How Atoboy Set the Stage for a Glorious Era of Korean Cuisine — Resy | Right This Way

ATOBOY

4.7 · Korean · $$
NoMad

NARO

4.7 · Korean · $$$
Rockefeller Center

SEOUL SALON NYC

4.6 · Korean · $$
Koreatown

Updated: July 15, 2026

A decade after it first opened, Atoboy continues to be a trailblazer in redefining and evolving our relationship to Korean American cuisine. As the restaurant celebrates its 10th anniversary this summer, it’s clearer more than ever how much of an impact it’s had, and continues to have.

The Concept of Banchan

When Ellia and Junghyun Park opened Atoboy in 2016, the restaurant was presented as a sort of finer-dining tribute to the concept of banchan, which Americans primarily know as the small side dishes often served free as an accompaniment to a Koreatown meal. The Parks, however, were thinking about banchan a bit differently: much closer to the traditional Korean definition, of relatively informal foods that can be assembled around a table, with fresh rice in the middle, to be shared along with a main dish — or not — as a grazing sort of meal.

Forms of Banchan

A meal built around banchan is an essential form of eating in Korea. But having arrived from Seoul in 2012, the Parks found that banchan were, while popular here, perhaps not being accorded the respect they were due.

The Journey of Atoboy

In 2018, they would open the 14-seat Atomix, an intensely personal chef’s-counter meditation on Korean haute cuisine that quickly became one of New York’s most coveted tables, earning two Michelin stars along the way. That would be followed by Naro, their Rockefeller Center ode to traditional Korean cooking, and Seoul Salon, an interpretation of sool jib, Korea’s version of a pub.

Culinary Evolution

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity and length.

Components like lotus root served atop soft curded tofu, braised mackerel with green chile, and the now-iconic fried chicken tying together the past and future of Korean American cooking. Atoboy's evolution shows a melding of different cultures, while maintaining banchan as a core component of their dining experience.

New York's Culinary Landscape

Among notable trends, Junghyun "JP" Park reflects on the dynamic and rapidly growing Korean culinary scene in New York, which has become a central hub compared to other cities. The Parks also emphasize that innovation is key; new influences from diverse backgrounds are continuously shaping the evolution of their dishes.

Future Directions

The Parks envision Atoboy evolving into a neoclassical dining experience, aiming to incorporate various cultural flavors while maintaining their essence of banchan culture. Their research lab in Seoul, Common Era, aims to explore and experiment with Korean cuisine further, preparing them for broader culinary impacts and innovations moving forward.