Chef Kang Min-goo, center, poses after accepting the Michelin star plaque during the Michelin Guide's annual ceremony at The Westin Josun Seoul in Jung District, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Michelin

The Michelin Guide has elevated chef Kang Min-goo's Korean contemporary restaurant Mingles to the new and only three-star establishment for the 2025 edition in Korea, making it the standout star of this year's ratings.

The complete list of Michelin Guide Seoul & Busan 2025 was unveiled during its annual event at The Westin Josun Seoul in Jung District, Seoul, Thursday, 40 Michelin-starred restaurants — 37 in Seoul and three in Busan.

Mingles was a constant in the Michelin Guide since the first Seoul edition in 2017 and earned this year's top honor through relentless innovation.

"I truly thank Michelin (for three stars). I was born in the mid-1980s and grew up in an ordinary family in Korea, during a period when the country achieved tremendous economic development and experienced many changes. I grew up cooking alongside the emergence of fine dining culture in Korea," Chef Kang said as he accepted the plaque for three-star restaurants.

"Thanks to the social environment created by my parents' generation and by my senior chefs, I am sincerely grateful that I could choose cooking and challenge myself in the gastronomy culture … As I always have, I will continue to challenge myself, stay true to the basics and strive to make Mingles a place of constant effort."

Last year, Mosu, helmed by chef Anh Sung-jae of "Culinary Class Wars" fame, was the sole restaurant in Korea to hold three Michelin stars. However, it was temporarily closed at the time of the announcement last year, initially vowing to reopen by summer. With its doors still shut, Korea was left without a top-tier Michelin restaurant until now, with Mingles stepping into the spotlight.

The Michelin Guide Seoul & Busan 2025 features 234 restaurants in total — 186 in Seoul and 48 in Busan.

"Today, we are here to recognize and celebrate the chefs and their teams, the passionate individuals who contribute to elevating Korea's culinary scene," Jerome Vincon, managing director of Michelin Korea, said in his opening remarks.

"Their work beautifully reflects Korea's rich culinary heritage while embracing modern innovation, making the country one of the most exciting gastronomic destinations in the world. This is very inspiring and aligns with everything we stand for at Michelin."

This year's Michelin-starred chefs pose during the Michelin Guide's annual ceremony at The Westin Josun Seoul in Jung District, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Michelin

A total of 117 establishments make it to Michelin Selected restaurants with 10 newly added from Seoul and two from Busan.

Along with the new three-star, this year's edition saw one addition — Evett — to two-starred restaurants with eight restaurants reclaiming the recognition. Australian chef Joseph Lidgerwood's innovative Korean fine dining, which has enjoyed one star since 2020, was promoted this year after years of an adventurous approach to Korean ingredients for inventive dishes.

"We came this far thanks to our (Evett) team and will continue to put our best effort. We are diligently utilizing Korean ingredients and will strive to further accentuate their beauty," Lidgerwood said.

Seven establishments — Tutoiement, Sosuheon, Escondido, Yu Yuan, y'esast, Gigas and Legume — joined the list of 29 one-starred restaurants.

Three restaurants — Korean cuisine A Flower Blossom on the Rice, western cuisine Gigas, and Busan's Western cuisine Fiotto — maintained the Michelin Green Star, which highlights restaurants that offer environmentally-inspiring gastronomic experiences.

This year's Bib Gourmand selection has a total of 77 restaurants, 58 in Seoul with 10 newcomers and 19 in Busan with four new additions.

Noting that the selections were made through the rigorous dedication of its iconic anonymous inspectors, Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, shared that this year's edition is a reflection of Korea's evolving culinary scene.

"In Seoul, we have witnessed a remarkable year of progress with the emergence of new stars that reflect the ongoing evolution of this vibrant culinary scene," he said in a video.

"In Busan, the voices of local chefs and market trends revealed steady growth and an optimistic future. Just as Seoul, it firmly established itself as a global culinary destination. We are confident that Busan will continue to join toward culinary excellence, showcasing its unique identity as a port city."