Coming from a low-income family in North Korea, Soon-Bok started selling at the market when she was 20. She made and sold chili powder and rice cakes, but then a scammer tricked her, and she lost everything overnight.

"I was tricked by a scammer who handed over frosted dried chili peppers. All the chili powder rotted, so my business went down the drain overnight. Once I lost my business, I had no money and couldn't continue."

Soon-Bok's family faced even more financial difficulties after she lost her job. They couldn't afford even corn meal, let alone rice. Finally, they decided to leave North Korea.

"On a scary night, I gritted my teeth and crossed the Tumen River, moving thousands of kilometers from the north to the south of China, passing through life and death many times. I didn't know where I was or whether it was day or night. I arrived in South Korea through the Third World."

In South Korea, she began to work and pursue her dream of studying. However, it was challenging because she faced discrimination from co-workers. While living in South Korea, Soon-Bok realized that having specialized skills is essential.

"As I lived in South Korea, I realized I should have a specialty for my future, so I decided to learn a new skill. When I thought about what I could do, I remembered that people used to buy my rice cakes and sweets at the North Korean market because they were delicious, so I decided to learn how to make Korean desserts."

© Won-Sam Gourmet Blog

Soon-Bok traveled all over the country to learn how to make Korean desserts. She earned certifications and won awards at various culinary competitions to hone her skills. Her efforts led to her appointment as a Korean food master chef at the Korean Food Forum event in 2020.

"For ten years, I went to famous teachers around the country to learn how to make Korean desserts whenever I had a day off. I went through a Ph.D. program, studying rice cake production management in graduate school. In 2021, I finally started a Korean dessert gift shop, 'Won-Sam Gourmet, which I had dreamed of for a long time."

'Won-Sam Gourmet' makes and sells healthy Korean desserts and homemade jam, mainly for congratulatory and appreciation purposes. With Soon-Bok's excellent craftsmanship, 'Won-Sam Gourment' is becoming famous in the town.

Furthermore, they also train North Korean defectors and multicultural trainees who want to learn how to make Korean desserts. Soon-Bok hopes to develop 'Won-Sam Gourmet' to hire North Korean employees and provide them with systematic training shortly.

Please support 'Won-Sam Gourment' as it develops into a business to help North Korean defectors become part of Korean society!