New Founders of Seoul Series
In the “New Founders of Seoul” series I interview people I know in Seoul, who have started their own businesses. I was curious to hear about their motivation, their challenges and what kept them going. Whether you are looking for inspiration to start your own business or want to know how it is to start one in Korea, your questions will be answered in this series.
Hyunsu’s Story: From Attendee to Host
I met Hyunsu (he/him) last year through a common friend at SeoulShare’s Boardgame meetups. Through the course of our friendship he revealed the wish to start his own business. His overall vision: to create an environment where people can exchange languages and have fun. Hyunsu had been teaching English online since Covid (and still continues to), but had found that this format was not really effective. He wished to provide an environment for playful interactions that make learning easy. Since he had studied hospitality and had plenty of working experience in that field, he made the decision to open a cafe.
After Hyunsu had made the decision, everything went really fast. In a short time he quit his job, got a loan from the bank and bought a coffee shop in Dongdaemun. The space was perfect, located close to a subway station, and with plenty of space to entertain lots of people. During the preparation he got sick but he pushed through it to be able to start as soon as possible. He felt that if he didn’t do it now, he would find excuses not to do it. And he did it- successfully opening the cafe in July. He has been running it on his own since, with occasional help from his friends. When asked about the biggest challenge so far, he says that still, everything is challenging. Having to start from scratch, there are so many things to consider but he tackles them learning-by-doing style. To be able to do that, Hyunsu carries a strong mentality of a growth mindset:
“I want to learn. The whole process is (about) learning.” – Hyunsu
No matter how his business develops, there is already so much that this process has taught him and these learnings cannot be taken away. Still, there’s so much more he needs to figure out, he says. Like, for example, how to deal with the boredom of waiting for customers the whole day. So, recently he tried changing his tactic to organize different events and invite people. He loves organizing and hosting these events but it takes a lot of time and energy to do all that by himself regularly. Sill, he is optimistic that he can learn to balance that out. When asked what advice he would give his past self, he chose to encourage himself:
“You’re doing great!” – Hyunsu
He feels like he has made the right decision for himself and has no regrets about it. He has been able to bring to life something that he has dreamed about.
“I’m happy that I’m here. It doesn’t feel like I’m working. It feels like I’m just hanging out here.” – Hyunsu
And that’s the best kind of work, right? It’s wonderful to see his development from an attendee to host. The courage to open his own business and the mentality to keep at it are admirable and inspiring to me. He is filled with so many ideas and the desire to help others- to learn English and to make new friends- that I am sure something amazing will come out of it.
“Inner Circle” at former “Changsindangil”
Did you get curious about Hyunsu’s cafe and his events? Let me tell you a little more about it. It can still be found under the former name, 창신단길, which is currently being changed to “Inner Circle”. As mentioned, it is located in Dongdaemun, conveniently close to the subway station Dongdaemun. The opening hours are every day (except Tuesdays) from 10:00-20:00. At those times you can enjoy the yummy menu- from standard coffee and tea to fancy ades, from hearty sandwiches to cold desserts- in a cozy and homey atmosphere.
Every Sunday the cafe is reserved for the SeoulShare Boardgames event, where you can play fun games while exchanging with likeminded people. If you are interested, you can join here through MeetUp. Also look forward to Murder Mystery Parties (a masqueraded role-play) as well as movie nights, where you can watch the finest selection of Hyunsu’s favorite movies. Another event that is in the planning of a Christmas Market, where you can get your Christmas treats and hang out with friends. Sounds good to you? Then check out his Naver and follow his Instagram to stay tuned for upcoming events.
