Junghyun and Ellia Park moved from Seoul to New York City 12 years ago, right after they got married. They relocated because Junghyun, who goes by JP, got a job cooking at Jungsik. At the time, they weren’t even considering opening their own restaurant in New York. Instead, they thought it would be more likely for them to eventually create something in Korea.

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“But then we saw the larger potential in New York,” Ellia tells Observer. “They’re open to different cultures here.” The Parks embraced their heritage and merged it with a New York groove and a global, travel-inspired sensibility, and created one of the world’s most revered and influential restaurant groups. With JP as executive chef and Ellia as CEO, their company, Na:eun Hospitality, has redefined Korean cuisine in New York, and now runs Atoboy, Atomix and Naro. All of these restaurants are about celebrating, recentering and evolving Korean food.

But, of course, it’s the two-Michelin starred Atomix that has ascended to the pinnacle of fine dining in the United States. Last year, Atomix jumped 25 spots and was ranked No. 8 in the prestigious World’s........

© Observer