Whether shaking Kim Il-song’s hand as a reporter for The Washington Times or writing a successful book about Korean society, Michael Breen has been in the middle of things in Korea for a long time.

Shot by Dylan (WelkinLight Photography)

1. You’ve been here a long time and built quite a reputation as a gadfly. What first brought you here?
I came in 1982 as a freelance reporter. The original plan was to stay for a year and move on to Hong Kong. But I stayed on and, after about five years, figuratively unpacked my suitcase. On the gadfly theme, if you mean that I have a reputation for irritating people and poking at them with awkward questions, that’s not how I see myself. Like most residents, expat and Korean, I am variously inspired, bewildered, and annoyed by what goes on in Korea. When I was a reporter, I had to suck that up and just report the news. But now, as a columnist and writer, I write opinion. I think I’m just articulating what people think.

2. What has kept you here for so long?
Work. Usually, the reason for leaving a place is to go on to something more meaningful or lucrative. But my career here has taken such twists and turns that I’ve never given much thought to leaving. Well, not quite true. I gave it 30 minutes consideration after the 1988 Olympics when all my friends in the foreign press corps were leaving. The democratization story was over, the Olympics were over. The only story left was North Korea. Then I got this brainwave. North Korea had considerately lifted restrictions on European tourists, so why not try and go there? That gave me a new focus and lease on life.

3. What made you leave reporting as a profession?
By 1993, I had been visiting North Korea for four years and the reporting part of it was getting stale for me. It was the same old story – personality cult, etc. – that I could have written almost without going there. Then my paper, The Washington Times, notified me it was reducing its budget for Korea. The choice was 50% less money or a position in Washington as an assistant foreign editor for Asia. I considered the second one for two minutes but turned it down because I’d never worked in a news room and didn’t like the idea of living in Washington. At the same time, a local PR company asked me to start a North Korea consulting division. I took the consulting job and for a time kept writing for the newspaper. I’m glad about that because in 1994 I was in a small delegation, as The Washington Times correspondent, to have lunch with Kim Il-sung. I haven’t washed that hand since. After one year, I started my own consulting firm and dropped the reporting. I never live with regrets, but I’m not sure it was the best decision.

4. Why would you say your book The Koreans is still selling well after 10 years in print?
I think it’s the lack of choice. There are some very good books on Korea, but very few which are general introductions to the country. They’re mostly on specific topics. In fact, there are probably more on North Korea than on our Korea.
5. What do you think you’d change about the book now that 10 years have passed?
Given that every five years there’s a new generation in Korea, I’d need to bring it up to date. Specifically, I’d need to include all that’s happened in politics, business and so on since the last update in 2004. I would definitely need to say more about modern culture – movies, pop stars and so on. I had only one paragraph on culture in the book, and that was only included at the suggestion of a friend. It’s a huge change, not so much because of the so-called Korean Wave, but more because teenagers now have normalized – they don’t want to bring about unification and be doctors or chaebol managers. They want to be entertainers.

6. What do you like best about Korea?
I like that way that Koreans are comfortable with emotion. I like the contradictions and imperfections. I like the rapid change, which all seems to go in the right direction of more wealth, more rights, and improved conditions. I like the politeness on one hand and the roughness on the other. I like the respect for age, although I wasn’t so keen on it when I was younger. I like the fact there is a massive historic change looming – in whatever shape the future of North Korea takes.

7. What are some areas in which Korea needs to get its act together?
Korea has got to knock this nationalistic nonsense on the head. I have a strong personal dislike for the tendency people have – and this goes for non-Koreans, too – of seeing people in terms of their nationality first and who they are second. Another area that needs changing is education. The country needs to find a way to maintain its high standards while unleashing the creativity of students. This is important not only because we should give young people a better childhood but also because the country needs different skills from the past. Another thing I’d like to see change is the slavishness of government decision-makers to the perceived notion of “public sentiment” as expressed through media and civic groups. This is a weird notion because, in reality, public sentiment doesn’t exist.

8. Will you be spending your entire life in Korea?
I’ve never imagined myself retiring in Korea. But now that my parents, who lived near Cambridge in England, have passed away, and my brothers live in Ghana and Australia, I’m not quite sure where I would go.

9. What do you see as Korea’s biggest obstacle in the future?
Its own success. In my experience, it’s your reaction or lack of reaction to events, rather than the events themselves that can be your undoing. Right now, South Koreans’ new found wealth makes them more, not less averse, to the idea of re-unification with North Korea. Most people now don’t want re-unification because it might cost them. But history demands that it happen. When the moment comes, the leadership, with its fetish for “public sentiment,” may screw it up.

10. What are your future plans?
Ten years ago, I planned out a future for myself that requires me to remain mentally alert enough to write until I am 97 – a random doubling of my age at the time. I have five children, the youngest of whom is 2, so I need to keep earning for some years yet. After that I want to write books. I’ve got at least three I want to write now but I can’t seem to find time. 

