아리랑 만두 &
김밥

Youngsok & Jiyoun Do

Founders · Arirang Dumpling & Catering

Youngsok Do arrived from Korea with a simple but unshakeable conviction: that great food, made honestly, speaks louder than any advertisement. In 1999, he opened a small take-out window on Broad Avenue in Palisades Park, NJ — just a counter, a steamer, and a dream. The shop had no grand launch, no fanfare. It had dumplings, rolled fresh every morning before sunrise.

Word spread quickly through the Korean community. Neighbors told neighbors. Regulars became family. The 왕만두 — plump, hand-crimped, bursting with flavor — became the talk of Broad Ave. People lined up before the doors opened. Not because of marketing, but because Youngsok refused to cut corners. Every dumpling was folded by hand. Every batch of kimbap was rolled that morning. That standard has never changed.

His wife Jiyoun Do joined him in building what Arirang is today — not just a restaurant, but a cornerstone of the community. Together, they expanded from a tiny take-out spot into a full catering operation, bringing their handmade food to events, celebrations, and gatherings across New Jersey.

Over 25 years, the neighborhood has changed around them. New restaurants have come and gone. But Arirang remains — same corner, same recipes, same commitment. Because some things don't need to be reinvented. They just need to be done with care, every single day.