Korean Pub and Restaurant For National Avenue

839 W. National Ave. Photo taken May 6, 2026 by Sophie Bolich.

Hae Jin Park has a keen eye for potential, often envisioning the ideal business to fill empty buildings she passes by.

“It’s in my blood,” she said. “I see a place and think, ‘That could be a successful tea store, or that would make a great restaurant.'”

At 839 W. National Ave., Park sees a cozy dining room with lanterns glowing overhead, a social bar counter framed by a Korean-style roof and a peaceful, plant-filled patio. In her vision, guests are digging into fried dumplings and beef intestine soup, toasting trendy highball cocktails and sipping soju.

This project is one she’ll get to bring to life. Park and her brother, Jungwoo, plan to open Soonja’s Seoul Pocha there this summer. It is set to replace The National Cafe, which closed last December after 17 years in business.

“I kept driving by, and always thought about it for three years,” Park said. “Now, I have it.”

The business is named for Park’s late mother, Soonja, who owned a grocery store and fried chicken restaurant in Korea and later led Seoul Korean Restaurant — a longtime dining destination on Milwaukee’s East Side — until her passing nearly three years ago. Its operation will mirror the siblings’ childhood, Park said.

“My brother cooked with her all the time, and he makes the food exactly like hers. I swept the floor and served drinks. Many customers treated me like their daughter, so I’d always sit down with them and hang out with them — I grew up in that environment.”

Park said her mother always wished for her to pursue education — and she did. The industry veteran now works as a teacher and recently earned a doctorate in organizational leadership. But restaurants have always felt like home, and she is ready to return.

The restaurant will bear Soonja’s name and legacy. “I wanted to carry on her spirit and her soul,” Park said. “I wanted to have her back in the restaurant — for her to live on through me.”

With a target opening this summer, Soonja’s Seoul Pocha will focus on “very traditional food,” offering silkworm pupae soup and beef intestine soup — a signature dish at the former Seoul Korean Restaurant — alongside tteokbokki, fried seaweed rolls, fried squid and other popular street snacks. Entrees could include spicy pork stir fry, spicy chicken gizzards and grilled pork belly, while a late-night bar menu features several ramen varieties.

Park also plans to serve “old-style” Korean fried chicken — a whole bird battered, deep-fried and broken down table-side. Like many others on the menu, the dish carries personal significance for Park.

“My father used to bring this chicken home for special occasions, and everyone would gather on the floor with newspaper around us,” she said. “He would break up the chicken by hand, giving the legs to the most important people.”

Park hopes the extensive menu will have something for everyone. “We are truly putting our souls into the food,” she said. “We always say that we’re going to feed the people just like we eat, so the food is going to be very authentic.”

A modern beverage program would contrast the traditional food menu, featuring trendy highball cocktails in various flavors, along with soju — served solo or as a mixed drink with fresh fruit and ice. The menu will also include sake, makgeolli (Korean rice wine) and beer served ultra-chilled in frozen mugs, something Park said she hasn’t been able to find locally.

“I want everything to be fun, to taste good and feel good,” she said, emphasizing a goal to maintain fair prices for a reasonable amount of high-quality food. “I really love to satisfy the customer.”

Park said the restaurant will blend traditional Korean influences with contemporary aesthetics, including a cushioned wall banquette and garden-inspired patio. Additional decor could include pieces from a Korean artist and calligraphy from her father. She’ll also travel to Korea to source materials for the business.

“I want [customers] to feel like they’re in another country, but still at home,” she said. “Somewhere very comfortable, where the people are friendly, the food is good and everything is perfect.”

As Park and her brother prepare to launch the restaurant, they’re also hoping to book catering opportunities throughout the summer, introducing their food and concept to diners throughout the area.

Park knows the road ahead won’t be an easy one, but she’s prepared — even eager — for the challenge. “It’s a really hard job, but I think I can do it really well,” she said. “I’m ready to focus, work hard and play hard — and I think we’ll be successful.”

A license application for Soonja’s Seoul Pocha is pending before the Milwaukee Common Council. If approved, the restaurant’s proposed hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.

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