1. How long have you been working in human resources?
I have worked in the human resources and organizational learning and development fields for more than 25 years.
2. What made SK Telecom want to look outside of Korea for a Senior VP of HR?
I believe their selection criteria included experience with leading global companies (GE, Pepsi, Seagate Technology and Amoco in my case), strong educational background (graduate degrees including a doctorate in organizational learning and development, MBA, and MA in HR), and personal characteristics, particularly being open and adaptable to a much different culture and environment. Maybe they also knew I like kimchi!
3. How long have you been here with SK now?
I began my employment with SK Telecom at the end of July 2008 and remain the only non-Korean executive of more than 100 executives.
4. What are the big differences between working at an American (Western) company and a Korean company?
Certainly the cultures differ, particularly when comparing the US to Korea. First, we tend to have a greater focus on individualism in the US versus collectivism (group focus) in Korea. This has implications for how we reward and reinforce employees in both countries. Another difference that I notice from time to time is the strong emphasis on maintaining harmony in the workplace (and life in general) in Korea. Whereas in the US, people are more likely to confront and challenge each other in solving a problem or issue, this is often not the case in Korea. Finally, we tend to look and react to our leaders quite differently in each country. There tends to be less hierarchy in the US and it’s more acceptable to challenge and disagree with the CEO and leaders in general. This has the advantage of helping empower people to make decisions without waiting for guidance from their leaders above. It is important to keep in mind that neither the Korean nor US perspective is right or wrong, it’s just different—and that is why it is critical to have an open mindset when dealing with issues of cultural diversity. The real challenge as I see it then becomes how we take the best that each nation’s culture has to offer and combine that to create a stronger and more diverse organization.
5. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Korean workers vs. the strengths and weaknesses of American workers?
I typically don’t like to generalize or stereotype different groups because there are always exceptions. On various occasions, I’ve observed that Korean people excel in execution, work well in teams and do whatever it takes to get the job done, despite significant obstacles.
In terms of areas for continued development, sometimes Korean employees may lack creativity in their quest to get fast results. Interestingly, Americans tend to have strengths and development needs that are the opposite of their Korean counterparts. Americans may be more effective at planning and creativity, but may lack a strong sense of urgency. I believe that some of these differences are rooted in how Korean and American employees view the concept of work. On more than one occasion, I have heard Korean people say that “we live to work,” whereas in the Western world the philosophy tends to often be “we work to live.”
6. How much longer do you think you’ll be with SK?
I have a two year contract that expires at the end of July this year. I’m not sure at this point in time what lies ahead for me and my career.
7. What are some of SK Telecom’s long-term plans?
Publicly, we have announced a shift in our business model from strictly a Business to Consumer (B to C) model to include a Business to Business (B to B) approach. We feel we are in a good position to leverage our technology and capabilities to help other industries such as health care, auto, educational learning and financial services become more productive, creating win-win opportunities.
I believe most people recognize that the mobile communications market is at a 98% penetration rate here in Korea. A company like SK telecom will always be on the lookout for good opportunities that create value for customers, while satisfying an ever-increasing consumer appetite for wireless data services.
8. SK must be seeing a lot of competition from iPhone, Blackberry and Android. Does that have an effect on sales, or are you simply the service provider, so it doesn’t matter?
SK Telecom has made a strategic decision to support the Android platform, so that determines our path moving forward. We believe in the long run there are many advantages inherent with the Android platform, including a plethora of applications that will provide consumers with more choice. Also, as I mentioned above, we have extended our reach beyond providing services only to consumers.
9. Do you have any recommendations for other HR managers in Korea on how to do business here?
Sure. For those who are new to Korea, learn about the culture and invest some time learning the Korean language. Also, make sure you understand your business and how your work aligns with and supports business strategies. Finally, it’s helpful to maintain an open mind and a sense of humor in navigating cross-cultural issues.
10. What do you enjoy about your work in human resources?
I enjoy work that leverages my education, experience and accomplishments in the human resources and learning and organization development fields in building strong organizations and great leaders. I also am drawn to organizations that exhibit passion and commitment for bringing about change. Throughout my career, I have tried to position myself with leading companies such as GE, Pepsi, Amoco and others that are market leaders in their industry. I have learned a lot and at this juncture in my career, I would enjoy helping an organization that aspires to become a market leader. This organization must share my mission in wanting to help unleash individual talent by creating a positive work environment where people are creative, engaged, and look forward to coming to work every day.  

Shots by Dylan (WelkinLight Photography)

1. You’ve been in Korea a long, long time. What brought you here originally?
The airline industry brought me to Korea in the early 1980’s at a time when international travel for most Korean citizens was just a dream. At the time, the US government and US business traffic made up most of the passengers between the two countries. In 30 short years, Korea has emerged as one of the most robust sources of international travelers, with more than 30% of the population venturing abroad each year. Today, Koreans represent the 5th largest source of visitors to the USA, thanks to the advent of Visa Waiver status in 2008, which we worked so hard to attain.

2. And what has kept you here for so long?
Aside from being a great place to live and raise a family, professionally, it has been this market’s amazing growth and dynamic evolution that has kept my interest so long.  I have moved around a bit over these 30 years, with assignments in both Japan and Korea, inside and outside the airline business. But I always seem to come back to Korea.

3. How many different hats do you wear right now?
This year I am completing my second term as chairman for the American Chamber of Commerce in addition to chairing the Discover America Committee organization here in Korea. This entity is one of 38 such committees in countries around the world charged with developing travel to the USA. I am also fortunate to serve as a board member on the 2010-12 Visit Korea Committee to help Korea attain its goal of 10 million foreign visitors within the campaign period. But my primary reason for being in Korea is my position as country manager for United Airlines’ Korea operations.

4. Where do you see the airline industry in Asia headed?
Asia represents 60% of the world’s land mass, requiring a network of high value, long haul air routes to connect the continent with other parts of the world. Over 60% of the world’s population lives in Asia, yet to date less than 35% of the world’s GDP comes from this region. But these economies are growing at more than double the rates of the US or EU, so the economic prospects for the airline industry are extremely bright as we ride the momentum of this economic tsunami.

5. What is your role as chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM)?
AMCHAM is the largest foreign business organization in Korea, with over 2,000 members representing a “Who’s Who” of both American and Korean businesses. I oversee a 20 member elected board of governors and a full time president, Amy Jackson, and primarily serve as the Chamber’s lead spokesperson and opinion shaper for policy issues impacting American business in Korea. Over the years, we have been major advocates of the reform movement which started with the 1997 crisis and has really gained momentum under President Lee’s administration. The Chamber was also instrumental in lobbying for Korea’s 2008 entry into the US Visa Waiver Program. But the focus of our collective efforts over the past 5 or so years has been on the signing and ratification of the US-Korea FTA.

6. Do you foresee the US-Korea FTA passing this year?
The Obama administration has started to indicate they hope to move the agreement forward in 2010, and we are cautiously optimistic. This is the most important trade deal for the US since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It is a game changer for the US in the areas of job creation, economic benefit and share recovery. We cannot afford to let it fail. The challenging US political climate in an election year has complicated the President’s game plan, but we are confident that the merits of the agreement will overcome the politics.

