A quick-serve Korean restaurant will move into the last available retail space in Upland Green, the mixed-use building at 1771 Plymouth Road across from the University of Michigan's North Campus.

Called Seoul Street, it will join existing eateries Great Plains Burgers, Qdoba and Panera Bread. The 900-square-foot restaurant is tucked into the corner space and is accessible only from the parking lot side.

Currently undergoing renovations, the restaurant should open mid- to late May, according to Reggie Kim, one of its six partners who met while they were undergraduates at the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University in the 1990s.

Other local partners include Ann Arbor residents Jason Choi and Jon Baek, who is also a teacher at Honey Creek Community School.

“I came up with the idea because, although there are Korean restaurants here in Ann Arbor, they lack some of our menu ideas as well as late-night" service, Kim said. “Most are mom-and-pop restaurants and close by 9.”

The group has been actively looking at locations for close to a year and a half, but found it a challenge to find a landlord willing to take a chance on a new restaurant.

“A lot of spaces did offer terms but the terms wouldn’t work for us,” said Kim, who received his MBA from U-M in corporate finance and corporate strategy.

Eventually the partners found the location near North Campus, which was close enough to reach the student population they wanted.

“Plus the other great eateries there are all doing very well,” said Kim. “Anytime you go there on a weekday for lunch, the parking lot is always jam-packed with people.”

The restaurant will focus on carryout and delivery, and there will also be a small seating area of 12 to 15 seats. It will have a simple design that “gives a feel for what it’s like going to Seoul and getting a bite — kind of a dynamic energy,” Kim said.

He said the restaurant will take familiar Korean recipes people may have seen before and offer a twist to them.

One of the specialties will be Korean-style fried chicken, using Bell & Evans organic chicken.

“This is not like anything currently offered in Ann Arbor,” said Kim. “What really sets it apart is the crispiness of the chicken — when you bite into it, there is really a bold crispness to it.”

The dish will come with a spicy sauce using Korean hot pepper paste and other spices, or a milder soy garlic sauce.

Another item will be Mandoo, Korean-style dumplings made fresh in the restaurant.

“Most Korean restaurants order them pre-packaged from a wholesaler,” Kim said. “But we are going to make them fresh using one of our partner’s family recipes.”

The average meal will cost $5 to $10. Seoul Street plans to hire 10 to 12 staff members, though the owners are anticipating it may be slower by the time they open, with students leaving for summer break.

Patrich Jett, a broker with the Tenant Advisory Group, Grubb & Ellis, which represents Upland Green, is not surprised that another restaurant will fill the last of the four retail spots.

“Being right across from North Campus, it’s obviously a great place for restaurants to take advantage of the student population,” Jett said.

Jett added that his company is pleased with reaching 100 percent retail occupancy within eleven months of opening the apartments on site.

“In 2010, there was a lot of doubt as far as what would happen in the retail sector—or any sector for that matter — so we are very happy with what we were able to accomplish in a short period of time.”

As for Kim, he said the partners are definitely leaning on their families, especially for their great recipes.

“A lot of this has to do with the memories we have growing up," he said. "One of the traditions in our house was that on New Year’s Day, you got up and made Mondoo with the family. My mom rolled out the dough, while my sister and I made the filling. It’s those kinds of happy memories that hopefully will resonate with other Koreans and they will recognize some of the things we are doing.”

Laura Blodgett is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com.