[인터뷰] 프랑크푸르트 최초의 비건 한식당 '썬밥(Sunbap)' - 지속가능한 한식의 문을 열다
[Date Registered] 2024-05-20 [Views] 3158
According to the "2024 Overseas Hallyu Survey", 75.2% of Hallyu (Korean Wave) consumers have experience with Korean food. This is the highest figure among the 11 categories surveyed, which include film, webtoons, and beauty. While a high rate of experience with Korean food was observed in Asian countries like Vietnam (93.8%), European countries, including Germany (77.7%), showed comparatively lower figures.
There is a Korean restaurant in Frankfurt that introduced a vegan menu for the first time. It is 'Sunbap' (meaning 'Sun Rice'). Located in the Nordend district of downtown Frankfurt, it offers Korean dishes prepared vegan-style. One influencer (unterwegsmitjulia) who is popular for restaurant review content on Instagram highly praised 'Sunbap,' giving it "10 out of 10 points".
Local media has also paid attention to the restaurant. The Frankfurter Rundschau published an article titled 'Sunbap in Frankfurt: Vegan and Korean cuisine run by an opera singer,' reporting that "Sunbap's Bibimbap uses tofu instead of ground meat or eggs. It is accompanied by kimchi, broccoli, eggplant, cabbage, vegan mayonnaise, Gochujang (Korean chili paste), and soy sauce. All ingredients are natural, and no spices are added".
The representative of 'Sunbap,' Sun Seo, who is running the first vegan Korean restaurant business in Frankfurt, explained the motivation and process of the venture in detail during an interview with the correspondent.
< 'Sunbap' means 'Sun Rice' - Source: Provided by Sunbap >
Hello. Nice to meet you. Please introduce yourself briefly.
Hello. I am Sun Seo, the representative of 'Sunbap'. I majored in Korean music and met various people in different countries while performing worldwide. I have lived for several years in countries including Korea, Germany, the U.S., Brazil, and Switzerland. Interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, I realized that Korean food has less accessibility compared to other national cuisines. This is because the culture of rice, soup, and side dishes can be unfamiliar and complex to some. I wanted to create an opportunity for people to easily access a complete bowl of Korean food that is both delicious and nutritious at a reasonable price. I also believed that this food should be 'vegan', which is the future growth engine of the food industry. 'Sunbap' is a 'Korean vegan fast-food brand'. It is a brand that provides perfect taste and health to everyone, giving maximum satisfaction with an abundant single meal.
Do you feel a change in the popularity of Hallyu compared to the past?
In the last three to four years, the increased influence of Hallyu has been felt in the beauty industry and food, among others. Korean culture and content are becoming a global trend.
What do you think is the key factor that has made 'Sunbap' popular?
It lies in simplicity and customized food. The menu at 'Sunbap' contains everything a busy modern person needs in one bowl. 'Sunbap' possesses taste, health, and practicality, maintaining a balanced, harmonious flavor with various ingredients in one bowl. However, it offers options to exclude or change ingredients if they are not desired, acknowledging that individual preferences may differ. For small restaurants, personalized operating methods often pose challenges in maintaining efficiency. Nevertheless, from the consumer's perspective, the differentiated benefit of 'customer-specific service' is the key factor that makes them return to 'Sunbap'.
What was your reason for starting a vegan Korean restaurant business in Frankfurt, Germany?
'Sunbap' is a brand conceived with franchising in mind. Since Korean ingredients must be sourced, Frankfurt, as the central hub for European transportation and logistics, is the optimal location. The vegan culture is also spreading in Korea. As the vegan market in Europe expanded earlier, I wanted to start the first vegan Korean restaurant in Frankfurt and grow it rapidly.
What does vegan culture mean to you?
Veganism is a highly promising industry that can drive a major market transformation, unrestricted by race, culture, gender, or generation. I noticed that although many vegans like Korean food, there aren't many entirely vegan Korean restaurants, limiting their choices. Veganism is no longer a niche culture. The vegan market is a future industry responding to the meat-eating culture that severely damages the planet's environment. I believe that healthy, proper food is important. I think that plant-based food alone is sufficient to meet the daily nutritional requirements. This belief is also the reason for establishing a fully vegan Korean restaurant.
What is needed for the development of the vegan Korean food business?