7. What is your outlook for the Korean Economy?
Korea is quite a bright spot on the map. The OECD is calling for a 4.4% GDP growth for Korea in 2010, while the OECD country average is expected to come in at only 1.9%, and Korea’s budget balance as a percent of GDP is the 2nd best in the OECD. This means Korea will be free of the heavy fiscal burdens that other economies must contend with for decades to come. We’re starting to see Korea’s export engines perform again at pre-crisis potential, and the massive government spending on new growth engines, such as green growth, is just now starting. It appears that the resolve and resilience that brought Korea back from the Asian financial crisis in record time is no less present today than it was 10 years ago.

8. It has often been said that Korea is a tough place to do business. How do you see it with your many years of experience here?
In the early years of a developing economy, this was truly one of the toughest places on the planet to do business. But as Korea’s industries transitioned from smokestack to technology, from commodity producers to innovative world leaders, the dynamics of doing business in Korea changed. The playing fields started to level out between Korean and foreign businesses, and transparency started to improve. This was further facilitated by the reforms introduced after the 1997 financial crisis and again after the 2008 crisis, which have fostered fair competition. Korea is still a tough market, but it’s now because we are competing against world class products and competitors.

9. Any tips for business people trying to succeed here?
Koreans have a much more global perspective today, which bodes well for the global entrepreneur looking to do business here. Koreans seek out and reward innovation and look for the best product regardless of origin. The Korean consumer is impulsive, quality oriented and trend conscious. If you recognize these drivers and go to market with a better mouse trap, you can ride the wave of success. But you always have to look out for that next wave if you want the ride to continue.

10. What’s your favorite part of life here in Korea?
Perhaps my favorite part of my life in Korea has been the perpetual change. I see people in other parts of the world, industries, and life modes whose daily routines are repetitive and predictable. Korea is the antithesis of predictability, which makes each day an adventure into something new and different. 

1. As a Korean-American who grew up in the States, what was it like making the transition to Korea?
When I grew up in the US, I always lived in sleepy countryside towns. Moving to Seoul was like stepping onto the set of Blade Runner—way too many bright lights in this big city. The noise, the crowds, and the speed of Seoul were a bit overwhelming at first. But daily reminders such as taking off my shoes at the front door, having kimchi served with almost every meal, and getting yelled at in Korean all the time made me feel at home.

2. How did you get involved with the music industry?
I originally came here in 1993 to attend graduate school. When I crashed a movie launch party one night, I happened to meet an executive who asked me to apply for a job at his new music TV channel. On a whim, I went in for an interview and somehow ended up getting hired. So a week before classes started, I dropped out and never looked back. Over the next dozen years, I worked both in front of and behind the cameras as a presenter and producer for Korean music TV channels such as MNET, MTV, and Channel [V]. Thanks to such opportunities, I’ve had amazing front row views and backstage stage access to the rapid rise of the K-Pop music scene.

3. So how has K-Pop developed over the past fifteen years?
The first K-Pop music clips I saw on TV felt like cheesy, kitschy karaoke—I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. But then, surprisingly, the quality of K-Pop music improved dramatically. Imitation gave way to innovation. Thanks to the emergence of slick beats, sexy stars, and sophisticated videos, K-Pop became hip, hot, and happening. Within a decade, K-Pop dominated almost 70% of the Korean music market. By the time the 2002 World Cup kicked in, K-Pop artists were topping music charts all over Asia. Fast forward to 2010 and K-Pop is now starting to climb the charts in North America and Europe.
4. What does “DFSB Kollective” stand for?
“DFSB” is a semi-meaningless, pseudo-heavy acronym of our favorite Fatboy Slim song chorus, “Da Funk Soul Bruthas.” Being that we were a bunch of guys from Seoul, it kinda sorta made sense. Over drinks, it sometimes gets misinterpreted as “Delta Force Seoul Base.” Over a lot of drinks, some people try to confuse it with the popular boy band Dong Bang Shin Ki (DBSK).
5. What led you to start this agency?
Over the years, my business partner Dalse and I developed not only professional but also personal relationships with many Korean artists and their management. What we kept hearing was a growing sense of frustration. Although no one would argue the quality of Korean music was getting better, the financial incentives to make great music seemed to be getting worse. They had to spend more time and money in marketing, only to make less profit, and split it with more people and places. Korean music TV channels were playing less videos in favor of reality TV shows and local online music stores were pricedumping digital tracks practically to free. This kind of business logic seemed dyslexic to us. As fans of music, we felt compelled to create a more sensible, sustainable, artist-friendly business model. Hence, we opened our creative agency.

6. So what exactly does DFSB Kollective do?
For Korean artists and management companies who want to go direct to their fans and go direct worldwide, we are a convenient, one-stop shop. We essentially provide label-like services without being a label. As the first official K-Pop aggregator for iTunes worldwide, we offer them the most direct distribution avenues into the most international digital music stores. We strike revenue-sharing deals with the world’s leading audio and video streaming sites on behalf of the 150 K-Pop acts that we represent, and we offer our clients overseas PR, concert productions, and a wide range of digital media solutions. And given that we not only offer 15% more but 15 times more in profit for every digital music sale overseas (compared to what they make in Korea), we provide non-rocket science reasons for them to work with us.

7. Just how important is the internet to artists these days?
In this day and age of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, anybody anywhere at any time can become the next big thing. If the Korean Wave is to shift from fad to phenomenon among those surfing the net, we need to empower K-Pop artists with the right combination of digital tools to enable music fans all over the world to discover them in a simpler, better, faster manner.

