Home > Culture > Food & Travel

Pyongyang naengmyeon lovers left in the cold: Woo Lae Ok closes for renovations

Published: 30 Jul. 2025, 21:28

KIM MIN-YOUNG
[email protected]

One of Seoul’s four most famous naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) establishments, Woo Lae Ok [JOONGANG ILBO]

One of Seoul’s four most famous naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) establishments, Woo Lae Ok, has temporarily closed for renovations starting Tuesday, leaving cold noodle lovers scrambling for alternatives in the summer heat.

Local media reported that foreign tourists unfamiliar with the schedule appeared bewildered on Wednesday as they wandered in front of shuttered stores in the sweltering heat.

Social media users expressed their confusion and disappointment online, posting comments such as, "Why are they closed in August of all times?", "I was hoping to eat there on Liberation Day — what a shame." and "Thankfully, I already went earlier this month."

Woo Lae Ok holds the country’s oldest restaurant trademark, registered in November 1969. The restaurant specializes in Pyongyang naengmyeon, the origins of which can be traced back to the North Korean capital. The dish is known for a subtle umami flavor that is famous for being an "acquired taste."

“We apologize,” reads a sign in front of the restaurant. “Temporarily closed for internal repairs. Thank you for understanding.” The parking lot across the street is also blocked off, preventing vehicle access.

“Renovations were something we needed to do,” a Woo Lae Ok representative told local news outlet News1. “We had planned to do it after peak season, but due to internal circumstances, it had to be pushed forward.”

The restaurant is expected to remain closed until the end of August or early September, according to the representative.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]