Iraqi serves kebabs for 13 years in Namdaemun Market

Abdulkareem Adnan slices off chicken from his vertical rotisserie at Adnan Kebab in Namdaemun Market, in this undated photo / Courtesy of Adnan Kebab

By Jon Dunbar

Namdaemun Market holds countless surprises in its folds. Among them is Adnan Kebab, an Iraqi restaurant housed in a tiny alcove in front of an NH Bank. It would be easy to miss if it weren't for the big menu standing up outside, red circular signs advertising halal food and a smaller sign offering a prayer room.

A kebab shop in Namdaemun may sound a little unusual, except this one's been here 13 years, predating even most of the kebab shops on the other side of Mount Nam in Itaewon.

Abdulkareem Adnan, its namesake owner, opened the shop in 2008 after discovering a "for rent" sign on the tiny space.

Fresh pita bread is prepared at Abdulkareem Adnan's factory in Incheon. / Courtesy of Adnan Kebab

"I didn't choose this store, but it was a coincidence," he told The Korea Times. "I had a neighbor who was an old man who came to Namdaemun Market and passed by in front of the building and noticed that the small store was offered for rent. He told me about it and we finished everything with his help. It was a nice coincidence and success story to continue to this time."

At first, Adnan's food may not look too different from the chicken and lamb kebabs served at any of the kebab shops that have popped up all over Korea in the last decade, but there are many differences that distinguish his food. He imports spices from his homeland Iraq, and he makes the pitas at his Arabic bread factory in Incheon, rather than just using Mexican tortillas which he says is common at other kebab shops. Chicken is cooked in a big stack on a vertical rotisserie at the front of his restaurant ― a familiar sight at kebab shops all over the world ― but he prepares lamb a more traditional way using smaller shish kebabs, as is done in Iraq.

"There are now many kebab shops in most areas of Seoul, and people accept foreign food more than before," he said.

In the time he's been slinging kebabs, he's seen great changes in not just Koreans' dietary adventurousness, but also in attitudes toward and treatment of Muslim residents and visitors. No doubt he's helped make this difference, participating in events such as festivals, bazaars and embassy events to help make his food more familiar here.

As well, he's noted a swift increase in tourists coming to Korea in the last five years, especially to Namdaemun and his shop.

"Korea is now more open to the world," he said. "Tourists come from different countries of the world and tourism has developed amazingly in recent years. Many tourists come from Muslim countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, etc. Many halal restaurants, mosques and prayer rooms were opened and Koreans are becoming more receptive to foreigners."

Muslim tourists crowd in front of Adnan Kebab in Namdaemun Market, in happier times before the COVID-19 pandemic. / Courtesy of Adnan Kebab

But it wasn't always this easy. Early on in his time here, he struggled with the language barrier, finding halal food and locating places to pray ― Muslims need a safe, comfortable space where they can pray multiple times a day. "But over time we were able to overcome it," he said.

He has a small mat set up in his shop where he can pray conveniently without abandoning his duties. But also in the building behind him there's a prayer room set up for Muslim visitors. He said it is large enough to fit 10 people praying all at once.

"I searched hard to find an empty room to make it a prayer room, because Muslim tourists need it in the market," he said. "The Korean people respect other religions and accept this."

Of course, these days there aren't enough Muslim tourists coming here to fill up the prayer room but Adnan stays open, and his shop location in an open-air space, on the outer edge of the market, makes this place seem safe from COVID-19 infections.

"COVID-19, it affected all the joints of life in Korea and around the world" he said, "and also had an impact on our work in a negative direction."

Adnan Kebab offers a Muslim prayer room in Namdaemun Market. / Courtesy of Adnan Kebab

From Iraq to Korea

Adnan, 49, first came to Korea in 2006, the same year that a permanent government was established in Iraq and also the start of years of sectarian violence.

"I left Iraq because of the bad security situation and to protect my family," Adnan said. "I came here with the help of my relative. He told me a lot about Korea, especially the safety and security we were missing at that time. Korea is an advanced and developed country, and I expected the future of the children to be better, despite all the difficulties we will face."

The year after he arrived, he brought his wife and four children over. He hopes one day to return to Iraq once it is stabilized. "It is my country, a country of history and civilizations," he said, "and I am honored that I was born on its land."

But he's been with his family here so long that Korea has become home. After they arrived, his daughter and three sons went to Korean schools, and they've all become fluent in Korean. His daughter is now attending university, and he now has a fifth child, a son born here.

"They merged with Korean society and they have many Korean friends," he said. "The boys speak between them the Korean language which is the easiest and most used to them in their daily life, and they speak with me and their mother in the Arabic language."

Abdulkareem Adnan, second from left, poses with his family. / Courtesy of Adnan Kebab

For Adnan, he's carved out a small space in Korea to provide a happy life for himself and his family, as well as to help make other Muslims arriving after them feel more welcome.

"There are a lot of beautiful things that I like in Korea," he said. "For example the nature like mountains, rivers, green spaces and the weather in the spring and autumn periods are beautiful and moderate, and there are wonderful people I met over the 14 years I've lived in Korea. They have been very kind and gave me a lot of help in overcoming the hardships of life. I always feel like they're standing by me to help me. To them all my appreciation and respect."

Adnan Kebab is located about 100 meters from exit 6 of Hoehyeon Station on Line 4. It is also not far from the eastern end of Seoullo 7017 on Toegye-ro.