By Han Sang-hee
Staff reporter
Wine has been popular for a while now and it's not that hard to get a good bottle of wine anymore. But for those who still want something extra, pay a visit to the Jell, an exclusive wine bar and shop, located in Itaewon.
Lee Je-chun is the CEO of the shop and he had all the reasons to feel proud of one of Korea's oldest wine bars.
Lee went to Germany to study in 1969 and first experienced the rich taste of wine. When he came back to Korea in 1986, few people knew about wine, and less knew how to enjoy it. Interested in bringing it and its culture to locals, he opened a shop in 1992. He became a member of the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, an exclusive club of Burgundy wine enthusiasts in 2006.
``Koreans are very good at tasting wine. We are used to fermented food, so it just takes a few drops to know whether it's good or bad,'' Lee said.
But when it came to enjoying wine, there are some things Koreans need to learn.
`` I think foreigners tend to be more natural around it; they don't really care how expensive it is because they are more accustomed to it. Koreans, on the other hand, tend to think of wine as a difficult and more elite drink. They like to drink heavily and get tipsy and they tend to enjoy it only on special occasions,'' he said, adding that it was true that many Koreans have opened up and started to enjoy wine on a more regular basis.
The Jell is an exclusive club, and you must qualify to become a member. The cost is 1.1 million won ($1,000) for a year's membership or 5 million won for life. When you become a member, you get to use all the features on the premises: the business rooms, the patio with a great view and the cozy sofas in front of a fireplace.
The three-story building was built with red bricks, which, according to Lee, are at least 100-years-old. The exterior definitely pops out from the cuter and more modern brunch places around the neighborhood with a distinct ancient, medieval look.
The Jell features four private rooms, a balcony and two bigger guestrooms. There is also a wine cellar where Lee keeps the most exquisite and expensive bottles of wine.
It's like walking into a medieval film: The rooms are dark, a bit damp but cozy enough for a long chat or a game of chess with a glass of wine.
``I decorated the place myself. It was too expensive to hire someone and I don't think I would have been satisfied anyway,'' Lee said.
Lee still tastes numerous wines every week, dealing with wine dealers and working on ways to introduce better wine to the Korean public. He is planning to continue to do so in the future.
`` Wine accompanies everything: food, communication and music. Plus, you can never know all of it. As one year passes, another new bottle arrives. It's honest and doesn't follow a trend,'' he said, drinking a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.
``You can't conquer it.''
For more information on the Jell, visit www.jellwine.com or call (02) 797-6846.