On August 1, Yangban, the award-winning Korean-American restaurant by Chefs Katianna and John Hong, will temporarily shutter its doors to undergo a remodel. The eatery will return later this summer.
What Now Los Angeles spoke briefly with Katianna to find out the restaurant co-founder’s hopes for the incoming space, and in the midst, we learned of the husband and wife’s undying affinity for community, culture, and comfortability.
“[This remodel] is just the general evolution of the brand and space. John always explains it like this: We originally opened Yangban as a conversation starter, an exploration into identity, and something that was for the community. We wanted to use food and cooking as platforms, but we also wanted to touch on subjects like art and culture. We didn’t know where it would go, but we knew it would evolve based on our personal growth and as a response to the community.
Yangban was modeled after the delis we grew up going to that were community-driven and minority-owned. Although we come from a fine-dining background, we wanted to strip away all the unnecessary things. And while we still hold to those values, in this post-pandemic world, we’ve found that we’re a destination with a demand for a full-service dining experience.
Everything is evolving, including us. And because our food is purely autobiographical, this is all kind of a natural process for us. We’re not rebranding; the space will still feel the same, but it’ll now have evolving cuisine, half-circle banquettes, increased privacy, more plants, [more art], and more comfort.”