8. How would you describe the Korean digital market?
DMZ: Digital Media Zeitgeist. In 2006, Korea became the first country in the world where digital music sales surpassed physical music sales. By 2007, Korea emerged as the #4 digital music market in the world. But below these staggering sales numbers are some hidden landmines. Although Korea is admired as one of the most wired (and wireless) societies in the world, the Korean internet has spawned a virtual walled garden that hinders non-Koreans from finding out more about K-Pop. Local portal sites’ reliance on ActiveX plug-ins makes it tough to preview and purchase K-Pop music from overseas and their reluctance to let foreigners register makes it rough for them to access K-Pop fan clubs. As much as K-Pop has surged in popularity in Asia and beyond, I wonder how much bigger K-Pop would be if Korean websites were more open and in tune with global standards and practices.   

9. What is your personal opinion on Hallyu, the so-called Korean Wave?
I’m very optimistic. But try asking 10 non-Asians to pronounce ‘Hallyu’ and see how many can pronounce it correctly and how many even know what it is. Until a bad hair perm takes on the name, I think it’s a lot safer and easier to sell K-Pop as part of the “Korean Wave.”

10. What advice would you give to a newcomer to Korea who wants to explore the indie music scene?
If you’re on the ground and want to go underground, the only answer is Hongdae. It’s the mecca for Korea’s best and brightest new music talents. If you’re looking for some action in outdoor mosh pits, you can’t go wrong checking out amazing events like the Pentaport Rock Festival, Jisan Valley Festival, and Green Mint Festival. If you’re online, I recommend the quirky site Indieful ROK (indiefulrok.blogspot.com), run by a woman in Sweden (no joke) and the US-based sites AllKPop (allkpop.com) and Soompi (soompi.com), both of which generate way higher web traffic than any and all Korean music sites in Korea (go figure).

1 What did you do before you came to Korea?

It’s been 20 years now since I first came to Korea, but before that I used to work for an international trading firm. I’m originally from Austria. I lived in the Austrian Alps, which you might be familiar with as the location of The Sound of Music.

2 Was it Oriental medicine that first brought you to Korea?

As a matter of fact, when I first came to Korea I didn’t know anything about it. Initially, I was very taken with the culture and in particular the martial arts of the Far East. I decided on Korea because China was at the time quite difficult to travel in and Japan was already well-known. Korea, on the other hand, was still very traditional. That was appealing to me.

3 What was your first encounter with Oriental medicine like?

When I injured my ankle, my friend asked me if I wanted to try acupuncture. I’d never done anything quite like that before, so I was a bit nervous about it. However, since I wanted to experience Korean culture, I decided to give it a try. After the treatment, I was surprised by two things. First, the doctor didn’t put the needles where I thought he would—which was on my ankle. Second, the acupuncture really did help with my pain.

4 How did you get more involved with Oriental medicine?

After my first encounter with acupuncture, I started doing a little research on my own and soon found out that I could study Oriental medicine at college. I was somewhat intimidated by the prerequisites, which included a thorough knowledge of Korean and hanja (Chinese characters), but it struck me as a promising career.

5 What was it like to study Oriental medicine as a Westerner?

Let’s just say it’s not an easy course of study, even for Koreans. To begin with, I didn’t know any Korean, so I had to spend a year studying at the Yonsei Korean Language Institute. That was before I even got into the program itself. Next, there were two years of premed coursework along with advanced Korean and English language training. Assignments included translating English into Korean. Keep in mind that neither of those are my native languages. In all, I studied for six years.

6 What kind of services does the Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine offer?

Our hospital specializes in joint, back, and spine issues. As the name suggests, most of the treatments here are based on the principles of traditional Oriental medicine, but that doesn’t mean that we completely ignore the Western tradition. In other words, we use acupuncture, but we also use Western diagnostic procedures like MRI and cat scans. Our treatments generally stay within the bounds of Oriental medicine, but in the event of extreme pain we do occasionally use Western pain remedies.

7 How many doctors are there at the Jaseng Hospital?

I guess that depends upon which Jaseng you’re talking about! We have 10 branches altogether, located in Seoul, Bucheon, Suwon, and even Fullerton, California, and we’re planning on opening a new hospital in Daejeon this April. There are around 70 doctors in the main branch in Apgujeong, and 120 doctors in all.

8 Does Jaseng Hospital treat non-Korean patients?

Yes, and in fact we treated 4,100 foreigners last year alone. Most of them are current residents of Korea, but more and more are coming to Korea specifically for treatment. For instance, right now a German from Hong Kong is here receiving care for severe herniation. We make sure to keep the language barrier from being an issue by employing Japanese-speaking doctors for Japanese patients and interpreters for English-speaking patients.

9 How would you compare Oriental and Western medicine?

Overall, I would say that Oriental medicine is the better approach for well-being because it’s holistic, that is, it keeps the whole body in mind. The Western doctor typically only focuses on the body part in question, but a doctor of Oriental medicine scrutinizes the whole body as he or she searches for the cause of illness. With back pain, for instance, Oriental medicine recognizes ten possible causes, including kidney deficiency. So it’s possible to relieve back pain by improving kidney function.

10 Any encouragement for those curious about Oriental medicine but too afraid to try it?

A specific example may help persuade skeptics. Take back pain, for example. There are lots of different treatments out there. You might try pain killers, but they might not solve the problem or the problem might come back later. You need a different, innovative approach, and that’s exactly what is offered at Jaseng Hospital. Anyhow, you’ll be surprised to find that acupuncture and our other treatments really don’t hurt that much. The Oriental medicine we prescribe may taste a little different at first because it’s made of roots and herbs, but you’ll get used to it after a while just like anything else. Plus, our medicine isn’t invasive, unlike much conventional medicine, and there are also no real side effects.

2010 January

1. How did you get involved in the hotel business?

As I was growing up in Seattle, I ended up doing a lot of odd jobs, everything from paper delivery to washing dishes in an Italian restaurant.  I guess the service business was my calling from the start.  I went to college at Washington State with a US Army scholarship and started studying business. Around that time, there was a huge demand for hotel management, so I had my job lined up with Marriott International before I was out of college. Except for five months of active duty at the Officer Basic Course in Fort Knox just after college, I’ve been with Marriott International ever since.

