The Jeju Olle Foundation and the Korea Land & Housing Corporation are working together to support aspiring young entrepreneurs: they’re helping them open new restaurants. Mike Laidman reports.
Report
[slug] Jeju Olle Tourist Center
Young men and women gather at the Jeju Olle Tourist Center, carefully examining all of a restaurant’s facilities, like its refrigerator and dishes.
These young people are the future owners of this restaurant.
[slug] New program to help young restaurateurs
They are participants in the “My Restaurant Start Program,” organized by the Jeju Olle Foundation and the Korea Land & Housing Corporation.
INTERVIEW Jwa Min-gi / Program participant I’ve always wanted to start a restaurant, but everyone said I was too young. I also thought it would be tough. But I applied for this program anyway, a luckily, I was chosen. <인터뷰 : 좌민기/프로젝트 1기 참가자> "창업 꿈은 컸는데 나이가 어리다 보니까 다들 반대하셨어요. 저도 부담감이 크고 쉽게 할 수 없는 일이잖아요. 그런데 이번에 좋은 기회 생겼다고 소문 듣고 지원해 보라고 해서…."
Participants in the program can learn the techniques and know-how needed to run such a business from designated mentors.
[slug] 3 months of training
The program includes a month of training on how to start a business.
After their training is complete, the participants will run their test restaurant in the Jeju Olle Tourist Center for two months.
The program has been designed to aid young people on the island who dream of supporting themselves through a business.
INTERVIEW Lee Ji-hye / Social enterprise representative Jeju has become the most popular place to live in Korea. We therefore need to offer the best food and jobs, especially for young people. <인터뷰 :이지혜 /00 사회적 기업 대표 > "제주는 지금 한국에서 가장 살고 싶은 동네인데 그럼 가장 좋은 먹거리가 있는가 혹은 가장 좋은 일자리, 청년들이 살만한 일자리가 있는가 이런 것들을 고민할 때가 아닌가 싶고요."
INTERVIEW Oh Yeong-oh / Korea Land & Housing Corporation The program is attractive because it combines the use of local food with support for aspiring business owners. We want to help younger people do the work they really want to do, and not have them feel forced into taking jobs at existing companies. <인터뷰 : 오영오/LH 미래혁신실장> "제주 식자재를 활용해서 요리 프로그램을 진행한다는 게 매력적이었고 성공 가능성이 있다고 생각했고, (청년들을) 중소기업에 입사시키는 것보다 본인의 진로에 대한 고민을 할 수 있는 기회를 제공하고 싶었습니다. "
Each of the program participants is a different age and comes from a different background.
But they will potentially all soon start their own businesses based on their own specialty dish and Jeju’s local produce.
[slug] Mentors provide advice
Successful restaurant owners and consultants will continue to provide advice throughout the program, and it’s this inspiration and support which will hopefully give the
[Reporter] Mike Laidman [Camera] Hyeon Gwang-hoon
program participants the boost they need to be the fresh breeze that blows through the local economy.
