YG’s YANG HYUN SUK hits jackpot in Hongdae area with “Samgeori” brand, following big hip-hip hit
[OSEN=권지영 기자] YG Entertainment’s head producer YANG HYUN SUK is leading the culture in the Hongdae area in Seoul with “Samgeori” brand, following the big hits he created with hip-hop. YG who tries new things consistently and always creates success is now boasting its specialty once again in the restaurant business.
YANG established YG Food in cooperation with Noh Hee-young, a former advisor for CJ’s food and beverage business, to open premium pork restaurant “Samgeori Butcher’s” on the 5 this month. The restaurant has been establishing itself a hot place in the Hongdae area, upon its opening. Just like “Samgeori Pocha” that YANG launched 10 years ago to further vitalize the street culture in the Hongdae region, people are queuing up to enter “Samgeori Butcher’s” on weekends. During peak time, the queue goes beyond the front of the restaurant, and is even stretched into the next alley.
The concept of “Samgeori Butcher’s” is a “premium pork barbeque restaurant for which an expert directly selects from ingredients to menu”. The brand is drawing a keen attention upon its launching, with a unique strategy such as sale of collection liquors with “Samgeori Butcher’s” special label.
The future strategy of Noh Hee-young who has led CJ group’s restaurant brand Market-O and Bibigo to a great success is to secure the foothold for Korean food’s globalization, through the launching of “Samgeori Butcher’s”. As “Samgeori Pocha” brand is now being expanded to open new branches in the Gangnam, Geondae, and Sincheon area in Seoul, Noh is developing a plan to expand “Samgeori Butcher’s” not only in Korea but also in foreign countries.
YANG has always shown his deep affection for independent music that flourished in the Hongdae area, from the days of “Seo Taiji & Boys”, and he opened the No.1 “Samgeori Butcher’s” in the area to further vitalize its culture. According to YG insiders, such affection of YANG is so special to the extent that he hired former staff member of “Samgeori Pocha” to open another branch on the first and second floor of the landmark YG building after redevelopment of the area.
An YG explained the background, saying, “YANG has a very special affection for the street culture of the Hongdae area. He always highlights to all the YG people that today’s YG has been possible thanks to the great help from independent music that has grown as a part of the free street culture of the Hongdae area. He personally believes that ‘Samgeori Pocha’ should be always there so that young people and foreign tourists who visit Hongdae can enjoy such culture freely.”
YG opened the era of hip-hop in Korea’s music scene by launching hip-hop duo JINUSEAN when hip-hop was still unknown in Korea, then created sensation with hip-hop idol group 1TYM. Then, when the era of idol boy groups came, he created big success with vocalists including Hwi-Sung, Gummy, and Big Mama. In the time when handsome idol groups who boasted disciplined group dance gained big popularity, he launched groups such as BIGBANG and 2NE1 who compete only with their talent and distinct individuality, to achieve big success overseas as well. Thus, people are paying keen attention to how the restaurant business of YG who always pursues something different and new will impact the unique culture of the Hongdae area.
2015. 6. 22.