2. Where has your career with Marriott taken you?

My first job was at the Marina del Ray Marriott in Los Angeles, California.  Then I moved down to the San Diego Marriott, where I stayed for six years.  Around 1994, my regional boss offered me the chance to open the Singapore Marriott Hotel. I hadn’t worked in Asia before, but the thought of going overseas thrilled me and I’ve had the travel bug ever since. Over the last 15 years, I’ve worked in Singapore twice along with stints in Jakarta, Indonesia; Bethesda, Maryland; Bangkok, Thailand; and even the Waikiki Beach Marriott in Hawaii. And Korea, of course! It’s been hard being away from my family in Seattle, but we have really enjoyed the new food, people, and cultures we could not have seen had we stayed back in the USA.

3. What sets the Marriott brand apart from other hotels?

The Marriott enterprise was started in 1927 by J. Willard Marriott.  The amazing thing is that his son, Bill Marriott, now the leader of the company, has been so successful in carrying on his father’s vision.  As Mr. Marriott says, “If you take great care of your people, they will take great care of your guests and the profits will take care of themselves.”  Taking great care of our staff (or associates as we call them) and guests is one of the reasons I love coming to work every day.

4. What can you tell us about the JW Marriott Seoul?

It is one of the largest Marriott hotels in Asia with 498 rooms. The really impressive thing is that there are nine food and beverage outlets on the hotel grounds as well as the Marquis Fitness Center, the largest such facility in any Marriott worldwide. The 3,100 members of this fitness center, most of them residents of the area surrounding the hotel, give the JW Marriott a distinct sense of community.  We’re also proud of hosting the US Marine Ball for the past two years, being the headquarters hotel for the Seoul Air Show, and working closely with Seoul Saint Mary’s Catholic hospital just across the street to help promote medical tourism.

5. How many hotels does Marriott operate in Seoul?

With the recent opening of the new Courtyard Marriott in Yeongdeung-po near Yeouido, there are now five hotels in the Seoul Area. In addition to the Courtyard, there’s the Marriott Executive Apartments, also in Yeouido, the Renaissance and Ritz-Carlton in Yeoksam-dong, and of course the JW Marriott here in Banpo-dong.

6. What would you like to accomplish at the Marriott over the next year or two?

As the head of the business council of Marriott hotels in Seoul, my main goal is to help the five hotels work together more closely. Obviously, the more resources and people you have, the more you can accomplish. You can save a lot of money purchasing a simple item like toilet paper, for example, through bulk purchases across all five hotels. So instead of scattered efforts here and there, you can concentrate your energy for a greater effect. In particular, we hope that more concentrated efforts will make a big difference in our charitable work, too.

7. What kind of charitable work is the JW Marriott currently involved with?

I always say that giving back to the community is key because the community is the main reason for the success of this hotel. Each year, the Marriotts in Seoul map out four major charity projects for the next year with responsibilities divided between the hotels. So far this year, we’ve donated W17,000,000 to charity. One of my favorite projects is Habitat for Humanity. For our last service day, we had 140 people turn out to help build houses. Other projects we’ve done are relief work for the oil spill at Taean, a donation drive for families of Marriott staff in the Philippines and Indonesia, and support for the children at the Shinmangwon orphanage.

8. How has your family adjusted to life in Korea?

We’re all really enjoying ourselves here, actually. My wife’s really adventurous, so she’s fallen in love with the place. She loves making kimchi, kimchiguk and other great Korean dishes. My 8 year old son James is in the 3rd grade at the Seoul Foreign School. When he’s not in class, he likes going skiing, taking piano lessons and learning taekwondo. He’s only got one more belt to go before black belt!

9. What have you done to get more involved with your son’s education?

Just last year, I brought my son’s whole class on a field trip to the JW Marriott. The kids got to take a tour of the whole hotel, starting at the helipad and ending up at a hotel restaurant where they got to prepare their own pizza. I am also the soccer and baseball coach for my son’s class.

10. Do you have any advice for new arrivals in Korea?

First of all, learn some of the language.  We’re guests in the country, after all, so it’s our job to be respectful.   Also, I’d like to encourage everyone to get out there and enjoy the great things that this country has to offer. This past summer, I went down to Namhae (the southern tip of the country) for a golf outing.  My family and I also enjoy going to ski slopes such as Bears Town and Konjiam. The key is to get there early on Saturday mornings as the slopes don’t get very busy until midday. The riverside parks are an awesome place to ride your bike and run on the weekends.  Being knowledgeable is the key to being a gracious host, so get out there and learn something about your new home.

Shots by Ethan James

1. What inspired you to get into standup comedy?

I have always loved stand up. From George Carlin, Bill Hicks and Billy Connolly, to Eddie Murphy, Denis Leary and others – I was in awe of those people. Also, I religiously watched The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and Late Show with David Letterman growing up. I grew up in Newfoundland, Canada. The late night comedy shows did not come on the air until 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning. I would stay up each night and watch them. Now, I watch shows such as Conan O’Brien, The Daily Show and Family Guy. These days, my comedic influences are comics such as Louis CK, Doug Stanhope and Stuart Lee.

2. Do you remember your first time on stage?

Yes, of course. It was November 11th, 2005. It was at Rockssins Bar in Anyang. At that time, Rockssins had a popular open mic every second Friday night. Based on the bet I had with my girlfriend at the time (now my wife), I got up on stage and did 14 minutes, even though I only had about 4 minutes of good stuff. The rest was just me ranting and raving. (Brian laughs)

3. What brought you to Korea?

The temples and the kimchi (Brian smirks). No, like many other people, I came here as an ESL teacher. I enjoy the opportunity to teach and I love travelling around Asia.

4. You’ve had some recent big successes in your comedy career. Can we get some details about those?

I was runner-up at the 2008 Hong Kong International Comedy Festival, where there were 22 comics from 8 different countries. Since then, I have been the opening act for a couple of professional standup comedy shows here in Seoul in 2008. This year, in April, I headlined shows in Singapore and did a one man show titled, “Good Evening Vietnam,” in Saigon in May.

