The CEO of Cupbap, Song Jeong-hoon, who achieved the annual sales myth of 60 billion won, shed tears while recalling the time he first started his business.
On the 13th, KBS2's 'President's Ears Are Donkey Ears' (hereafter 'Pa-dang-ki') featured Song Jeong-hoon visiting the first office that marked the starting point of Cupbap.
On this day, Song Jeong-hoon met with the Utah State Congressman and the Governor with the help of his friend Brandon, who is also a staff member at Utah State University. Song Jeong-hoon explained, "Let's expand the scale and show the real deal. We started the Bapshim project small but grew it big. We have a festival to promote Korea about once a year. Over 20,000 people attended our 10th-anniversary event two years ago, which was intended to encourage everyone after a meal. Now I hope the Utah government will get involved." He also expressed confidence, stating, "I have never failed. As a salesman, it's vital to push through again."
Later, Song Jeong-hoon said, "I will treat you all to a meal at a special place," and took his wife, Kim Ye-ri, and staff somewhere. The destination was where Cupbap's first office had been. Song Jeong-hoon described it as "the place where Cupbap started and where I worked every day from early morning until dawn." Upon returning to this place for the first time after leaving, Song Jeong-hoon stared at the store and silently shed tears for a long time. Witnessing this, Lee Soon-sil shared, "It reminds me of the hard times. I feel tearful. We went through a lot, and I feel like I might cry too. It breaks my heart."
Song Jeong-hoon reflected, "It feels like it has been about 3 to 4 years since I left there, and I have returned for the first time. Isn’t it a special place? It's where Cupbap started and brings back fond memories. I couldn't go there for a while because I thought about it too much, just circling nearby. It was a place where the crew played and rested, and my feelings were somewhat like that. Many people say the customer is the best, but the best for our company is the crew members who work with us."
Park Myung-soo asked, "When was the hardest time? Isn't that what makes you cry?" and Song Jeong-hoon replied, "There are various things. I don't cry just because it's hard; it's because I have a lot of memories. That’s why I couldn’t go there. The people who helped me there were numerous. It’s not just us who made it. I think I cried a lot when I saw them again."
During that time, when Song Jeong-hoon saw the significantly changed appearance of the store, he caught attention by recalling, "I used to shoot a gun here. I shot a gun and ran away." He revealed, "It really was a place full of troubles. I shot a gun and also ran away, and it had many thefts. Although Utah is mostly safe, this place was somewhat different. That's why I was more worried about not letting kids come here." Additionally, he mentioned an incident where an employee broke into a safe and stole about 50 million won in cash. Song Jeong-hoon said, "There were more joyful events, but because of those incidents too, when I open the door, it all comes rushing back to me."
He also met with the son of a benefactor who had passed away. Song Jeong-hoon said, "At that time, the rent was $3,500 (approximately 4 million won), but since I had no money, I said I could only pay $1,500. Your father didn’t collect rent for six months. That’s how we were able to survive," and he added, "He saw us working hard and didn’t take the rent for six months. He said, 'You’re struggling, right? Don’t worry and work hard.' When we opened, winter came, and we didn't have many customers. Since it was a truck, he knew that. Even though I couldn’t say anything, he came like an angel and told me he would give me six months' rent to succeed. I eventually repaid everything in almost a year. He insisted I keep it after I offered it back, saying 'It’s fine.'"
The old office had been replaced by a Mexican restaurant, and Song Jeong-hoon, as a fellow small business owner, dined with his staff there. He then stated, "I went to Koreatown and was surprised. Many places were closed. It seems small business owners are really struggling," revealing the precarious state of the current U.S. economy. He noted that in tougher economic times, the restaurant industry is the first to be affected. He shared, "In Utah, when the economy contracts, families tend to be larger, often having four or five children. When dining out, they need to spend $200 to $300, which is unaffordable, leading them to cut down their outings from five times a month to twice a month, opting to cook at home instead." He added, "With business, difficulties seem to be a given. I've learned that when one wave hits, another wave comes."
Then, Kim Ye-ri recalled, "When we first opened the truck, there was a very popular waffle truck next to us. There were dozens of people in line, while we had no one. We danced and yelled to attract customers." He revealed that there was even a person who tipped $100, mentioning, "There were many touching moments while operating the truck. There were also many hard times, including several thefts." Additionally, despite facing a crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic, they explored new avenues through delivery and catering, which ultimately led to an increase in sales.
Kim Ye-ri then said, "We’re talking about this now because we survived. If we had lost the company then, we would have gone back to New York." This further raised curiosity about her revelation that Song Jeong-hoon was nearly stripped of his leadership in the company he had built for over nine years. Song Jeong-hoon stated, "I was fired in front of my wife. One of them was my brother, whom I had known for 20 years. If such a thing happens while running a business, I don't want to do business anymore." He shared the disillusionment he felt back then.
He explained the situation, "When I started, it began with my idea, and since I knew the person, we divided it 33.3%. I had an older brother and a younger brother. The younger brother went off to start his own business. But as he left, he transferred his equity to someone else, who then teamed up to oust me."
Moreover, they claimed abuse and harassment towards employees as a reason for stripping him of his position. Song Jeong-hoon said, "But the employees who heard this mentioned that they've never seen anything like that nor heard me curse once." Kim Ye-ri added, "It seems they prepared this for quite a while. I vividly recall it even now. I suffered a lot and was quite depressed, and I also had some symptoms of panic disorder," as her eyes welled up.
Furthermore, "One day, while my husband was grappling with whether to continue amidst the unfolding events, our daughter walked in and asked, 'Dad, should we quit Cupbap?' When I asked her why she would say that, she replied, 'You're always telling me that when I start something, I should see it through to the end. Why are you trying to give up? Should I also quit school?' She encouraged him not to give up," and Song Jeong-hoon shared, "From that moment, I realized I needed to protect what I had built. My shoulders regained their strength." Upon hearing this, Jeon Hyun-moo remarked, "This could be a movie."
In the end, Song Jeong-hoon did not give up, and thanks to the testimonies and petitions from employees, he was able to reclaim the company. Listening to this story, CEO Noh Hee-young commented, "Those who are brighter tend to hide their struggles. They cry behind the scenes. In fact, while they say it was taken away, being dismissed from the representative position while having a wife is an enormous wound. I think about how hard it must have been to overcome that and rise again," and also shed tears. He emphasized, "The most important thing is having a contract when you start a partnership. It's better to get hurt at that time," although Lee Soon-sil, who actually needed advice, was not paying attention, which sparked laughter.
[Photo] KBS2
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