K-Interview: Heejin (Andy Han)

Interviewers: Devyani Segan and Aanchal Pathak (Delhi, India)

Editor: Jasmine Khan (Dubai, UAE)

Heejin (Andy Han), popularly known on Instagram as @foodbrand_andy, is a food brand creator with a passion for culinary arts and travel. Through engaging content, Heejin shares diverse culinary experiences and travel adventures, inspiring a broad audience. Notably, Heejin has spent a year in Thailand, gaining valuable insights into the local culture and cuisine. This unique blend of interests and experiences positions Heejin as a notable figure in the food and travel community. At Hallyuism, we got an opportunity to interview him. Read the excerpt of this interview here:

Could you please introduce yourself to our readers and say a quick hello?

Hello, I’m Hee-jin Han–a Korean, and I have a job making food brands. My English name is Andy. I am only 40 years old, and I have worked in the restaurant business for 16 years. Now, I am promoting Korean brands in Thailand. It’s an honor to say hello to so many people.

Would you mind sharing your journey from Korea to Thailand with us? What prompted you to make this changeover?

I visited Thailand for the first time in November 2023, bringing my Korean brand, EAT PIZZA, to Chamchuri Square, where we opened our first store on November 25. We later launched a second location at Central Westgate in Nonthaburi. However, the pizza concept didn’t go well, and within a year, we closed the two stores. I thought it was delicious, but I failed because the Thai people didn’t like it so much, and even I didn’t know much about Thailand at that time, so I ended up learning many things while running the store. I connected with many local friends who offered insightful advice. Many people asked me why I was doing this in Thailand, it’s because Thailand is a country of opportunities. Korea is very fast in trends, and it is not easy for self-employed people to go and open a store just like that. But I think Thailand is a little different. I thought that I loved and enjoyed Korean food due to the influence of the Korean Wave, but there are no proper brands for it in Thailand. So, I took on the challenge.

You recently started your business, ‘Korean Noodles House,’ last year. Would you please elaborate on the idea and goal that underlie it?

Rice and noodles are what Thai people enjoy eating the most. I also enjoyed eating Thai noodles for a year. You can see that the item called ramen is popular all over the world. I launched a Korean noodle restaurant, thinking that Korean noodles would be popular with Thai people who enjoy noodles as a staple food. This noodle restaurant brand is under a company. It is not my personal brand. I am preparing to launch other brands in Thailand, and I am preparing to launch brand consulting with a representative company called DreamChaser. I think this business will be very important to me in the future. In the future, my goal is to promote Korean food to the world through this business and make it the best company in the world.

With your deep roots in Korean cuisine and culinary expertise, how have you navigated the challenge of adapting Korean flavors to the Thai palate while blending these two rich culinary traditions?

In a short time, I came to understand the living pattern of Thai people to overcome the challenge of cultural differences. I think many restaurants cater to the taste preferences of Koreans. Thai food is also available in many Korean restaurants, though some don’t accurately represent Korean cuisine and can be expensive. I don’t want to compromise the essence of food taste when creating a brand.

Thai cuisine offers a rich and diverse culinary experience. From your perspective as a chef, what have been your most and least favorite Thai dishes so far, and which ones do you think would be most embraced or least favored by people in Korea?

The most common foods in Thailand are mu ping and mu peng. It’s cheap and easy to eat, so we eat it as a staple food in Thailand. I can’t eat cilantro because I don’t like it. It will be a little too sweet because Koreans are a little vulnerable to the fishy smell. But I know there are enthusiasts who like cilantro.

Living in a new country can often come with cultural shocks. What cultural differences have you experienced in Thailand that stood out to you?

First of all… There are a lot of gays and lady boys in Thailand. And the nightlife is not suspicious. In Korea, men look at you strangely if they go around holding hands, but in Thailand, they don’t.

In what ways does life in Thailand differ from life in Korea? Which lifestyle do you prefer?

In fact, life in Korea and life in Thailand have their own advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of Korea is that it is clean. The streets are a bit messy in Thailand, but the people are kind. Always smiling and always open-minded. One time, I left my wallet on the bench, and someone called me and gave me my wallet back. In Korea??? It would be hard to get results like this.

I think the lifestyles in Korea and Thailand are somewhat similar. They work a lot, but traveling on their days off is different because there are a few places I haven’t been to in Korea. I think it’s good because there are many places I haven’t been to in Thailand also.

As someone with a profound appreciation for both food and travel, are there any countries you’re particularly eager to explore that you haven’t had the opportunity to visit yet?

I want to go to Northern Europe. In fact, I want to provide warm meals in Norway and Finland. I want to provide warm rice to the people of these countries. Also another country I want to go to is India. I want to know about the Indian culture.

Given your expertise in Korean cuisine and your appreciation for Thai food, is there a specific Thai dish or cuisine you’d like to experiment with and creatively fuse with traditional Korean flavors?

Well, Thai food and Korean food are different. I think it’ll be hard to create a connection. However, Thai food is loved in famous restaurants in Seongsu-dong, Korea. Rather than creative convergence, I am a person who pursues to preserve the quality of Korean food.

In one of your posts, you mentioned that you don’t have plans to settle in Thailand long-term. Does that mean you’re considering moving to another country to start a business, or do you plan to return to Korea eventually?

Yes. Actually, I want to make money in Thailand and Southeast Asia and live in Europe for 6 months, Thailand for 3 months, and Korea for 3 months a year. I don’t think I want to settle in Korea. Of course, I’m going to run restaurants in Europe. I like Spain among other European countries. I’m still working hard to achieve this goal.

Before we wrap up, is there anything you would like to share with our Indian audience?

Hello. Nice to meet you. First of all, thank you for your interest in Korea. We are also working hard today to make Korea widely known to the world, so please show a lot of interest and love. I’ll make sure to give you a chance to experience Korean traditional food in India later on. I’m born as a man, so I keep my promises, therefore, I’ll make sure to open a restaurant in India. Please continue to show a lot of love and interest in Korea.

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