49.3 F
Los Angeles
Friday, April 4, 2025

Korean Food Culture Market Opens 75,000-Sq-Ft Mall in Daly City

Customers wait to enter Korean food culture market Jagalchi in Daly City
Customers line up outside Jagalchi, the new 75,000-square-foot Korean food culture market in Daly City. [Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group]

A 75,000-square-foot Korean food culture market is now open in Daly City, offering a new destination for Korean cuisine and culinary traditions. The complex, named Jagalchi, combines restaurants, markets, and cultural displays under one roof.

Michelin-Starred Chef Opens Korean Restaurant ‘Pogu’

Jagalchi takes over the former JCPenney space inside Serramonte Center. At its core is Pogu, a 160-seat restaurant run by Yoo Hyun-Soo, Korea’s first Michelin-starred chef. The open kitchen offers diners a full view of the cooking process. A live tuna-cutting show will also take place regularly.

A Market with Traditional Korean Ingredients

The site includes a grocery, butcher shop, and seafood section. A Korean cosmetics corner is in the works. Inspired by the famous seafood market in Busan, Jagalchi blends tradition with upscale interiors and a lineup of unique vendors.

Cultural Hub Aims to Make Korean Food Accessible

Rather than a standard shopping center, Jagalchi is designed to be a place where visitors can explore Korean ingredients, experience the food culture, and watch it in action. “You don’t need a plane ticket to Korea,” a spokesperson said. “This is where traditional flavors meet modern style.”

Local Media Welcome the New Addition

Outlets including Mercury News and ABC7 reported on the opening, highlighting the market’s role in expanding the Bay Area’s food landscape. In a region long dominated by Chinese and Japanese cuisine, Jagalchi offers a fresh entry point to Korean food. Mercury News described it as a space for both newcomers and longtime fans.

Operated by Mega Mart, Backed by Nongshim

Mega Mart, the U.S. retail arm of Nongshim Group, operates Jagalchi. The company already runs stores in Atlanta, Sunnyvale, and Fremont. Daly City marks its fourth and largest U.S. location.

  • Address: 63 Serramonte Center, Daly City, CA

Hyoungjae Kim
Hyoungjae Kim
Hyoungjae Kim is a staff writer at The Korea Daily. He covers news in Korea, the Korean community, and the Los Angeles area. He graduated from a university in Korea. He studied Korean language and literature and journalism and broadcasting. He first started his career as a reporter at The Korea Times. He has been working at The Korea Daily since 2016. He hopes that many people will share the stories and news of the Korean American community and people in Southern California.