Imok Smoke Dining

The first spark of Imok ignited in Imok-ri, a small village in Cheongju, Korea - the spark that the customer ignited with his acquaintances, traveled through "Yoo Yong-wook Barbecue" in Namyoung-dong, and eventually reached the current "Imok Smoke Dining". The intent was to create Smoke Dining that sums up the knowledge and experience gained from their grilling endeavors.They have aimed to diligently create it over a long period.

We exchanged ideas, aligning our plans for the future. For more than six months, we thought together about aspects such as overseas market research of barbecue food culture, barbecue space design, and deliberations on determining brand value and identity. We thought and searched. In the end, we discovered a space that resonated with us, and the stories and visions we'd shared for so long were put on the table.

After demolishing the 36-year-old public bath, I noticed the roofs and columns stretching out horizontally without traditional alignment as I stood in the rubble. The atmosphere of the concrete, formed over time by moisture and heat, reminded me of a bunker in a secret facility.

It was fun to think that a space associated with water from birth would transform into a space using fire. We were hoping our first spark would light up this damp space, so we called the concept the Burn-ker. Upon passing through the building's main entrance, the first thing Imok can see is a rusty iron door reminiscent of an underground bunker.

The dim, dim light that could be seen behind the iron gate aroused curiosity as to what might be there. Opening the heavy iron door and passing through the light, one encounters the atrium lit from above. The sunken garden, which can be seen behind the reception desk, subtly suggests the subterranean nature of the space and the presence of the earth beyond, enhancing the understated and comforting atmosphere of the darkened space. Continuing through the path to the restaurant hall, one faces the fireplace. While the motif of fire was expressed differently throughout the entire restaurant, the bonfires in the corridor hall were depicted using red lighting and dampening effects.

In the foyer and inside the private dining room (PDR), pixel candle-like digital lighting is used, creating a smaller but more focused flame in the private space. Furthermore, in the Sunken Garden, the only area with natural light, a primitive fire pit, incorporating real and digital flames and smoke, has been designed to serve a purpose within our space. For the overall finish and color scheme, we have used brown, anthracite, red, brown and gray finishes that reflect the stages of burning wood into charcoal and ash. This mix aims to blend the solitary, large image of a hideaway with the intimate, wild image of a barbecue.