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Yeon-Sool, a new Korean cocktail bar, opens in Soho in November 2026 under the direction of Danny Park, the former General Manager of Seoul’s Zest.
Yeon-Sool’s inspiration is 1990s Hongdae, the Seoul university district where Korea first met the world, and the world first met modern Korea. The name joins two Korean words: yeon, meaning connection, and sool, the country’s traditional spirits. Together, they read as “connected by spirit.”
Yeon-Sool offers two distinct settings within a single venue. On the Graham Street side, Danny’s craft unfolds within an industrial and lived-in space. Here, a vibrant rhythm prevails with five seats facing the bartender at a counter, and another 23 seats that invite guests to dive into the moment and be guided through the flavours and spirits of the Korean peninsula.
Over on Peel Street, the atmosphere is focused on high-energy hospitality. The long room is anchored by a bar counter that extends into a communal table, with space to spill out onto the street – where the buzz of Hong Kong’s nightlife reaches its apex.
The interiors evoke a ‘90s-era artist’s Hongdae loft in brick, concrete and metal, tying the bar back to a time and place of transformative potential in recent Korean history.
KOREAN CULTURE MEETS THE WORLD
Few bartenders have a résumé as global as Danny Park. Born in Seoul, he studied hospitality in Arizona and Switzerland before beginning his career in New York where he got his first taste of the city’s speakeasy culture. Danny then moved back to Seoul, where he joined Zest – first as a regular customer, then later as a junior bartender. As Zest rose through the ranks of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, so did Danny, eventually becoming the bar’s General Manager where he oversaw the bar’s operations as it became a flagbearer for Korean mixology on the world stage. At Yeon-Sool, he brings his global approach to Korean craft and heritage to Hong Kong for the first time.
“Nowadays, everyone can make good drinks, and everyone can offer good hospitality,” says Danny. “What makes the difference is personality. A drink shows the character of the person who makes it. I am excited to open my first bar in Hong Kong, which sits at the centre of Asia, with so many people living, visiting and doing business here. This is the ideal city to make Korean cocktail culture more approachable, and to share it much further.”
A TASTE OF YEON AND SOOL
Danny’s cocktails trace the lineage of Seoul’s own bar scene, which first absorbed the precision of Japanese bartending and later the warmth of Western hospitality. His menu works in two directions: Korean spirits used for Western compositions and Western spirits given Korean flavours. Ingredients run from fermented pastes to native fruits such as Korean pear and omija, five-spice berry.
At the heart of it all is sool, which encompasses all traditional Korean spirits. There is soju, which is defined as any clear spirit distilled in Korea, whether from rice, barley or sweet potato; makgeolli, a fermented rice wine; and cheongju, the clear layer drawn from its surface, which becomes yakju when infused with medicinal roots. The latter is Danny’s favourite cocktail ingredient, which he uses in place of dry vermouth.
“Korea has so many great spirits that people simply aren’t aware of,” says Danny. “I want to bring them to Hong Kong and share them with the world. When guests leave, I want them to remember two things: a drink that was perfectly balanced, and a happy night with real warmth to it.”
In the lounge, a mix of signature cocktails and non-alcoholic serves showcase Danny’s own creations. Among them, theCalifornia Dream is a tribute to Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express and its famous use of the Beach Boys hit “California Dreamin'”. The film was a cult hit in Korea, and the drink brings Hong Kong, Korean and Western culture together in one glass by combining gin, lavender, shine muscat and tonic water: bright and refreshing in the manner of a gin and tonic, with a nod to the city’s neon glow.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, 3 Jang Old Fashioned is a savoury and spirit-forward nod to ssamjang, the Korean dipping sauce, which layers burnt gochujang butter, doenjang (soybean paste) syrup, and a jelly made of ganjang (soy sauce) into the familiar whisky classic. Alongside the cocktails sits a large selection of premium Korean spirits by the glass, including a diverse range of Korean whiskies.
On the Peel Street side, five highballs and one non-alcoholic highball are built on soju, yakju and makgeolli. The Somaek IPA pays homage to somaek, Korea’s beloved mix of soju and beer, reimagined as a fruit-forward, IPA-style highball featuring buckwheat soju, tropical IPA cordial and peach wine. Equally refreshing is the In-Yeon Cider, a soju cocktail bolstered with clarified Korean pear, oleo saccharum, and a garnish of popping candy.
Five classic twists and one non-alcoholic option complete the menu, while yakju and makgeolli are also poured by the glass.
ANJU – FOOD PAIRED WITH ALCOHOL
No Korean bar is complete without anju, the food designed to satisfy the cravings to sustain long nights of drinking into the wee hours. At Yeon-Sool, bold Korean flavours are given an international accent. The Corn Dog, a classic American-influenced street snack, is finished with gochujang ketchup – so delectable it’s impossible to stop at just one – while Korean Fried Chicken arrives with shrimp chips and a blue cheese and doenjang dip in a nod to Buffalo wings. Other options include Galbi-Jjim Mandu short rib dumplings and White Kimchi Grilled Cheese – a craveable grilled cheese with white kimchi, mozzarella, and emmental on sourdough bread, served with a spicy creamy gochujang sauce for dunking as a play on grilled cheese with tomato soup. For dessert, the Hongdae Sundae features vanilla ice cream topped with fresh strawberries, gochujang-strawberry syrup, makgeolli whipped cream, and white chocolate crumbs to round out a supremely shareable menu.
ONE BAR, TWO MOODS
Drawing inspiration from 1990s Hongdae, the interior design captures the spirit of an artist’s loft through exposed brick, industrial tiles, metal accents, and raw textures, creating an authentic, lived-in energy. The space seamlessly guides guests between its two contrasting settings depending on the mood of their evening.
On the Graham Street side, five seats face the bartender at a counter while another 23 fill a warm, industrial lounge soundtracked by ’90s-era hip hop and vintage Korean beats – inviting guests to appreciate the craftsmanship of the bar programme and immerse themselves in spirited conversation.
Towards Peel Street, the space opens up to a vibrant atmosphere. A long communal bar table forms the centrepiece of the room, inviting group interactions and spontaneous connections, while seamless access to the street captures the lively pulse of Hong Kong’s nightlife.
“Hong Kong has always been a city I’ve admired for its incredible diversity, buzzing hospitality scene, and abundance of talent. Coming here wasn’t just about taking on a new challenge but also about growing both personally and professionally by learning from a different culture and community,” says Danny.
“Yeon-Sool comes naturally from who I am and where I come from. Rather than trying to introduce or teach people about Korean culture, I simply wanted to share some of the things I grew up with: the flavours, music, memories, and drinking culture that feel familiar to me. With Yeon Sool, we hope to bring those elements into a modern bar experience, while learning from and adapting to the local culture.”
Yeon-Sool opens in November 2026 at the Garley Building, 53A Graham Street and 48-52A Peel Street, Central. Limited seated reservations can be made at Seven Rooms.