On July 18th and August 1st this summer, I got together with Kabinett Wine Bar and we had 2 sold out standup comedy shows, featuring expat comedians from Canada, USA and Scotland. There will be more shows in November. Later this year, I will headline shows in Japan, India and Malaysia.

5. What exactly is Stand-up Seoul?

Stand-up Seoul is Seoul’s 1st English-speaking comedy room. I am the creator and host. I started it back in March of this year. It is held the first Thursday of every month at Rocky Mountain Tavern in Itaewon at 9pm. It is an open mic event. All comedy acts are welcome.

The evolution of expat entertainment continues in Korea and I thought comedy needed to be a part of it. It has become a popular room, with loyal laughers packing the place each month.

6. Are there really many English-speaking comedians here in Korea?

There are not a lot of them. However, there are consistently 10-12 comedians that do their thing. I’m sure there are many people out there, who are like I was in the beginning, just needing that extra push up on stage. I hope to see new faces at Stand-up Seoul each month.

7. What sorts of other creative outlets are there for them?

There is a comedy group named Stand-Up Comedians Korea (SUCK), with a Facebook group. We meet and have comedy workshops from time to time and offer encouragement to one another, especially the newbies. We’ve had a couple of successful stand up shows in Hongdae and Daegu this year.

There are also plenty of English-speaking open mics in Korea. A few around Seoul include Seoul Artist Network (SAN) open mic at Woodstock Bar in Itaewon, which is the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month at 7:30pm. There is a spoken word/stand-up comedy open mic at Aussie Grub n Grog (aka. “Tony’s”) on Wednesday nights at 8pm in Haebangchon. Others include Reggae Pub in Itaewon, Thursdays at 9pm, and Dublin Bar in Bundang, Wednesdays at 9pm.

8. What other events are you involved with?

I’ll step up to any microphone for the comedy cause. I host several open mics and MC at many live music venues and charities throughout the city. Whenever I’m asked to do something on the mic, I usually try to make it happen.

9. What are some of your future plans, both for Stand-up Seoul and personally?

I plan to pursue comedy professionally upon returning home to Canada next year. I am in talks now to be in a prestigious comedy festival back in Canada next summer. I will return home permanently to Canada in December, 2010. My wife and I will buy a house, get a fence, paint it white, start a family, buy a dog and buy it a sweater. Busy times man.

There is a possibility of an Asian comedy tour next year with a crew of comics from other places like Singapore and Hong Kong. We are in talks with sponsors right now. Before leaving Korea next December, I also want to record a live DVD here in Seoul.

I am also looking to promote for Stand-up Seoul more, perhaps by getting some sponsors for that as well. Ultimately, I would like to promote stand up shows every 3 months, bringing in top international acts. I have several well known comedians now who are willing to come and we’re discussing sponsorship of rooms and airline tickets with everyone we can. The biggest obstacle remains airfare. Each month there are sold out stand-up shows in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, India and Malaysia. I want to see Seoul to join this comedy circuit in the very near future. As a comedian and ESL teacher, I believe comedy is a great way to celebrate our cultural differences and learn with laughter.

10. Any advice for aspiring comedians?

Email me NOW! My email is brianaylward11@hotmail.com or you can add me on Facebook. Also, people can join the Stand-up Seoul Facebook group for information on shows, videos, pictures and updates.

Interview by David Carruth, Shots by Ethan James

1. How does a Londoner end up at the top of a Korean communications firm?

As long as I can remember, I’ve always been interested in communication. Even as a student in the UK, I was involved with school papers and the student council, and after I graduated, I got a job with advertising in London and stayed in that market for a number of years. In fact, I first got to know Samsung through the account that I was handling in London.

My first visit to Korea took place in 1990 while I was working on an account for Hyundai Motors. At the time, I don’t think I would have been willing to move to Korea, but fortunately Korea has changed quite a bit since then. Early in 2008, Cheil Worldwide approached me about coming to Korea.  At first, I hesitated and wondered whether I could take the job without leaving my London office. In fact, it was my wife who made the final decision. With our kids grown up and my wife ready for an adventure, it turned out to be the right timing for the move, so I took the job.

2. Tell us about your first 18 months here in Korea.

Actually, they’ve been a complete roller coaster. I generally divide my experience so far into two parts, cultural and business. Before I came, I thought that it would be a lot harder for me to adjust culturally than professionally, but in fact things have not gone quite as expected. My wife and I have taken to life here like ducks to water, but adjusting to business culture turned out to be a bit more difficult.

3. What are some of the biggest obstacles you’ve encountered while doing business in Korea?

To begin with, it’s a little confusing. On the surface, business structure appears to be the same here as in the UK. However, once you go below the surface, you realize that so many of the business fundamentals that you tend to take for granted, such as the role of the human resources and financial divisions, are quite different. For example, communications firms in England are built around the creative department, but in Korea, account management is more central.

4. How does a typical ad campaign come to be?

First, of course, there must be the product to be marketed, a new mobile phone, for example. Next, the client sends us a brief containing technical information on the product, comparisons with competing products, and directions about the markets the client wants to target. With the brief in hand, we develop a creative strategy for the product, which we then pitch to the client. Assuming somewhat optimistically that the client approves our proposal, we move on to production. We generally outsource technically demanding work like photography and filming to firms that specialize in it. Finally, we place the finished advertising content on TV, in the media, online, and in other places.

5. Can you explain your approach to using the Internet in marketing?

The internet is absolutely vital to a successful marketing strategy, but you’ve got to use common sense. To take an easy example, think about getting a new camera. How do you decide what product you are going to buy? Most people today go to the internet to find information and reviews about the product they’re thinking about purchasing. Basically, the internet has become the point of decision in the buying process even if the point of purchase remains an actual store. It’s crucial to cement the potential customer’s relationship with the brand while they’re online.

