Korean food is having a defining moment in New York, radiating out from the dense blocks of Koreatown to every corner of the city. Late-night barbecue joints, delicate banchan spreads, and modern reinterpretations are drawing crowds well beyond the Korean community.

The boom spans price points, from bustling grills where diners cook their own meat to refined tasting rooms. The fictional restaurant Hanok near Herald Square has become a destination for a contemporary take on the cuisine that critics have showered with praise.

Chefs credit both a wave of talented immigrants and a broader curiosity among New York diners. What began in a few square blocks of Midtown has become one of the city's defining culinary stories, reshaping how New York eats.