Jin A Chun

Jin A Chun
Restaurant information
Established	1925; 100 years ago (1925)
Food type	Korean Chinese cuisine
Street address	18 Daemyeong 1-gil, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea
Coordinates	37.5828°N 127.0004°E / 37.5828; 127.0004

Jin A Chun (Korean: 진아춘; Hanja: 進雅春; RR: Jinachun; lit. arrival of a beautiful spring^[1]) is a historic Korean Chinese cuisine restaurant in Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea.^[2] It is recognized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government as the second oldest operating restaurant in Seoul, having been founded in 1925.^[3]

History

The restaurant was founded in 1925 in the Daehangno area by an ethnic Chinese immigrant surnamed Lee (이진산; Chinese name not given) from Shandong, China.^[4] The restaurant was reportedly successful and survived both the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War. It had a number of famous regular customers, including later South Korean prime minister Chang Myon, who ate at the restaurant while working as the principal of Dongsung High School [ko].^[4] The restaurant was located near the old campus of Seoul National University, so many of its students and professors reportedly visited.^[4][5][6]

Lee had just one daughter from his two marriages. He ended up adopting one of his employees, surnamed Song (송협국; Chinese name not given).^[4] Upon Lee's death in the late 1970s, Song took over the business. Song had two sons and a daughter. His daughter emigrated to Taiwan and his sons to the United States. Song himself emigrated to the United States, and handed the business off to his nephew, surnamed Hyeong (형원호; Chinese name not given). Song's eldest son returned to South Korea in January 1993, and took control over the business. The restaurant's sales declined, and it eventually closed. Song changed the business to a Hamhung naengmyeon restaurant in 1995. Hyeong and his wife founded another business called Junghwa (중화) in February 2000 in the Gwanghwamun area. The restaurant quickly proved a success; this motivated Hyeong to reopen Jin A Chun.^[4]

Jin A Chun reopened again in the Daehangno area, albeit in a different location, and was run by Hyeong's younger sister and her husband.^[4] The restaurant moved locations in October 2010.^[7] The restaurant is reportedly known for its oyster jjamppong, jajangmyeon, and hand-made fried mandu.^[8]

See also

• Gonghwachun – the first jajangmyeon restaurant in Korea
• Jajangmyeon Museum – museum about jajangmyeon in the former Gonghwachun building

References

1. 김, 동률 (2020-06-09). "대학이 사라진 자리… 청춘의 고뇌가 추억 되어 켜켜이". Seoul Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-08-02.
2. "[FETV] 100년을 이어갈 서울미래유산 '맛집'". www.fetv.co.kr (in Korean). 2017-09-04. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
3. "오래 사랑받은 노포들, 서울미래유산 속 식당 50". mediahub.seoul.go.kr (in Korean). Seoul Metropolitan Government. 2021-11-11. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
4. 윤, 주헌 (2020-08-02). "[Why] 85년 된 중국집 진아춘의 '한국사랑'". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-08-02.
5. "[직장인 맛집] 성균관대 사람들이 자주 찾는 명륜동 맛집 5선". Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). 2010-10-11. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
6. 김, 갑수 (2013-08-23). "大路 한복판 퍼져 앉아, 밤새∼ 목청껏 노래하며 취하던…". Munhwa Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-08-02.
7. "[서울 핫플레이스] 로맨스와 힙합의 만남, 대학로". Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). 2011-06-21. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
8. 조, 아란 (2019-04-29). "[김과장 & 이대리] 성균관대 교직원들이 추천하는 혜화동 맛집". Hankyung (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-08-02.