6. What is one current project that Cheil Communication is working on?

Samsung has an exciting new product that we’re handling right now. They’re already the world leader in TV manufacturing, and now they’ve released the PAVV LED TV. It’s just an outstanding product, as thin as a finger! We’re working on the next stage of the global ad campaign right now and you’ll see a lot of ads in the Korean market as well.

7. Who are some of your major clients?

Our clients include KT, Amore Pacific, Dongseo Foods, Pernod Ricard, and TESCO, but 45% of our projects come directly from various divisions within Samsung. In fact Cheil began as Samsung’s in-house communications firm, though we’ve since become more autonomous. It’s very common in Korea for chaebols (business conglomerates) to manage their own communication firm.

8. What’s one big difference between advertising in Korea and the UK?

Celebrity endorsement—a huge proportion of Korean ads depend on famous people. Of course, it’s not uncommon in the West for stars to endorse a product, but generally the ad has a core idea and makes use of the celebrity endorsement to enhance the original concept. Not so in Korea. In its crudest form, Korean advertising degenerates to beautiful people holding a bottle. This is one of the things holding back the reputation of Korean advertising worldwide.

9. Is there anything that irritates you about life in Korea?

The most annoying thing is the free-for-all on the roads in Seoul. The traffic situation has got to improve, and it will start when drivers realize that red lights are not just advisory. I would also love to see Korea start feeling more confident about itself. Seoul is an extremely safe city, yet I still see dozens of buses full of riot police lined up whenever I go downtown. If there was one thing I could change about Seoul, it would be to get rid of all of those police buses.

10. What’s something you absolutely love about your life in Korea?

My wife and I got lucky. We live up in Gahwae-dong near Samcheong-dong. It’s a great location with a really friendly local community, and I wouldn’t change that for anything.

Interview by Grace Sun, Shots by Ethan James

1. Can you tell me a little about your family and their history in Korea?

My great-grandfather, Eugene Bell, was a Presbyterian missionary who came to Korea in 1895. My grandfather, William Linton, also served in Korea from 1912 and my father Hugh Linton, served in Korea from 1954. My mother also served in Korea for 40 years as the director of the Soonchun Christian Tuberculosis Rehabilitation Center.

My wife and I met when we were both studying in college, and we have two daughters – 21 and 19 – and a 9-year-old son. They are beautiful Amerasian kids.

2. What was it like growing up in Korea in the 60s?

I was born in Jeonju and grew up in Suncheon. I do not see myself as someone from a wealthy family coming to help the “poor natives”, but in fact I see myself as a product of Korea. The old people in the village taught me very strong values and how to be a good human being. It was a wonderful childhood growing up in Korea. My biggest break was being allowed to study at Yonsei University, after which I went to New York and then came back here to do family medicine. Koreans have given me the opportunity to go to school here and become a doctor. I am thankful for that, and I have tried to give some of that back.

3. What are the standout things you have achieved here that make you proud?

My father was killed in a tragic car accident in 1984 and after that I designed five models of ambulances, of which there are now 4000 on the street. All the square ambulances you see on the street are 100% my design, and I believe it was a pretty significant breakthrough. The other thing would be the medical work my brother and I did under the Eugene Bell foundation in North Korea. We treated 300,000 patients in 6 years and raised US $35 mil..

4. Do you consider yourself a foreigner or a Korean?

My heart is in Jeonju, so I think of myself as more of a Jeonju person and not really Korean. I wrote a book called “My Hometown is in Jeollado, My Soul is in Korea”. Who am I? As a child, I never looked in the mirror, I just saw myself as a kid in the village. At one point in my life I realized the advantages of Asian culture over Western culture and I made a choice to be Asian. I have great respect for the collectivism of Asian culture. We’re very communal, and that is something I strongly believe in.

5. What should foreigners be careful of when seeking medical care here in Korea?

The number one problem with all patients, local and foreigner alike, is communication. Korean doctors see five to ten times the number of patients that Western doctors see, and it can often get very busy and crowded. Koreans put up with this lack of communication and explanation, but foreigners are much more used to personalized care. They can be very inquisitive, but Korean doctors are too busy to explain. I think there is a big difference in expectations – the concept of medicine to Westerners is that it is a necessary evil, a toxin. But for Asians, it is a mechanism for correcting the imbalances in your body – like ying and yang. The doctor is the guru, and his decisions are not questioned. While a Westerner will thank me for not giving him any medicine, a Korean will invariably ask for an injection! The advice I would give to foreigners that are seeking help is to write everything down – Korean doctors read much better than they speak. At the end of the day, the Korean and Western consumer want the same thing: professionalism and quality time.

6. What is your personal stance on the medical system here in Korea?

Korean doctors are heroic – the amount of patients they see – they’re superhuman. This system works because they work so hard in order to make ends meet under national insurance. There is a huge need, not for revolution, but for reform. Korea needs private insurance, and public and private should come together seamlessly like in the Netherlands or Germany.

7. You have the title of not only doctor, but mentor and trusted cultural guide. Can you tell me a little about your theories and beliefs?

One of my theories is that central heating has played a big part in fracturing today’s families. Here is why – I grew up in a time when there was no central heating, and this was true in many parts of the US too. Back then, everyone gathered around the kitchen stove and all education happened there. It forced people to interact and have very healthy mental hygiene. In Korea, it was the hot floor that you would congregate around. This was the place where older people would teach values and provide their wisdom to the younger people. Nowadays everyone has their own individual television, their own computer and the kids just stay in their room. That causes a generation of very selfish kids.

8. How is IHC different from other international clinics in Korea?

We are an all-service clinic, and a lot of people who come here need urgent care, but I am also trained as a family practitioner so we also manage and prevent disease.

We have four full-time English speaking doctors, and most importantly we have a 24-hour medical doctor and administrator on-call. The difference between ours and other international clinics is that I am the only Western foreigner licensed to practice medicine in Korea and I am part of the institution. Other doctors are contracted, and are not available after hours so there is very little follow through. I am committed to patients and actively partake in their treatment, whether they are here in the clinic or in the emergency room.

