K-Food Wings CEO Lee Young-jin Myone
“We want to make Seongbukdang Sewonbap a snack that is loved by people around the world, just like Buldak fried noodles.”
Lee spends two weeks a month traveling abroad to sell Sewonbak. Whether it’s Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, or the U.S., he jumps on an airplane whenever he has the chance to spread the word.
“We are building a second factory in Osaka, Japan, due to the limited supply from our Osaka factory, and we are close to entering Costco and Walmart in the U.S.,” Lee said, adding, “We will grow ‘Seongbukdang Sewonbun’, the original Sewonbun, into a K-food representative.”
◆ ◆2019 Development of TENWON Bread… Challenge of the No. 1 Medical Convention Company
Lee’s company, Myone, had nothing to do with bread until he came up with Sewon Bread. He has over 20 years of experience as a medical convention specialist. Starting with the delivery of textbooks to doctors’ organizations, the company expanded to marketing, seminar and event planning operations, and greatly expanded its business when webinars coincided with Corona.
He has built companies like Altoran, which is expected to have annual revenue of $14 billion in 2023 and more than 60 employees. Its customers include healthcare organizations, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies.
“We conduct 500 to 700 online and offline seminars and symposiums a year,” said Lee, “and we’ve been able to become No. 1 in the industry because we treat it like our own work, not just what we’re asked to do.”
Lee had a life-changing moment at the 2019 race. While organizing the six-month-long World Heritage Lantern Festival, she sold 10 won buns at her booth and they became a hit.
“When we were thinking about the food, the Dabo Tower, one of the many symbols of the race, came to mind,” says Lee. “We made pancakes in the shape of a ten-dollar coin with the Dabo Tower and filled them with cheese, and the response was overwhelming.”
◆70affiliated stores…Diversified recipes like the original
After confirming the viability of the business, he used his marketing know-how and experience in the restaurant industry to nationalize Sewonbap.
The company branded itself as “Seongbukdang Sewonbap” and invested aggressively in recipe development, franchise business, and establishing a production plant. Currently, franchisees are located in more than 70 stores nationwide and 60 out of 200 highway rest areas.
“In addition to the seven basic flavors, we are developing products with local specialties as ingredients,” said Lee, adding, “We want to make Seongbukdang Sewonbap a national specialty like Cheonan Walnut Confectionery.”
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. He was troubled by the difficulty of kappi bread. “We use buckwheat flour, barley flour, and natural cheese to make the dough and try to combine health and flavor, but copycat bread is not,” he says, adding, “It’s sad that people are selling a product that looks like a common taiyaki dough.”
To recognize the original, the company printed the iconic photo on its packaging and displayed the portrait at its franchisees. The pride of being the original is strong. Today, the turtle character “Sungboogi” has taken its place.
◆100 billion won export contract to the United States … No. 1 in sales in Japanese supermarkets
Tired of being limited by local names and similar products, the company set its sights on overseas markets with frozen finished products. Attending food fairs, the company applied for a trademark to publicize its Sewon Buns and put in place safeguards to protect its “original flavor.
“It is not to prevent other companies from selling, but to prevent damage to our brand value and maintain our unique flavor,” Lee said, explaining that it is an inevitable process for Seongbukdang Sewonbap to globalize.
In Japan, Lee’s insistence on quality led to the company being ranked No. 1 among 1600 frozen products sold at Aeon Mall (E-Mart in Korea), which was widely reported on local media. The company has also entered Taiwan, Singapore, and signed a 10 billion won distribution contract with an American partner.
“As interest in Korean culture grows, food is naturally attracting attention,” he said, adding, “It seems that when something is popular in Korea, it soon spreads to Japan and Southeast Asia.”
“I was proud when I heard that people in the Korean community were proud of the fact that we put Korean on the packaging,” says Lee, adding that he wants to promote Korean traditions and flavors.
*Youngjin Lee is a Minish client, and we asked him about Minish after the interview.
-How were your teeth?
“A dental society executive saw that my front teeth were slightly chipped and asked me why I didn’t have them laminated. My local dentist laminated my front six teeth, and they were to die for.
It took me about two weeks to have my teeth shaved and temporary teeth put in, and in the meantime I lost 8 kilograms from breaking and remaking them. I also suffered from broken laminates while diving, which is my hobby.”
-How did you get started with Minish?
“One of my employees had a friend who had crooked teeth and I asked her how she took care of them, and she said Minish, so that’s when I found out about Minish and went to Minish Dental Clinic.”
-How did you feel after your treatment?
“The one-day treatment really pays off. I lost 8 kilograms in two weeks, making the painful time worth it. It’s expensive, but it was worth the investment. My teeth are a natural color and I love the reaction around me.”
-I’ve heard you recommendit.
“I’ve seen a lot of people’s teeth since I’ve had Minish, and I highly recommend it to others. I don’t hide the fact that I’ve had a Minish, and when someone asks, I confidently tell them that I’ve had a Minish, and I’ve even referred them. It’s something you do to your own body, so I recommend it a lot.”
