In a neighborhood with plenty of good places to drink, Jilli stands out. This Koreatown spot is a sool jib, or Korean-style drinking establishment, and—based on what little we remember from Econ 101—it defies the law of supply and demand. Among the countless drinking dens nearby, this fun wine bar by the Chimmelier folks belongs on your Ktown rotation because you can use it in so many ways. Jilli is low-key enough for post-work beers and fried chicken. It’s moody enough for a candlelit wine date at the bar. And if you show up after 8pm with your soju-drinking friends, this narrow restaurant plays 2000s hip-hop to help kickstart a night out. It’s a great catch-all to keep in your back pocket, and the genre-blurring bar food makes it a Koreatown meal to prioritize. You’ll see traces of Kinn, the upscale Korean restaurant that previously occupied this tight room on 6th St., like a giant floral wreath behind the bar. Jilli is more casual, though, with freshly injected fun: a mural on the back wall, a projector playing old cartoons, and a toy collection by the front door. At a counter stockpiled with wine bottles and boxes of saltines, people drink chilled reds and eat tuna dip served out of a can. There's barely enough room to stretch your legs, but it's still easy to get comfortable here. If Jilli blasted trap music like other Ktown sool jibs, things would possibly teeter on claustrophobic. But the volume never exceeds a steady rumble, so you can still hold a conversation without bursting a blood vessel. The limited seats also mean reservations are a good idea if you plan to arrive after 8pm. By then, this place gets packed with dates and roommate outings fueled by locally brewed makgeolli and something warm, fried, and saucy to eat. Jilli’s cheeky spins on Korean bar food—like rice cakes dressed in a sweet, sticky gochujang sauce with a layer of grated parmesan on top or a rigatoni alla kimchi vodka with salty guanciale bits—are so good we’d like them in Buca di Beppo-sized portions. However, the one dish that's non-negotiable is Chimmelier’s boneless Korean fried chicken, one of our favorite versions. It’s simple, warm, and incredibly satisfying, just like everything about Jilli.