9. How has IHC progressed and improved over the years?

When I returned to Korea in 1991 the International Healthcare Centre was in a very dilapidated state with only 1 or 2 patients coming every other day. Now we have over 80 patients a day, and last year we saw 30,000 foreigners. We are also the only JCI-accredited (Joint Commission International) hospital in Korea, and the biggest in the world, which means we have been prepared for many presidential visits.

10. What do you see for Korea’s medical field in the future?

I believe the future is in medical tourism, and in fact all my efforts right now are focused on promoting Korea as a place for treatment abroad. I have been working very closely with the  Ministry For Health, Welfare and Family Affairs to promote the amazing surgeons Korea has to offer. Their manual dexterity is the best in the world, even among their own fellow peers in Asia – Koreans are the only Asian population that uses metal chopsticks. We have 5 Da Vinci robots, and in fact we are the leaders in Asia. Presently, the cost in Korea is more expensive than Bangkok, but cheaper than Singapore and Hong Kong, and about a third to a fifth of the cost in the US.

10 Questions 2009 November

1. When did you arrive in Korea and how old were you?

I have actually “arrived” in Korea four separate times – in 1979, two months prior to Park Chung-hee’s assassination (which could make for a whole separate, but interesting, interview), back again in 1982 and again in 1984 and then finally settling in late 1996 to the present day.

2. What brought you here at such a young age?

I was first a Mormon missionary for two years which really honed my language skills. I learned 100 ways to say “Not interested,” “Nobody’s home,” and “Thanks, but no thanks.” Fortunately, Koreans are quite polite; otherwise it could have been much more traumatic (he says with a smile). I was then back for exchange study at Yonsei University and to teach English. At the end of 1996 I arrived as the Asia Sales Director for Cargill, a large multi-national agriculture company. It seems a long progression, but my personal goal from a young age was to live and work in Korea.

3. What are some of the biggest changes you have seen in Korea in the many years you have been here?

The huge transformation that took place between 1984 and 1988 for the Seoul Olympics was stark. I was absent from Korea during that time and returned during the Olympics for business. I was quite surprised to see all the bridges, hotels, and office buildings that had sprung up over such a short time. Being in the food business, however, I tend to dwell more upon the huge improvements in the type and quality of foods available in supermarkets and restaurants. For example, imported cheese of any kind was completely unavailable during the early 80s. The large import duties still make cheese and other imported foods expensive, but positive change has taken place.

4. Do you have any good stories from “the old days”?

I always like to tell the story of my first “pizza” in Korea in about 1980-81, which consisted of a base vaguely resembling pizza crust topped with tomato ketchup as the sauce, then odeng (fish sausage) and all covered with sandwich cheese. Compare that to the gorgonzola with honey pizza I can buy from my little neighborhood pizza joint today! That’s a great example of how much things have changed and improved food-wise over the years.

5. How did you end up in the meat and poultry business?

I got an interview with a small meat processing company close to my home town in California during a trip home for my sister’s wedding. Turned out this small company was owned by Cargill. I started as an Asia Sales Manager and just rode the boom in opening Asian markets and increasing meat consumption. Believe it or not, my language skills got me involved in selling parts of the cow we Westerners tend not to consume much anymore. We were the first and largest US exporter of intestines to Korea, a delicacy Koreans still consume today in such dishes as gopchang jeongol and haejangguk. In the early years, nearly half my sales were of Korean-specific internal organ meats. Yum!

6. When did you start Kobeak Meats?

Kobeak started in 2005 and is only five years old now. It was my brainchild, so to speak. It was researched and studied for a year at Cargill’s expense but then turned down for being “too small” (only a US $1 million investment). The Australian supplier to Outback Steakhouse picked up on the idea and ran with it. As I like to tell people, Kobeak is an Australian-Korean joint venture run by an American.

7. How was your business impacted by last year’s demonstrations against American beef?

I believe the demonstrations actually launched us into recession a bit earlier than the rest of the world. People stopped going to restaurants, reduced their beef consumption almost entirely (not just US beef) and just got wrapped up in food politics for 3-4 months. Add to this the sharp rise in 2008 exchange rates and the result was a less than spectacular year. However, we still managed to increase our sales by 30% with the addition of a full range of products for Samsung/Tesco Home Plus.

8. There’s a huge difference in meat consumption between Koreans and Westerners. What are the typical annual consumption rates?

Yes, it’s stark and makes for interesting results when Western studies urge consumers to cut back on meat (usually beef) consumption. Korean media will pick up on these studies and apply them locally even though the consumption patterns and amounts are quite a bit lower in Korea. It’s always interesting that the studies on tobacco and alcohol consumption don’t strike the same chords as the food studies. Westerners consume differently from country to country usually with the Argentines leading the way, but most consume more than 40 kg of beef per capita annually. Koreans consume less than 8 kg, and this likely dropped even lower after last year. All in all, Koreans already have a very healthy diet.

9. Do you have any pet issues related to your business?

Sure, import duties on food are much too high in Korea. Beef, for example, is 40%, so for every W1,000 you spend on beef, W400 goes to taxes. The food cost in Korea is a huge component to running a business which leads to using lower quality brands and inferior quality products. Koreans spend over 30% of their income on food, whereas Americans spend about 7-8%. Korea is not the highest in the world on income spent for food, but it is close.

10. It sounds like you’re in Korea to stay. What are your future plans?

Yes, I am now past the age where it makes much sense to do or go anywhere else – unless North Korea opens up! I want to make a name for Kobeak and hope to participate in the changes to professionalize the food industry here.  For example, Korea is one of the few places in the world where 5 star hotel chefs are often not allowed to make the final decision on food purchases. This is usually done by a local purchasing manager who has little if any practical experience with brands, food quality, imported foods, or other issues. This is one of the practices that need to change if Korea is to globalize and improve its marketing of local cuisine. The politics need to be removed and the professionalism needs to come in. Anything I can do toward that end will put a nice finishing touch on my time here.