Mangaluru: From a data scientist in the United States to starting a Korean restaurant in Mangaluru, Seoul-born Heej Kim’s journey began with cooking authentic food from scratch during his early years in India.Born in 1988, Kim said he grew up in a family of professors and educators, which shaped his interest in science.Kim met his life partner, a molecular scientist from Udupi, while both of them were working in California.Despite anticipating resistance due to cultural differences, he said both families were supportive, and they got married in Kapu in 2019. He added that while differences existed, curiosity helped them navigate their relationship.Kim said that after nearly a decade abroad, his wife wanted to be closer to her family and support their healthcare institution.He said they started their first outlet in Manipal in 2022, as a seven-seat experiment, soon after they moved to Switzerland for three years to return to their science careers, and in 2025 returned to India to open KOIN Home (KOrean INdian) in Mangaluru.About his initial years in India, Kim said the time was challenging due to differences in weather, culture and lifestyle, and also by limited food options and the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.He said homesickness led him to cook authentic Korean food from scratch, including tofu, noodles, pickles and cheese, and to grow herbs at home, adding that while he knew cooking, making everything from scratch was new to him.Kim said the idea of starting a restaurant came from his and his wife’s passion for food ,and cooking hobby, and they also noticed the growing popularity of Korean culture through K-pop and Korean dramas.He said they noticed many places in the city serving dishes labelled as Korean without authenticity, pointing out that even in five-star hotels and premium stores, items like ‘kimchi’ were being misrepresented, which led them to introduce genuine Korean flavours.He said setting up the restaurant was challenging, as Korean cuisine was unfamiliar to most hospitality professionals, and they had to train their staff from scratch.On the food, Kim said their focus is on authenticity, using traditional Korean recipes and techniques, while keeping dishes approachable for first-time diners without altering them to simply make them ‘Indianised.’He said popular dishes include Korean fried chicken, kimbap and noodle varieties such as jajangmyun and champpong.I find it interesting that the local palate itself can vary widely as well, with some really enjoying one dish and vice versa, he said.Kim said he and his wife enjoy living in Mangaluru, describing it as diverse, welcoming and rich in food culture, adding that his favourite local dishes are his mother-in-law’s kori rotti and chilli chicken.On future plans, he said the restaurant remains a passion project, and their focus is on strengthening their Mangaluru outlet and continuing to provide an authentic Korean dining experience.
