SINCE 1978
A Love StoryBorn in Namsan
The story of CHOTBOOL 1978, home to 48 years of memoriesCHAPTER 01
CHOTBOOL 1978 History & Love Story
SINCE 1978
A Love Story Born in Namsan
In 1978, CHOTBOOL began as a small Korean-style Western restaurant with just six tables on the slopes of Namsan.
A French-inspired red-brick building, autumn ivy glowing crimson beneath gas lamps—this was a romantic hideaway that couples wanted to keep secret.
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The dining room was always dim, and the red candle on every table made everyone look their most beautiful.
It may be hard to imagine now, but indoor smoking was allowed then, so the room was often hazy with cigarette smoke. Even so, countless couples left their love and memories here, writing their own stories on the walls.
An old pump organ stood in one corner, while sweet jazz recorded on cassette tapes played through Inkel speakers.
How wonderful that music was. We still miss those days.
CHOTBOOL 1978 Timeline
- 1978First opened
- 1980“Candlelight,” the title track of Cho Yong-pil’s second album
- 1993Owner Jang Gyeong-sun began operating CHOTBOOL
- 2000Featured on SBS Real Korea
- 2002Named a Best Restaurant by MenuPan.com
- 2003Featured on SBS Morning Wide
- 2004Featured in a proposal segment on KBS VJ Special Forces
- 2004Received the Seoul Beautiful Sign Award
- 2004Featured on MBC Spread Your Dreams
- 2004Featured by Japan’s NHK in a program about dating among young Koreans
- 2005Signed the New Paradigm Center agreement for an employee-friendly workplace
- 2010Reached a record of one million proposals
- 2013The original building was demolished and reconstruction began
- 2015Reconstruction was completed, beginning CHOTBOOL’s second chapter
- 2026Designated as a Hundred-Year Store
- 2026CHOTBOOL’s third chapter began with an open new interior and familiar favorites
CHAPTER 02
CHOTBOOL 1978 Behind Story
The People Who Sustained 48 Years of History
CHOTBOOL 1978 has endured to this day thanks to the love and support of many guests.
Along with our guests, we owe special thanks to our former landlady, Mrs. Lee Ja-hyeong, and Director Kim Myeong-han of Café aA in Hongdae.
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The People Who Helped Preserve CHOTBOOL
Without their consideration, this building might have been sold to someone else, and the decades of love stories and countless guest memories held within CHOTBOOL might have disappeared with it.
Thanks to Mrs. Lee’s kindness at the time, we were just able to purchase CHOTBOOL. Today, our entire family regards her as a treasured benefactor.
Because of Mrs. Lee, whom I consider my second mother, CHOTBOOL was able to carry on and remain a place that holds Namsan’s stories of love and memory.
When the building had been demolished and I did not know what to do, Director Kim Myeong-han encouraged me, saying, “I hope someone will take responsibility for preserving the memories our guests made in Namsan.”
He then guided and cared for the entire rebuilding process, down to the furniture and objects after construction, allowing CHOTBOOL to begin again in the form it has today.
In 2026, the value of our long history was recognized when we were designated a “Hundred-Year Store” by Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups. Once again, we offer our deepest gratitude to Mrs. Lee Ja-hyeong.
How the Name CHOTBOOL Was Born
When the restaurant first opened in 1978, it was actually called “September.”
The name “CHOTBOOL,” meaning candlelight, came from “Candlelight,” the title track of singer Cho Yong-pil’s second album, released in 1980.
Hyun Il-sung, CHOTBOOL’s second owner, had come to know Cho Yong-pil while working as an executive and talent booker at the club House on the Prairie. He loved Cho’s song “Candlelight” and, inspired by it, named the restaurant CHOTBOOL.
That is how a name filled with the music and romance of an era came to be.
1993: The Beginning of a New Relationship
Owner Jang Gyeong-sun did not operate CHOTBOOL throughout its entire 48-year history. She began managing the restaurant in 1993.
Ever since, she has carried its story forward while protecting the history built before her and the precious memories of its guests.
CHOTBOOL in Namsan, Remembered by Generations of Korean Couples
In 1978, CHOTBOOL was the only restaurant along this stretch of road in Namsan.
Namsan has always been a favorite destination for couples. With N Seoul Tower and the Namsan Cable Car nearby, couples naturally found their way to CHOTBOOL, and word of mouth made it a celebrated date spot.
Among Seoul residents now in their fifties or older, many will remember hearing of CHOTBOOL in Namsan as a famous destination for dates and proposals when they were in their twenties and thirties.
At the time, CHOTBOOL was considered one of the places couples dreamed of visiting for a proposal or a date, alongside 63 Building and N Seoul Tower.
Its reputation spread beyond Seoul across the country. Guests traveled from regions including Gyeongsang and Jeolla to reserve a table, and weekend bookings often had to be made a month in advance.
2013: The Moment CHOTBOOL Nearly Disappeared Again
Even at the height of its popularity, CHOTBOOL could not escape the passage of time.
