Young people from Nghe An and 'Traditional Pho' in Seoul.

The culinary business is also a step forward for this young man in his early 30s, who grew up in the coastal town of Cua Lo, after completing his master's program in South Korea.

From vocational college to master's degree

Pham Van Dung grew up in Nghi Hai ward (Vinh city). During his high school years, Dung studied at Cua Lo 2 High School, and because his academic performance wasn't outstanding, he decided to pursue vocational training at the Vietnam-Korea Industrial Technical College.

After graduating, Dung worked for a military telecommunications company and then for a South Korean electronics component manufacturing company in Vinh City. This company gave him the opportunity to study in South Korea, experiencing a professional and modern work environment that opened up many new horizons for him.

One day, almost eight years ago, when he was in his early twenties, Dung decided to quit all his jobs and determined to go to South Korea to study at university. However, instead of continuing his engineering studies as he had in Vietnam, Dung decided to study Business Administration at a university in Seoul and then pursue a master's degree in import and export in Incheon.

Studying abroad in South Korea, and facing financial constraints, Dung, like many other international students, had to work part-time to cover his expenses. Dung also knew that many of his friends and compatriots were studying abroad but were actually using the system to work or settle illegally. Dung himself experienced the hardships of juggling classes and part-time jobs like serving food and transporting goods, and he understood the difficulties firsthand. However, despite his circumstances, Dung was determined to earn a university degree. His decision to pursue a master's degree surprised many, but Dung understood that it stemmed from a desire to further his knowledge and achieve greater success.

Establishing a business for the Vietnamese people and for Vietnamese culture.

Having decided to pursue a master's degree at an older age, Dung began thinking about starting his own business in addition to working part-time to make ends meet. Dung considers his entrepreneurial spirit to be a family tradition, as he often helped his mother sell rice and groceries while he was still a student.

The first shop Dung opened in Seoul was a coffee shop called "Where to Coffee." Targeting Vietnamese customers, Dung poured a lot of heart and soul into his brainchild, from the menu to the small decorative details. Customers can enjoy Vietnamese filter coffee made with carefully selected ingredients from Vietnam. Furthermore, despite being in a faraway place, Vietnamese customers will feel a sense of familiarity and friendliness when they encounter images like floral mats, bamboo trees, Dong Ho paintings, and sometimes even newspaper pages from their homeland.

Later, Dung's biggest regret was that the restaurant opened right when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, so after only a little over a year of business, Dung had to hand it over to someone else. To this day, after many years, the restaurant is still in business andgivestable income.

After the coffee shop, Dung and his friends continued their business by opening a karaoke bar at a subway station in Dongdaemun-gu (Seoul). The bar wasn't large, but it was designed like a karaoke business in Vietnam, providing a place for Vietnamese people working far from home to meet friends and relax after stressful work hours. Several Vietnamese workers also worked there, earning a stable income.

Experience from his first startup ventures motivated Dung to invest all his capital in his third brainchild: a restaurant called "Pho Xua" (Old Pho) located in Seoul's famous Seodaemun-gu student district. However, unlike the previous two models, which targeted Vietnamese customers, "Pho Xua" aims to cater to Korean customers.

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Actually, Vietnamese pho has been popular with Koreans for quite some time, but most Vietnamese pho restaurants in Korea are owned by Koreans, so they don't offer the authentic taste of Vietnamese pho. Therefore, when I opened this restaurant, I wanted to introduce to the Korean people a pho restaurant that truly captures the authentic flavor of Vietnam.

Pham Van Dung

Before bringing "Pho Xua" to Seoul, Dung and his wife returned to Vietnam and spent a considerable amount of time learning from renowned chefs in Hanoi.

Later, when the restaurant officially opened in South Korea, Dung always kept in mind the importance of preserving the authentic flavor of Vietnamese pho, with a meticulous combination of ingredients including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, and cardamom.

Dung orders fresh pho noodles from a Vietnamese person in Seoul, ensuring they are soft and long, and the beef is carefully selected. When he first opened the restaurant, Dung faced difficulties because he didn't understand the psychology of Korean customers. It took him a short time to gradually adjust to suit tourists' preferences, such as increasing the amount of noodles in each bowl and reducing the strong seasonings.

Through his experience doing business in a predominantly Korean neighborhood, Dung says that to do business harmoniously, one must know how to "deal with people," "know your friend, know yourself," and respect the culture and customs of the host country.

After more than a year in operation, "Pho Xua" and many other authentic Vietnamese dishes have made their mark on Seoul's culinary map and are quite popular with diners. For Vietnamese customers in particular, the restaurant's Vietnamese-inspired ambiance, featuring elements like conical hats, lanterns, brocade paintings, Bat Trang ceramics, and dishes like pho, Hue-style vermicelli, and banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake), helps alleviate homesickness.

By choosing "Traditional Pho" and Vietnamese cuisine, Pham Van Dung is also putting lessons from books into practice. Furthermore, this is also a way for him to act as a "bridge" to introduce and promote his work.Vietnamese cultureVietnamese cuisine is being introduced to friends around the world.

Song Hoang