One of the world`s leading restaurant guides, Zagat, has landed in Seoul.
Tim and Nina Zagat, the couple who spawned the survey that helped change how people decided where to dine, announced the publication of Zagat`s first Seoul survey at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on Wednesday.
"We are pleased to present our first ever Seoul restaurant guide," Zagat co-Founder, co-Chair and CEO Tim Zagat said. "It was produced in conjunction with HyundaiCard. HyundaiCard initially proposed this project in 2008."
When asked what prompted them to cover Seoul, Tim Zagat pointed to HyundaiCard`s proposal and the help the credit card company provided in surveying the city`s restaurants as the "real reason" behind their decision.
Zagat and HyundaiCard joined forces to carry out the complex and arduous task of drawing up a list of restaurants to be surveyed before recruiting 4,398 diners (35 percent in their 20s, 55 percent in their 30s, 10 percent aged 40 and over) to rate the food, service and decor of the establishments on a 30-point scale.
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"Zagat`s field researchers and local editors drew up a list of 500 restaurants and a committee formed by HyundaiCard submitted a list of 2,000 restaurants," a HyundaiCard representative explained over the phone. "The list was combined and reduced to around 300 restaurants, which were then surveyed. Certain restaurants on the list were not evaluated by our surveyors. Those were removed from the list and newly opened restaurants were added to the final guide. Those newly opened restaurants have not been rated."
According to HyundaiCard`s chief marketing officer, Park Se-hun, the project took a year and a half.
"Our 2010 Seoul restaurant survey covers 287 of the city`s top restaurants as voted on by almost 4,400 local diners who rated and reviewed each of these restaurants, voting on ZAGAT.com," said Tim Zagat. "In addition to Korean cuisine, the dining scene in Seoul is vibrant with global influences. The diversity of Seoul restaurants is evident by looking at some of the top winners."
Zagat went on to announce the top winners for food, decor, service and popularity. Ristorante Eo, an Italian establishment located in Cheongdam-dong, won for best food, French fusion restaurant Naos Nova won for decor and Shilla Hotel`s French restaurant, Continental, won for best service. The Indian restaurant chain, Ganga, was voted the most popular restaurant in Seoul.
Bamboo House, Myongwolgwan, Woolaeok and Yongsusan were the top-rated restaurants in the Korean food category.
"In addition to the ratings and reviews in the new guide, the survey measures the behavior of Seoul diners," Zagat added. "Seoul diners report eating out an average of 3.8 times per week. This is higher than diners in New York, Paris or Tokyo."
"Compared to last year, 58 percent of surveyors say they are eating out more, while only 13 percent say less," said Zagat. "If I was a restaurateur in Seoul, I would very much appreciate that statistic."
The survey also revealed that 75 percent of those surveyed reported spending more on dining out than last year and that 40 percent stated that Seoul`s dining scene has improved from last year. Food was deemed the most important factor in selecting a restaurant, at 45 percent, followed by prices (27 percent) and cleanliness (21 percent).
When asked if the guide would be published in English, Zagat answered: "There will be an English version quite soon."
For those who cannot wait for a printed version to come out, the restaurants are currently listed in English under South Korea at ZAGAT.com
While the survey is one the first prominent international guides to cover Korea, it may face tough competition from dedicated local food bloggers and sites that provide continual updates and reviews on restaurants throughout the city.
Nevertheless, the publication of the survey is a notable addition to the dining guide market. Printed ratings, both high and low, reflect the opinions of a large group of local diners, opening up a forum for critics, restaurateurs and experts to explore potential consumer preferences and market demand.
According to chief marketing officer Park, Korea is the third Asian country and Seoul is the 10th Asian city to be covered by Zagat.
In addition to restaurant ratings and brief reviews, the guide also provides special categories for type of cuisine, location and special features. The special features section includes romantic places, business spots, trendy spots, late dining spots, places run by celebrity chefs, places where one can dine alone, places with "winning wine lists," and hidden gems (under the category titled "sleepers").
Zagat Survey started off as a hobby for Tim and Nina Zagat in 1979. Now it covers more than 100 countries, providing consumer survey-based information on various categories including restaurants, nightspots and hotels. It is available in print, on the web, and on mobile devices. Tim Zagat is the co-Founder, co-Chair and CEO of Zagat Survey. Nina Zagat is the co-Founder and co-Chair.
"Zagat Seoul Restaurants 2010" can be purchased via HyundaiCard PRIVIA Shopping at http://shop.hyundaicard.com. For more information call (02) 1588-0360.
(oh_jean@heraldcorp.com)



By Jean Oh