The Koreatown gem has served its last bowl of Yook Gae Jang.
Nak Won House, the beloved 24-hour restaurant, has won the hearts of many locals over its 34-year span of serving up Korean comfort food to hungry diners. For some, it was an initiation to the cuisine and its humble, utilitarian interiors have never ceased to be a welcoming respite for generations.
Despite adapting to the COVID-19 situation with a delivery and pickup service, the efforts were not enough to financially sustain it. On October 1, the owners took to social media to announce that they had officially served guests for the last time on September 30.
“Due to unforeseen financial circumstances from COVID-19, it brings us great sadness and heavy hearts to announce that Nakwon Restaurant will permanently close on September 30, 2020,” the statement read. “Thank you for making Nakwon a recognizable name and a popular eating establishment in the heart of this beloved Koreatown and the beautiful City of Los Angeles. Again, we want to express our deepest gratitude to our staff and you for your continuous support since 1987. We are honored to have served you and this community,” it continued.
While Hodori, the neighboring rival, is still open, there have been endless closures of irreplaceable establishments within the community like Beverly Soon Tofu earlier last month. Hopefully, the al fresco dining introduced across Los Angeles will and COVID-friendly arrangements such as the greenhouses at Lady Byrd cafe will spur on further innovations to keep eateries running.