Haa... (a fluttering sigh lingering from the crisp Korean-style pork)
I hated the way so-called businesspeople moved their minds like machines.
Someday, I might end up becoming a business owner myself, and maybe then I’ll come to truly respect the way they think.
But for now, as someone who isn’t one of them yet, their constant pursuit of profit always felt unpleasant to me.
I didn’t like Paik Jong-won either.
When he called BTS during a broadcast and asked them to promote his ham, it felt like he was openly using people.
No—it's not that it *felt* like that. He really *was* using them. But what bothered me even more was the way he covered it up with his trademark friendly smile, as if there were pure intentions or some warm sense of friendship behind it.
From a business standpoint, sure, it was understandable. But back then, I thought, “Why should someone insignificant like me bother trying to empathize with a wealthy man adored by the whole country?” So I just let my negativity roam freely inside me.
When the media’s rosy tone around Paik Jong-won started shifting into something suspicious, that negativity merged with the atmosphere and amplified, deepening my aversion to his brand.
In the end, everything was about money. Money first. People, food—everything became just tools for pursuing profit. I swore I would never use his brand again!
But being a poor nobody, when there’s a big discount like “5,000 won off,” I can’t help but take it, no matter whose brand it is. That’s how I ended up trying Hong Kong Banjeom 0410.
And my obsession with Hong Kong Banjeom 0410 came from just one experience.
The Korean-style crispy pork and even the spring rolls that came as part of a review event were unbelievably crisp and not greasy at all. It was heavenly.
Once I fell for it, everything felt good—the lack of mussel shells in the jjambbong, the noodles seeming unusually chewy, even the price feeling cheap.
And when I left a positive review, the owner (who doesn’t seem like the type to reply often) wrote back with a message that sounded almost tearful. It genuinely warmed my heart.
But after that, the crispy pork started arriving oily and soft again.
When eating with my parents, I try to avoid Chinese food because of their vascular health. But today was kimchi-making day, and my mom said she wanted jjambbong—how could I refuse? So while choosing a restaurant, that one perfect first experience lingered in my mind, and I ended up ordering from Hong Kong Banjeom again.
Korean-style crispy pork (Tangsuyuk) set from Hong Kong Banjeom
I was completely satisfied. Although the quality fluctuates, today's frying was incredibly crisp... and they even included the spring rolls they couldn’t give me last time because they were sold out.
…Is Paik Jong-won really the problem when the food tastes this good?
I’m simply grateful to the person who made such delicious food,
and grateful for the sense of contentment I feel after eating well.
I need to remember this feeling and use it someday when I run my own business… hehe