Club HUE, a new private members’ club conceived for a globally connected member base that moves fluidly between cities, cultures and continents, is now open in Koreatown’s historic Chapman Plaza. Intimate in scale, intentional in design and international in outlook, the club opens as a refined cultural hub for members based in Los Angeles or visiting as part of a broader global lifestyle. Membership is now open for application, and prospective members based in Asia are especially encouraged to apply at www.clubhue.com.
The club’s name itself signals its intent: HUE draws from Hueshik (휴식), the Korean concept of rest and restorative pause — a cultural philosophy that shapes everything from the club’s design to its approach to hospitality. Whether based in Los Angeles or arriving from Asia, members are invited into a discreet world that places them at the heart of the city’s cultural and entertainment landscape. Located within Koreatown’s historic Chapman Plaza, the club is designed not as a neighbourhood hangout but as a refined cultural hub — a private base for those who demand more than a hotel when Los Angeles is on their itinerary.
At the helm of the club’s vision is Stuart Whang, the founding investor behind Club HUE. Born in South Korea and raised in Los Angeles, Whang founded Wi Spa, the longstanding Koreatown institution that introduced generations of Angelenos to Korean wellness traditions centered on ritual, restoration and taking time to pause. His decades of entrepreneurial experience, which also include founding Colosseum, an NCAA apparel business ranked among the top five in its category, are grounded in a deep understanding of what makes people return to a place: trust, comfort, consistency and a genuine sense of care. Club HUE brings these lifelong themes into their most intimate expression yet.
“I have spent my life building businesses in Los Angeles, and Koreatown has always been at the center of that story,” says Whang. “Club HUE is an investment in this city and a bridge to the world beyond it — a place built on culture, hospitality and connection. I am excited to welcome members from around the corner and from Seoul to Hong Kong and beyond.”
A New Chapter in Koreatown’s Cultural Renaissance
Set within Chapman Plaza, the iconic 1929 landmark at the heart of Koreatown, Club HUE is part of the neighborhood’s ongoing creative and cultural renaissance. Long celebrated for its culinary influence and nightlife energy, Koreatown is now emerging as one of Los Angeles’ most design-forward cultural corridors where hospitality, beauty, art and fashion intersect. Hidden within the plaza’s historic walls, the club offers a sense of discovery known primarily to those who are invited inside.
“With Stuart Whang as our founding investor, Club HUE is rooted in Koreatown’s story and committed to Los Angeles for the long term,” says Greg Lee, Club Director of Club HUE. “We envisioned a members’ club that blends intimacy with global access, where meaningful experiences, thoughtful hospitality and cultural connection are at the core — whether you’re based in Los Angeles or flying in from Seoul or Hong Kong. The neighborhood’s revival is real, and opening our doors here is our commitment to being part of it.”
Koreatown is also home to a gravitational concentration of Korean-American creative talent, spanning entertainment, music, fashion and the arts, whose global influence has grown in parallel with the worldwide rise of Korean culture. Club HUE is conceived as a natural home for this community: a space where those who have shaped that cultural moment, and those inspired by it, can gather with intention and discretion.
Design, Art & Atmosphere: Where East Meets West
Inspired by the Korean concept of Hueshik (휴식), meaning “rest,” Club HUE offers a refined pause from the pace of modern life. Designed through an East-meets-West lens, the interiors evoke the romance of the golden age of travel with layered textures, warm lighting, sculptural details and lush greenery. A central sculptural bar encircles a stage, complemented by private dining areas and a discreet karaoke lounge — intimate, state-of-the-art, and designed for the kind of effortless late-night entertainment that defines elevated social culture across Asia and beyond — each offering a sense of intimacy and escape. Subtle references to the golden age of travel are reinterpreted for a contemporary, culturally fluent audience.
Anchoring the space is a commissioned mural by Michael Haight, inspired by his time living in South Korea and the concept of 한강휴식 (hangang huesik), the meditative leisure of summer afternoons along the Han River. Curated by Jane Lee, Artistic Director of HUE, the work creates a quiet dialogue between past and present, East and West, reflecting the club’s ethos of discernment, restraint and cultural depth, with additional works by RETNA accenting the space.
Dining & Drinks
The club’s restaurant centers on progressive Asian cuisine, balancing refined technique with shareable, social dining designed to move effortlessly from day to night. The culinary program, developed with Executive Chef Hiroo Nagahara, emphasizes seasonality, layered flavors and refined presentation. The bar anchors the space as a social focal point, with a curated cocktail program blending classic foundations with subtle Asian influences, complemented by a globally focused wine and spirits selection.
Membership: Curated, Global and Intentionally Limited
To preserve the culture and experience at HUE, membership is highly selective and intentionally limited, bringing together creators, entrepreneurs, tastemakers and globally minded leaders. Membership is intentionally and strictly capped well below typical levels within the private membership landscape, cultivating a highly curated community that ensures discretion, intimacy and meaningful connection. This is a community shaped by a shared fluency in both Eastern and Western culture — those who move between Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore and Los Angeles as naturally as they move between industries.
Membership is offered across several tiers, including Under 30, Founder, Founder Premium, Lifetime and Corporate, each providing increasing levels of access and luxury services. Standard initiation starts at 7,500USD.
Membership benefits include:
- Access to reciprocal private members’ clubs around the world, including in Singapore, Mumbai, Doha, Hamburg, Milan and Vienna
- Priority access to partner hotels and relationship properties
- Enhanced concierge and travel planning services
- Bar and dining access
- Invitations to members-only cultural programming and events
Founder Premium tiers unlock elevated privileges, including:
- Luxury chauffeur service within Koreatown
- Complimentary evening valet
- Priority access to future HUE locations worldwide
A Lifetime Membership is also available on a limited basis, offering priority access to all future clubs globally.