In 2013, structural and legal issues left us no choice but to demolish the original building that had held so many memories.
Tearing down a place filled with the love and stories of countless couples was never an easy decision, but it was necessary to continue CHOTBOOL’s history on this site.
2015: The Beginning of CHOTBOOL’s Second Chapter
After two years of effort, CHOTBOOL reopened in a new form on June 6, 2015.
100 Years of Love! A Place for 100 Years
With this slogan, CHOTBOOL’s second chapter began.
Although the building was new, we wanted the love and memories held within it to continue unchanged. Architectural finishes and design details were intentionally created to feel decades old and remain true to CHOTBOOL’s history.
For more than ten years after rebuilding, our team gave everything we had. We invested all our passion and resources, leaving no room for regret.
There were also years when we failed to keep pace as guest preferences changed and the analog era gave way to the smartphone age. Over the past decade, CHOTBOOL’s flame never went out, but it did not always burn brightly. Still, we persevered through many challenges.
2026: The Beginning of CHOTBOOL’s Third Chapter
In 2026, with help from the owner’s second-generation daughters, CHOTBOOL chose to change once more.
We completely renewed the interior with a more open design, transforming it into a welcoming place anyone could visit with ease.
We revived familiar Korean-style Western favorites such as Namsan pork cutlet and kimchi fried rice, while adding a new selection of casual brunch dishes.
Beyond being a restaurant reserved for special occasions, we wanted to return as an everyday place in Namsan where guests could always feel at home.
As a younger second generation joined the management, fresh perspective and energy were added to a long history. In 2026, carrying 48 years of memories, CHOTBOOL began its third act.
CHAPTER 03
CHOTBOOL 1978 Value & Vision
48 Years of Memories, and the Next 100 Years
The values CHOTBOOL 1978 holds most dear are people, love, and memories.
Together with our community, we are building 100 years of CHOTBOOL filled with joy and emotion.
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Treasure old memories. Welcome new change with joy.
With better food, a more comfortable space, and warmer service, we will continue creating a restaurant that everyone can visit anytime.
CHOTBOOL 1978 will remain a beloved Namsan restaurant for generations to come.
CHAPTER 04
CHOTBOOL 1978 Food Story
A Long Tradition of Korean-Style Western Food, Made for Today
First: Food Made with Both Flavor and Well-Being in Mind
Every CHOTBOOL dish is created with not only flavor, but also ingredient quality and comfortable digestion in mind.
We bring out the natural character of each ingredient and thoughtfully use the strengths of Korean sauces to create flavors guests will want to return to.
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We pursue food that guests of every age can enjoy comfortably and return to again and again without tiring of it.
Our menu centers on wholesome brunch dishes, naturally paired with nostalgic Korean-style Western favorites loved for generations.
Second: The Story of Namsan’s First Pork Cutlet
Drawing on the history of Korean-style Western dining that began here in Namsan in 1978, CHOTBOOL 1978 has spent decades developing the flavor of Namsan’s first pork cutlet.
Today, Namsan is home to many pork cutlet restaurants and many accounts of which one came first. At CHOTBOOL, however, we believe the quality and flavor of the food matter more than debates over who is the original.
We continue exploring new ways to make our pork cutlet richer and more savory.
Using fresh pork is only the beginning. Instead of ordinary soybean oil, we fry with a carefully balanced blend of lard and olive oil.
By combining the deep savoriness of lard with the qualities of olive oil, we aim to create a pork cutlet flavor distinctly our own.
In the 1990s, lard was used for pork cutlets far more often than it is today. CHOTBOOL carries the advantages of that traditional cooking method into our present-day menu.
We also take special care with the bread served alongside the pork cutlet, baking it in-house with organic flour and carefully selected French flour.
The bread is generously sized to enjoy with the cutlet or, if you prefer, to create your own pork cutlet burger.
Third: Swiss Cheese Fondue Filled with Memories of Love
For roughly twenty years, from 1995 to 2015, elaborate proposal events prepared by men before marriage became a major cultural trend in Korea.
At the time, CHOTBOOL was an ideal place for countless couples to declare their love. Its dim, cozy atmosphere, reminiscent of a Swiss chalet, was a perfect match for cheese fondue.
Cheese fondue is a traditional Swiss dish of bread and potatoes dipped into warm melted cheese.
It became even more famous through the romantic tale that if the bread slipped from your fork into the cheese, you had to give your partner a kiss.
These small stories came together to give couples at CHOTBOOL a special kind of delight.
Feeding each other bread, laughing, and confessing their love—cheese fondue was more than a dish. It was a special part of completing CHOTBOOL’s love story.
Fourth: The Future of Our Menu
Looking ahead, CHOTBOOL will continue developing wholesome and delicious brunch-style dishes.
We will create food the whole family can enjoy, from children to grandparents, and build a space where everyone can dine comfortably.
We will also continue developing group menus and special party dishes for guests hosting rooftop parties or reserving our second-floor space.
While protecting our long tradition of Korean-style Western food, we will keep introducing new flavors and pleasures for changing times.