K-Pour Chronicles – Episode 6: Nature, Craft & Welcome

Some bars you discover. Others you return to. I first visited Make Zero Bar in early 2025. It was a quiet night, but something about the place stayed with me — the calm, the concept, the care behind every pour. So when my K-Pour trail brought me back to Busan, I didn’t think twice. One night in the city, and one place to go. The reward came instantly. The owner looked up, smiled, and said: “You’ve been here before, right?” A small gesture — but like everything at Make Zero, it meant more. That quiet recognition, the care, the genuine hospitality. A feeling of being seen. 

Busan is a city of contrasts. Korea’s second-largest metropolis hums with energy — famous for its beaches, seafood markets, colourful hillside homes, and neon-lit alleys that stretch into the night. But for all the buzz, Busan also has these unexpected pockets of calm. Places that invite you to slow down. Make Zero Bar is one of them.

Make Zero doesn’t shout for your attention. It draws you in softly. Like the first sip of something perfectly balanced.

From Nature to Glass

The name says it all. Make Zero — to begin from nothing, from the purest possible place. No shortcuts. No theatrics. Just nature, technique, and intention. The bar’s philosophy, “From nature to glass,” is more than a tagline. It’s in every decision — from the ingredients to the lighting. The owner’s background in brewing runs deep in the DNA of the place. You feel it in the fermentation, the infusions, the layered restraint. These drinks don’t shout. They speak. Gently. Clearly. Rooted in local produce, seasonality, and Korean heritage.

Step inside, and the world slows down. The space is warm and grounded — wood and stone. Soft light spills across the bar, no harsh edges, no distractions. Just enough design to feel intentional, not curated. It could be Tokyo. It could be Copenhagen. It could be a hidden spot in a quiet Seoul alley. But it is unmistakably Busan. And you know it. Glassware is delicate. Music never pushes. The room allows for closeness or solitude, depending on what you need. Conversations flow — with your friend, the bartender, or the cocktail in front of you.

This is a space for connection, not performance.

The menu is short and clean. More than a handful of cocktails — each one deeply considered. Many carry the echo of memory or place. Others reinterpret Korean flavours with quiet innovation. All are built with balance and care. Let’s drink:

“Cheongjjam”, this Negroni-style cocktail is rooted in the owner’s memories of four years living in Jeju. Each fall, green tangerines were harvested by hand. Here, that memory becomes a drink: lactic-acid fermented green tangerine, bitter complexity, and a basalt-shaped chocolate garnish to echo the island’s volcanic soul. It brought us right back to our own Jeju memories.

“Ddak Bam”, if there’s chestnut on a menu, I don’t need to think twice. Roasted chestnut, Rum, Amaretto, homemade chestnut syrup, lemon, egg white. Creamy, rich, nostalgic — everything I hoped for, and more. “Fig”, another highlight from the fall menu — a soft, elegant sour. Bourbon infused with fig leaf, fig syrup, and lemon. It spread gently across the palate, with fig and coconut lingering in the afterglow.

“Blue Valentine”, yes — like the Tom Waits song. Romantic, a little melancholic, and deeply sensual. Lacto-fermented blueberries, Rye, Amaro, mint, vermouth, and lemongrass tincture. Garnished with blueberry chocolate. Deep, herbal, fruity, bittersweet — it felt like a love letter in a glass.

Make Zero isn’t about the ‘wow’ moment. It’s about the slow build. The soft shift in pace. The quiet comfort of being cared for — without performance or pretence.

The team behind the bar brings so much warmth to the experience. Conversations flowed easily — not just about drinks, but about Busan, seasons, and the subtle difference between a good bar and a great one. And just before we left? A small farewell gift: two bottled cocktails for our trip to Seoul. Thoughtful. Unexpected. Perfect. That’s the thing with Make Zero. Every detail means more than it seems.

Why You Should Go

Busan’s bar scene is evolving—softer than Seoul’s glitter, more intimate than its pace. But that’s what makes it exciting. There’s space here. Possibility. And bars like Make Zero are building that future — not with trends or noise, but with intention, care, and a true sense of place. This isn’t a bar chasing hype. It’s a philosophy. A deeply personal one. Make Zero didn’t need a second visit to win me over — but it got one. And gave back even more. So if you’re in Busan, go. If you’re not, it’s worth the detour. And if you arrive quietly, respectfully, ready to listen — don’t be surprised if someone behind the bar remembers you too.