Walking through the Itaewon neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea, you’ll find one of the most diverse food scenes in the country. Historically, Itaewon has attracted many foreign residents because of its proximity to the Yongsan Garrison, which served as the headquarters for U.S. Forces Korea from 1957 until its relocation in 2018.
Foreign influence permeates throughout the neighborhood, particularly within the food scene. Itaewon hosts everything from Mexican restaurants to Texas barbecue spots and Turkish kebab takeout. You’ll also find a slice of Detroit — pun intended — at Motor City, South Korea’s first Detroit-style pizza joint.
Co-founder John Kim first tried Detroit-style pizza during a trip to China in 2013. The experience was revelatory for the entrepreneur, and he knew he had to bring the taste of Detroit to South Korea.
Having already established Manimal Smokehouse — Korea’s first Texas barbecue restaurant — in 2015, Kim wanted his next restaurant under the Manimal hospitality group to reflect the feeling he had while eating Detroit-style pizza. He teamed up with partners Dae Young Kim and Ki Kang to “introduce new cuisines and flavors” to Koreans.
Kim flew to Detroit to learn how to perfect the pizza base under the tutelage of the late, award-winning Shawn Randazzo, who is credited with popularizing Detroit-style pizza in the U.S. and beyond. Subsequently, in 2016, he opened Motor City in Seoul.
The restaurant’s interior is unmistakably South Korean; many of the buildings on the Itaewon Shopping Street were built during the 1970s and ’80s and have a distinct feel. It’s the dishes that transport you to Detroit, including an authentic pizza that wouldn’t feel out of place in Michigan.
Typically, savory bread found across Europe and the United States is not common in Korea. Bread is predominantly considered a dessert and is therefore soft and sweet rather than crusty and salty.
“One of the biggest challenges back in 2016 was to adjust the recipe with water and flour,” says Dae Young Kim, CEO of Manimal. “Since the pH level of water is different in the States, getting high-protein unbleached bread flour [such as King Arthur] was our homework to make the right dough. We wanted to keep it authentic, but we also couldn’t ignore the Korean crowd. That was a challenge.”
Motor City offers a plethora of pizzas, from classic cheese to a more indulgent truffle bacon mushroom. I opted for the Meatzza, topped with a special cheese blend, bacon, ragù sauce, Italian sausage, and a light sprinkle of Reggiano.
The Meatzza appeared authentic from first glance, confirmed when I took my first bite. The crispy, caramelized crust was cooked to perfection. The rich taste of meat and tomatoes, the slight saltiness of the Reggiano, and a big cheese pull elevated the pizza.
Though more than 6,600 miles separate Detroit and Seoul, Motor City displays the power of food and its ability to bridge cultural gaps. What began as a mission to introduce Koreans to new flavors has led to a 10-year journey of perfecting the art of Detroit cuisine.
This story originally appeared in the July 2026 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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