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C hef Park Hyun-soo, a Seoul native, arrived at the Glam Lounge seven months ago. With a histo- ry of tapas and cocktails, Chef Park began over- hauling the lounge’s menu from day one, mixing things up by offering fusion Jap- anese sushi and sashimi dishes. Things have not been the same since. “When we bring out the platters, our cus- tomers are surprised at the fresh sashimi and sushi we offer,” says Park. “The ma- jority of bars and lounges don’t offer full service, so people are often surprised and wonder if we really made it in our kitchen.” He shrugs and adds jokingly, “It’s a little heartbreaking.” Surprising and delighting customers with his sashimi and sushi has been Park’s pri- ority from the beginning. In high school, he worked part-time at a family-style restau- rant that featured a Japanese course of sushi. Park fell in love with the cuisine. After several months, he was left alone to manage that section of the menu. “I want- ed to learn more about it and take care of everything related to sushi,” recalls Park. Graduating with a degree in hotel and restaurant management, Park has spent the better part of a decade working exclu- sively in Japanese-style restaurants. Most recently, he spent several years training under An Hyo-ju at the Sushi Ho, a well- known sushi shop in the Gangnam area. “I walked in and told Mr. An I wanted to learn to make everything from scratch,” says Park. “I worked sixteen to eighteen hours a day.” Glam Lounge has been a hotspot in Itaewon for years. With its luxe inte rior, signature music and high-quality cocktails, Glam was ready to take its food offerings to the next level. Park says he was ecstatic about the job at Glam because he wanted to bring in a better quality tapas meal. “There are other Western-style tapas bars and lounges,” he says. “I thought the Japanese fusion would fit well here. I un- derstand the bartenders and what the cus- tomers want at a luxury bar lounge. This way, everything moves together, like an orchestra.” The menu stays as dynamic as Park himself, changing with the seasons and what is available fresh at the Noryangjin Fish Market. Glam Lounge is a part of the District Community, three venues com- bined to facilitate a unique experience, and is open every night of the week. S t o r y b y N a t e F i n c h / P h o t o s b y J e s s i c a L i a G l a m l o u n G e Chef Park hyun-soo t akes taPas to the next level ADvERTORIAL