Cheonil Sikdang (Korean: 천일식당) is a historic restaurant in Haenam County, South Jeolla Province, South Korea. It the seventh-oldest operating restaurant in South Korea, having been established in 1924.[1] It specializes in Korean table d'hôte (hanjeongsik): a large spread of numerous small Korean side dishes.[1]
| Cheonil Sikdang | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1924 |
| Food type | Korean cuisine, Korean table d'hôte |
| Street address | 20-8 Eupnae-gil, Haenam-eup, Haenam County, South Jeolla Province, South Korea |
| Coordinates | 34°34′14″N 126°35′57″E / 34.5705°N 126.5993°E |
| Website | www |
The restaurant has reportedly been consistently famous in South Jeolla Province and across South Korea, and has remained family-owned. It was reportedly frequented by significant politicians in the country, and its food was delivered to the South Korean presidential residence the Blue House a number of times. The restaurant now has a branch in Seoul called Haenam Cheonilgwan (해남천일관) was opened in the mid-1990s.[2][3]
Description
editThe restaurant is reportedly reputed for its tteok-galbi (short rib patties) and kimchi.[1] It reportedly serves dozens of side dishes at each table.[4] The restaurant claims to have no secret recipes, and only focuses on the quality of its ingredients and execution of its cooking.[2]
History
editThe restaurant was first established in 1924 as Cheonilgwan (천일관) by Park Seong-sun (박성순; 朴成順). She was the breadwinner for her family, as her yangban husband reportedly had little interest in working.[4][2] She set up a roadside food stall and began selling a variety of namul dishes and soups. Her stand reportedly became popular, with even local officials seeking it out. As eating at such a stall was inconvenient, they asked her to create a restaurant building. That became Cheonilgwan.[1][4] The original location of the restaurant is located within the innermost part of the current complex; it was a thatched-roof hanok building. As hanjeongsik was prohibitively expensive for regular people around this time, its customers were mainly aristocrats.[1]
In 1950, the original hut was torn down and replaced with a more modern building.[4] After the second generation Lee Jeong-rye (이정례; 李正禮) took over the restaurant, she changed its name to Cheonil Sikdang. Around that time, tteok-galbi became the restaurant's signature dish.[1] Park would eventually die in 1973.[4] Lee died in 1990;[4] in 1988 Oh Hyeon-hwa (오현화; 吳賢華) took over.[2]
Since early in its history, the restaurant has been consistently popular among the elite in South Korea. South Korean leader Park Chung Hee ate at the restaurant four times.[4][2] The food has reportedly been delivered to the South Korean former presidential residence the Blue House on a number of occasions.[4][2] Reportedly, on one occasion Park Seong-sun refused to go by car to the Blue House because she would easily get carsick, so Park Chung Hee offered her a helicopter ride to Seoul.[2] South Korean leader Ahn Woo-man, Minister of Justice, dined at the restaurant in 1995. Mayor of Seoul Goh Kun ate there in 1997.[4] In spite of this, the restaurant's customer base is reportedly diverse, with various socioeconomic classes eating together.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f 김, 유성 (July 3, 2023). "주인도 손님도 3대째…전국 7번째 오래된 식당". 해남우리신문 (in Korean). Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h 김, 성윤 (March 1, 2023). "박정희 대통령이 4번 다녀간 백년식당 "秘法은 따로 없다, 상식 지킬 뿐"". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- ^ 김, 성윤 (December 23, 2019). "3대 95년째 이어진 南道 한정식의 진수". economychosun.com (in Korean). Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i 손, 지연 (October 1990). "[인터뷰] 全羅道맛의 元祖 「해남 천일식당」의 여주인 막내딸 金正心". Monthly Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved August 6, 2024.