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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Byukje Galbi: 40 Years of Survival and Brand Building

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • A book chronicles the 40-year history of Byukje Galbi, a South Korean restaurant brand that has navigated significant changes in the nation's food culture.
  • The book details the brand's journey, emphasizing founder Kim Young-hwan's philosophy that 'brands are made by failures,' highlighting the numerous locations that closed alongside the successful ones.
  • It explores the challenges and conflicts within the family business, particularly between the founder and his son, the current CEO, and reveals candid financial details and the lives of the restaurant's artisans.

Byukje Galbi, a renowned South Korean restaurant, celebrates its 40th anniversary, marking its journey as a witness to the evolution of the nation's dining landscape. A new book, 'How Does a Restaurant Become a Brand?', delves into the 40-year business story, offering a raw and honest account of brand building in the competitive food industry.

There are many good restaurants, but few brands.

— Hwang Joo-yoonThe author explains the initial motivation for the book, highlighting the rarity of successful restaurant brands.

The book's author, Hwang Joo-yoon, initiated the project to explore the disparity between numerous 'good restaurants' and the scarcity of true 'brands' in the industry. He highlights Byukje Galbi's longevity, noting the average employee tenure of 49.5 years, and emphasizes the founder Kim Young-hwan's belief that "brands are made by failures." This philosophy underscores the reality that out of 56 Byukje Galbi locations opened over four decades, only 26 remain, a testament to the numerous setbacks overcome.

Brands are made by failures.

— Kim Young-hwanThe founder's philosophy, emphasized in the book, points to overcoming setbacks as key to building a lasting brand.

The publication process itself was unique, spearheaded by independent planner Ko Nam-woo, a former journalist and author known for his work on true crime. Ko was drawn to Byukje Galbi's story, seeing it as an inspiring narrative for entrepreneurs, especially in the context of growing global interest in Korean cuisine. He believed the restaurant's history of survival and brand development offered valuable lessons.

People only think of the success of the Byukje Galbi Tower Palace branch, which Lee Jae-yong visited, but they don't know that out of the 56 branches Byukje Galbi has opened over the past 40 years, only 26 have survived.

— Ko Nam-wooThe independent planner highlights the lesser-known history of failures behind the Byukje Galbi brand's success.

The book doesn't shy away from internal conflicts, detailing the struggles between founder Kim Young-hwan and his son, current CEO Kim Tae-hyun, who sought to implement new strategies. It also transparently shares financial data, startup costs, and the personal stories of the artisans who contribute to Byukje Galbi's renowned quality, including its master chefs and meat cutters. The narrative aims to provide inspiration by focusing on overcoming failures rather than just achieving success.

We wanted to capture the founder's story while he was still healthy, as our history and culture are what we can showcase, not just good food.

— Kim Tae-hyunThe current CEO explains the desire to document the restaurant's legacy for future generations and its cultural significance.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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