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I taewon is easily one of the hottest places in Seoul for evening outings, with its multinational crowd of visitors, openness and trendiness. Upscale establishments like Be- tween, B1 Lounge club, Glam Lounge, Club Mute and Prost Pub & Grill are adding to the trendiness of Itae- won’s drink scene with their signature menus, distinct atmospheres and, most importantly, their innovative bar- tenders who are exploring new ways to make drinking more fun. “I think there is nothing that a bartender cannot use, only things that he chooses not to. I must think outside the box and enjoy myself for the customer to have an enjoyable experience,” says Cha Jung-ho, the bartender at Between. Groove Korea spoke with Cha Jung-ho at Between, Lee Hong- gyu at B1 Lounge, Kim Sun-kyung at Glam Lounge, Jeong Ho-bin at Club Mute and Lee Mi-young at Prost Pub & Grill talk about Itaewon, their respective bars, the art of bartending and their spe- cialty cocktail recommendations. Groove Korea: What favorite or signature cocktail would you recommend? Why is this special? I’d like to introduce a cocktail that you can make and enjoy easily at home using vinegar. Though there are a lot of ingredients that can add a re- freshing taste like lemon or lime, vinegar gives a very unique and unexpected flavor and scent. There are a lot of people who enjoy gin and tonics or vodka tonics at home using Tanqueray No.10 gin or Ciroc vodka. If you add a touch of red vin- egar (hongcho) to this simple mix, you can get a refreshing, red-tinted cocktail that looks and feels like something made by a pro at one of Itaewon’s finest bars. You’re quite famous in the industry with all your wins at World Class competitions. What do you think is the most important qualifca- tion for your job? Bartending is a job that requires a lot of studying and practice. It’s a job you have to work hard at to develop your skills before you can start serving guests. Personally, I think it’s important to keep an open mind and think outside the box. If you can only ever picture a cocktail being served out of a glass, there are going to be a lot of limitations in terms of how you express yourself. There’s noth- ing a bartender cannot use; it’s only a matter of the things that he or she chooses not to try. I have to stay creative and enjoy myself, for the customer’s sake — we have to be able to express ourselves freely. What do you like the most about being a bar- tender? How many jobs are out there where you can truly express yourself? Bartending is one of those jobs where you can totally be whoever you are. You can express your unique personality through your bartending technique, and in each cocktail you serve. How is Itaewon different from other places where you have worked before? With its tendency to attract a lot of foreign pa- trons, Itaewon is the perfect place to express my- self to people from all over the world. On top of its foreign and local pedestrian traffic, Itaewon is also the center of what’s new and happening in Seoul, something I attribute to MYK; it’s definitely something that makes Itaewon special. How is Between different from other loung- es? I think the strength of Between is its versatili- ty; you can come and enjoy the dining menu, the lounge or just the general privacy of the space as a whole. More than just the hardware, like the in- terior design, but also by the software: the food, employee service and music. All MYK places have their own charm, with a good mix of modern and classic. You have a fair amount of experience in your trade. Would you ever consider running a class to pass on your experience to others? Holding cocktail classes and getting to know some of our customers better would certainly be a really worthwhile, exciting experience, but I’m not sure I could do it on my own; if it weren’t for all the other bartenders I work with, I would have noth- ing more to show than my cocktails. … It takes a team of people working together to make a great cocktail menu. In a way, I would say each of us holds our own cocktail classes every day of the year. The solid mix of cocktails, food, music and ambiance is not only thriving at Between but in every MYK place. Cha Jung-ho’s speCialty drinks Roulette With it being autumn, I would like to recommend the Roulette — a reinterpretation of the Manhattan. Because of Itaewon’s particular character, we get a lot of foreign customers and Manhattans have become a popular order. But there was one time when a customer took a sip of the Manhattan I served and said it wasn’t real; even after six more glasses, the customer, who was from Manhattan, continued to tell me, “This this isn’t the Manhattan I know.” I was dying to know what I was missing. Back in January 2014, I happened to be traveling through New York City and tried Manhattans from many bars in the area. I can’t say that I fgured it out, exactly, but I did feel that my Manhattan was still just an imitation of somebody else’s, not one with my own style or philosophy. In the end there was no defnite answer. The cocktails were impressive, nonetheless. Shortly after I came back, Bulleit Rye was introduced in Korea, so I used its strong, smooth taste to try to capture my own take on the classic. After all of my research, I came up with the Roulette: It’s the queen of cocktails and captures the scent and delicate ambience of autumn. Interview with Cha Jung-ho, Between Roulette Between Lounge Tanqueray No. 10 Tonic, Ciroc Tonic Recipes Tanqueray No.10 Tonic • 30 ml Tanqueray No. 10 • 15 ml Hongcho red vinegar • 90 ml tonic water Ciroc Tonic • 30 ml Ciroc • 15 ml Hongcho red vinegar • 90 ml tonic water