ZLB23 at The Leela Palace Bengaluru will host a one-night-only bar takeover by Bar Kiez, Seoul, on Thursday, 16th April 2026. Presented in partnership with Malfy Gin, the evening brings one of Seoul’s most talked-about new bars to India for the first time and to one of the country’s most celebrated cocktail destinations.
Kiez – a discreet underground cocktail den in Cheongdam, Seoul’s most competitive bar neighbourhood, opened in January 2025. The interior marries mid-century Japanese aesthetics with Bauhaus sensibility – unhurried, considered, and unmistakably his. In just over a year, it has built a reputation that extends well beyond Cheongdam.
At the helm is Dongyeol Shin, known as Don, who will be behind the bar at ZLB23 for the evening, mixing a selection of his signature cocktails. His journey into bartending has been shaped by a series of decisive shifts, including training at Le Lion, one of Germany’s most respected cocktail bars – before returning to Seoul to open his own space.
The Bengaluru evening marks Bar Kiez’s first visit to India. It finds a fitting home at ZLB23. Tucked behind a hidden entrance within Zia’s Garden at The Leela Palace Bengaluru, ZLB23 has earned its place among Asia’s 50 Best Bars and was named Best Bar in India in 2024. Known for its Kyoto-inspired atmosphere, precise cocktail programming and a commitment to meaningful global exchange, it has become the natural address in India for collaborations of this kind.
For the takeover, Don will present a curated selection of Kiez signatures, each reflecting a balance of European precision and Korean sensibility that defines his approach behind the bar. The menu moves between playful and deeply nuanced – Girl Next Door, where strawberry yogurt-infused Malfy meets peach and basil with a lifted, effervescent finish, Toh-Mah-Toh, a savoury, structured blend of vodka, tomato and dill. Mi-So Sexy leans into depth, layering cognac with Korean miso and tonka bean, while Rice & Shine brings warmth and texture through coconut, scorched rice and whisky.
Every bar carries a sense of place. For one night, that sense travels from the underground corners of Cheongdam to the hidden doors of ZLB23, unfolding through a menu that speaks in its own quiet, confident voice.
- Venue: ZLB23, The Leela Palace, HAL 2nd Stage, Kodihalli, Bengaluru – 560008
- Date: Thursday, 16th April 2026
- Timing: 8 PM onwards
- Price: INR 5,000++ per person
