Guide in Korea

The MICHELIN Guide is a restaurant and hotel guide published by the French tire company Michelin. Anonymous professional inspectors visit restaurants in person and choose which ones to list. The first edition dates back to 1900, and today most people use the official website and app. In Korea, the restaurant selection covers Seoul and Busan.

The first Korean edition was The MICHELIN Guide Seoul 2017. New editions have followed every year since, and the 2026 edition was presented as the guide's 10th anniversary in Korea. Busan was added starting with the 2024 edition, and the guide has been called The MICHELIN Guide Seoul & Busan since then.

As of the 2026 edition, the restaurant selection in Korea covers two cities: Seoul and Busan. Restaurants in other regions such as Jeju are not part of it. The MICHELIN Key selection for hotels, however, includes properties outside Seoul and Busan, so the scope for restaurants and hotels is different.

In recent years it has come out around February or March. The 2024 edition was revealed in February 2024, the 2025 edition in February 2025, and the 2026 edition on March 5, 2026, in Busan. The date is not fixed, so check announcements on the official MICHELIN Guide site for the next edition.

Inspectors are full-time MICHELIN Guide employees. They book under an assumed name, eat like regular customers and pay their bills in full, staying anonymous throughout. According to the guide, distinctions such as Stars are decided after repeated visits and discussion among the inspectors rather than by a single meal.

The guide uses the same five criteria worldwide: quality of ingredients, harmony of flavors, mastery of techniques, the chef's personality expressed in the cooking, and consistency over time and across the menu. MICHELIN says these criteria apply the same way regardless of country or type of cuisine.

One Star means a restaurant is worth a stop. It is given for top-quality ingredients and distinct flavors that are prepared well and consistently. Stars are awarded for the cooking rather than the decor. One-Star restaurants vary widely in style and format, so not every one is a formal multi-course dining room.

Two Stars means a restaurant is worth a detour. It recognizes places where the chef's personality and talent come through in refined, inspired dishes. In the 2026 edition, Seoul has 10 Two-Star restaurants, while Busan has none at that level.

Three Stars is the guide's highest distinction, meaning a restaurant is worth a special journey. It is given when cooking is elevated to an art form. Three-Star restaurants are rare worldwide, and very few restaurants in Korea have received this level.

In the 2026 edition, Korea has one Three-Star restaurant: Mingles in Seoul, led by chef Kang Min-goo. It was promoted to Three Stars in the 2025 edition and kept the rating in 2026. Ratings can change every year, so check the latest edition on the official site.

The 2026 edition lists 46 Starred restaurants: 42 in Seoul and 4 in Busan. Seoul has 1 Three-Star, 10 Two-Star and 31 One-Star restaurants, while all four in Busan hold One Star. Ten restaurants were newly awarded or promoted this time, described as a record for the guide in Korea.

Bib Gourmand is a distinction for restaurants serving good-quality food at good value. It has been awarded since 1997, and each country sets its own price threshold for what counts as good value. It is not a Star, but inspectors choose these places the same way, which makes the list handy for travelers on a budget.

There are 71 Bib Gourmand restaurants in the 2026 edition: 51 in Seoul and 20 in Busan, with 8 of them new this year. They range from specialists in a single dish such as noodles, dumplings or ginseng chicken soup to a vegan restaurant.

Yes. MICHELIN Selected restaurants do not hold a Star or Bib Gourmand, but inspectors judged that they offer a good meal and included them in the guide. They are assessed with the same criteria and can be promoted later. The 2026 Korean edition lists 116 Selected restaurants.

The Green Star, introduced in 2020, highlights restaurants at the forefront of sustainable gastronomy. It looks at efforts such as seasonal and local sourcing, reducing food waste and working closely with producers. It is shown separately from Stars, and in the 2026 edition there are Green Star restaurants in both Seoul and Busan.

The five criteria for MICHELIN Stars all concern the food on the plate. That means a restaurant does not need a luxurious dining room to earn a Star if the cooking is outstanding. Service is recognized separately, for example through special awards such as the Service Award given to individual staff.

No. The guide reassesses restaurants every year, so Stars can be added, upgraded, lowered or removed in each new edition. Closures and chef changes also affect listings. Rather than relying on older articles or blogs, check the current selection on the official site before you plan a visit.

According to MICHELIN, inspectors visit anonymously, pay for their own meals and are the only ones who decide on distinctions. In other words, a Star or other distinction cannot be bought. This independence is a big reason many travelers treat the guide as a trustworthy reference.

Use the official MICHELIN Guide website or app. You can filter by city such as Seoul or Busan, by distinction such as Stars or Bib Gourmand, and by type of cuisine, and see locations on a map. The Korea pages are available in both Korean and English, so they are easy for visitors to use.

Yes. The French tire maker Michelin created the guide to encourage road travel, giving drivers practical information such as garages, places to stay and places to eat. The first edition appeared in 1900. Over time it grew into an international guide that evaluates restaurants and hotels.