Five Korean restaurants open one after another in Ho Chi Minh City—from Korean barbecue and tteokbokki to mala fusion

In 2026, Ho Chi Minh City is seeing a rush of Korean restaurant openings. Five venues with different concepts opened one after another: the upscale Korean BBQ "Midam," the Seoul-café-style "I Hate Monday," the tteokbokki specialist "MFTT," "TEBA" inspired by Itaewon Class, and the Korean-mala fusion "Sorimmara." They are drawing attention among Vietnamese young people, mainly on Threads.

Introducing all five Korean restaurants at once

Openings continue to cluster in District 1 (the Ben Nghe area) and the Thao Dien area (District 2) of Ho Chi Minh City. All of them are based on Korean cuisine while differentiating themselves through their own distinctive concepts.

Midam: five-story dry-aged Korean BBQ

Located on Thi Sach Street in District 1, Midam is an upscale Korean BBQ restaurant that puts dry-aged beef front and center. In a minimalist, black-toned building, upper-floor seats offer a 180-degree city view.

The menu highlight is a BBQ beef set served with dry-ice showmanship. Sirloin, tenderloin, rib, and other cuts each have different aging periods, concentrating the beef's natural umami. The staff handle all the grilling, so even Korean-BBQ beginners can relax.

• Hours: 11:00-23:00 (weekday break 15:00-17:00)
• Phone: 028 7300 1595
• Features: private rooms available, tableside grilling by staff, relatively reasonable lunch

I Hate Monday: Seoul all-day dining

Set on Nguyen Duy Hieu Street in the Thao Dien area, "I Hate Monday" is an all-day dining spot that brings Seoul's dynamic aesthetic to Ho Chi Minh City. Indoor seats, a second floor, garden seating, and private rooms let you choose the setting to fit the occasion.

The menu takes a fusion approach, blending traditional Korean ingredients with Western cooking techniques. The signature "Squid Game pasta" is winning praise not just for its striking name but for its taste. The lineup is broad, with sandwiches, 12 mains, 4 sides, and desserts.

MFTT: a shop specializing in tteokbokki

MFTT, whose name comes from the initials of "My Favorite Tteokbokki," is a compact venue in the Thao Dien area. In a modern-minimalist space of white and silver stainless steel, the menu is devoted entirely to tteokbokki.

• Three types: black-bean sauce, extra-spicy sauce, and double sauce
• Each portion comes with long tteokbokki, Korean fish cake (odeng), and crispy sweet potato
• You can add sides such as jjolmyeon (cold noodles), gimbap, and Spam

TEBA: the world of the Korean drama Itaewon Class

Located on Le Thanh Ton Street (the Japanese quarter) in District 1, TEBA is a restaurant inspired by the popular Korean drama Itaewon Class. In a space aglow with neon lights, it's a nighttime dining spot that even holds Korean-film screenings.

It covers Korean staples such as Shin Ramyun, yukgaejang (spicy beef soup), sweet-and-sour pork, odeng, cold noodles, and squid dressed in gochujang. For fans of the drama, it also offers a pilgrimage-style way to enjoy it.

Sorimmara: a Korean x mala crossover

Appearing on Thai Van Lung Street in District 1, Sorimmara is an unusual fusion that combines Korean cuisine with Chinese mala spices. Its five mains offer malatang (Korean-style hot pot) and mala xiang guo (spicy stir-fry) in three variations: jjajang, rose-cream, and traditional.

The spiciness is tuned to Vietnamese palates, and the sides are also substantial, including fish-cake soup, guo bao rou (sweet-and-sour-pork style), karaage chicken, and tteokbokki. The large portions make it well suited to groups.

Spreading on Threads, young people's "Korean food crawl" accelerates

What all five have in common is that they've become talked about on the Threads platform. Vietnam's younger generation is increasingly shifting from Instagram to Threads, and new-store information now more often spreads off the back of Threads posts.

Ho Chi Minh City food bloggers have created and shared a "Korean gourmet map" touring the five venues. Some say "Le Thanh Ton Street in District 1 is becoming a Korean-food street," and the area known as the Japanese quarter is growing more multinational.

The enduring popularity of Korean content (K-pop, Korean dramas) in Vietnam also lies behind the opening rush. As TEBA takes Itaewon Class as its concept, the link between entertainment and dining is a pillar of drawing customers.

Recommendations for Japanese travelers

When you find yourself missing Korean food during a trip to Ho Chi Minh City, these restaurants are a strong option. Midam's upscale Korean BBQ in particular is on par with Japanese yakiniku restaurants in quality, at roughly half the price of Japan. Going at lunch lets you enjoy it even more affordably.

Three venues (TEBA, Midam, and Sorimmara) are clustered around Le Thanh Ton Street, so you can hop between them while staying in District 1.

You may also like: How to explore Ho Chi Minh City's "Café Apartment" / Savoring modern Vietnamese cuisine at Nuc Kitchen Saigon / A feature on Da Nang's third-wave coffee shops

Ho Chi Minh City's rush of Korean restaurant openings is not a mere fad but a sign that Korean food culture is taking root in Vietnam. The proof is the growing diversity of concepts, from dry-aged BBQ to mala fusion. Centered on District 1 and Thao Dien, Ho Chi Minh City's culinary landscape is steadily changing.

Sources and references

• 5 nhà hàng Hàn mới mở ở TP.HCM – Du Lich Viet Nam
• MIDAM Korean Premium BBQ Ho Chi Minh City – Vietnam Real Guide