Jongno cocktail bar in a hanok: Chusu and Dongbaek at Hanuk

A secluded hanok bar in bustling Jongno

I finally visited Hanuk, which had made such an impression on me at the Infinite Bar at last year's and this year's Bar & Spirit Show. By bus, get off at Jongno 2-ga; by subway, you can get off around Jongno 3-ga or Jonggak, though there is a bit of walking involved. Still, a little walk in weather like this seems perfectly fine, doesn't it?

It is in an incredibly busy area, but even though I live close to Jongno, this was honestly my first time seeing so many foreigners and people around here. It was far more of a hot spot than I expected.

Open this discreet, hanok-like door and there is Bar Hanuk.

A traditional back bar and hanok-themed menu

Inside, there is a bright yet traditionally designed back bar and bar seating, plus three or four tables on the right. I arrived almost exactly at opening time, yet there were already quite a few people there for a weekday. Perhaps because it is a tourist area, Gyeongbokgung, Gangnam, and Jongno had so many foreigners and locals. I could tell the atmosphere was different from Yeonnam-dong or Hongdae the moment I walked in. So many bottles were waiting: liqueurs, whisky, and a wide range of Korean spirits.

Open the menu and you find this hanok-gate-themed layout.

The signatures were recently revamped, but the former signatures were still available to order. There are also Korean meal options that suit the concept and its international guests. And of course, classic cocktails are available anytime too.

This is the petite welcome setting served as standard: yakgwa (honey cookies) and sujeonggwa (cinnamon punch). I have met plenty of foreigners, and sujeonggwa or sikhye (sweet rice punch) are honestly drinks that are hard to get wrong. Sujeonggwa is sweet and bitter at once, which I think makes it a fitting choice for the bar atmosphere.

A classic Gin Fizz for the first drink

Gin Fizz

At this point, my first drink practically goes without saying. It is either a Second Serve or a Gin Fizz, yet for some reason I always naturally end up ordering a Gin Fizz. This one used Gordon's as its base and was sweet and citrusy. It is a Gin Fizz that lots of people can enjoy. As a chaser, it was excellent—a good Gin Fizz whose balance never fell apart.

Chusu, a signature with soy sauce bitters

Chusu (Harvest)

With autumn very much in the air, I ordered the former signature, Chusu (Harvest). The moment I tasted it, I thought, “Ah, this is a Whiskey Sour twist,” just as the description said. The bitters on top use soy sauce, and their curious salty-sweet character came through in both aroma and flavor. Moderately sweet and sour, it felt like a textbook Sour interpreted beautifully in a Korean way—a very good signature.

I also really liked the hangwa (traditional Korean confection) garnish beside it at the end. From the glass to its interpretation of the concept and its twist that never veered into extremes, it was a drink very well rendered in a Korean style.

A special taste of craft gin

Method & Muse Gin: Izakaya / Bergamot Dream

If you love cocktails, how can you dislike gin? I think naturally becoming a gin fanatic is inevitable. While we were chatting, the bartender kindly gave me the chance to taste some special craft gin.

Izakaya was a very interesting gin, with green seaweed and sea salt notes continuing through the flavor and finish. In whisky terms, it reminded me of Bunnahabhain or Bruichladdich. More recently, it was in the same vein as the Meikle Tòir I had at Graver. Bergamot Dream reminded me of Hendrick's Flora Adora. Its bergamot was neither too faint nor excessive, like what you get from Italicus, while citrus and floral notes burst in; it was an intriguing gin that seemed likely to make a very fun cocktail.

A new signature evoking Jeju camellias

Dongbaek (Camellia)

Dongbaek (Camellia) is this season's new signature, evoking camellia flowers on Jeju Island. It uses a sweet, soft camellia-flower syrup reminiscent of Jeju's blooms, while coconut water foam represents the island on top. It is a Gin and Tonic twist, and the use of Martin Miller's Gin, from another volcanic island, also let me sense the bartender's intention.

It is a cocktail where the clean coconut aroma from the foam and the soft, sweet character of the camellia syrup come through clearly, before tonic water's quinine aroma curiously wraps around everything to finish. There is a mocktail version too; objectively, I do not think it would divide opinion, and thanks to the gentle quinine aroma, anyone who drinks it would immediately find it delicious and bright.

Recommended for cocktail beginners and dates

Overall, it was a good Jongno cocktail bar with clean flavors and a mix of international guests and locals. With classics alongside cocktails that are unlikely to divide opinion, I could readily recommend it to people new to cocktails or anyone wanting to go straight out on a date.